Manufacturing method of optical fiber array connector and optical fiber array connector

Abstract

The invention relates to a manufacturing method of an optical fiber array connector and the optical fiber array connector. The method comprises the steps that a matched mold is selected according to the shape of the cross section of a needed optical fiber array, and arrangement parameters of optical fibers are determined; the method comprises the following steps: constructing an optical fiber array preform in a working groove of a mold by adopting a layer-by-layer positioning and curing process, namely, after light curing glue is arranged on each layer of optical fibers, carrying out transverse precise positioning through a pressing plate with a V-shaped positioning groove, and firmly combining the layer of optical fibers with the bottom wall of the mold or a cured layer below through light curing; and finally, packaging the prefabricated body in a connector shell. According to the method, complex three-dimensional construction is decomposed into controllable single-layer operation, the problems that in traditional overall arrangement, optical fibers interfere with one another, and the positioning precision of a middle layer is poor are solved, high-precision positioning of each optical fiber and the structural stability of the array are achieved, the method can flexibly adapt to various section shapes, and the method is suitable for application scenes such as high-density optical interconnection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of optical communication, specifically to a method for manufacturing a fiber optic array connector and the fiber optic array connector itself. Background Technology

[0002] Micro-LED array interconnect technology is gradually becoming a new direction for the development of optical interconnect technology. This technology utilizes micro-LED arrays as light sources, possessing mature manufacturing processes, excellent stability, and extremely high yield rates. It enables ultra-short-distance, ultra-high-density parallel optical transmission, providing new possibilities for addressing the increasingly demanding interconnect requirements of future data centers. Fiber optic arrays, as an important optical transmission medium, feature multi-channel parallel transmission, low transmission loss, and high stability, perfectly matching the characteristics of micro-LED array interconnect technology. As its parallel transmission medium, it demonstrates significant application advantages in short-distance, high-density interconnect scenarios, becoming a key supporting component for promoting the practical application and performance optimization of micro-LED array interconnect technology.

[0003] There are several ways to arrange the entire fiber bundle: (1) The entire fiber bundle is arranged using a mold. This arrangement method can only restrict the external shape of the fiber bundle. It is difficult to accurately position each fiber unit of the fiber array and it is impossible to produce a neatly arranged fiber array.

[0004] (2) V-shaped positioning grooves were added to the upper and lower ends of the mold. It can only position the fiber unit close to the V-shaped positioning groove. It is difficult to position the fiber in the middle part. It is not suitable for fiber arrays with a large number of layers.

[0005] (3) Using positioning posts on the end face of the mold can improve the positioning accuracy of the fiber unit, but it will occupy part of the fiber space, resulting in some gaps on the end face of the array fiber bundle. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a method for manufacturing a fiber optic array connector and a fiber optic array connector, which can solve the technical problem of poor positioning accuracy of fiber optic units in the existing fiber optic array arrangement technology.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a method for manufacturing a fiber optic array connector, comprising: The appropriate mold is selected based on the cross-sectional shape of the target fiber array, and the fiber arrangement parameters are determined. The mold has a working groove that matches the cross-sectional shape. The arrangement parameters include the total number of fiber layers and the number of fibers per layer. Within the working groove, optical fibers are positioned and cured layer by layer according to the arrangement parameters to form an optical fiber array preform. For each layer of optical fiber, a photocurable adhesive is first placed below it, and then a pressure plate with multiple V-shaped positioning grooves is used to position the optical fiber of that layer. Subsequently, the photocurable adhesive is irradiated and cured. The two sides of the V-shaped positioning groove are used to be tangent to the outside of the optical fiber. The fiber array preform is inserted into the through hole of the connector housing and then encapsulated to form a fiber array connector.

[0008] In some embodiments, the length direction of the working groove is parallel to the axial direction of the optical fiber, and both ends of its length direction penetrate the sidewall of the mold.

[0009] In some embodiments, the length direction of the working groove is parallel to the axis of the optical fiber, and both ends of the working groove penetrate the sidewall of the mold; in the depth direction of the working groove, the top of the working groove penetrates the top of the mold. The top of the mold is also provided with a pressure plate sliding guide rail that is perpendicular to the length direction of the working groove; the depth of the pressure plate sliding guide rail is the same as the depth of the working groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, the multiple V-shaped positioning slots of the pressure plate are located on the same horizontal plane, and the number of V-shaped positioning slots is greater than or equal to the number of optical fibers in the layer with the most optical fibers in the arrangement parameters; or, The multiple V-shaped positioning grooves of the pressure plate are located on the same horizontal plane; when positioning each layer of optical fiber, a pressure plate with the same number of V-shaped positioning grooves as the number of optical fibers in that layer is selected.

[0011] In some embodiments, if the layer of optical fiber to be positioned is misaligned with the layer of optical fiber that has already been positioned and solidified, a target pressure plate is selected for positioning; the V-shaped positioning groove of the target pressure plate is misaligned with the V-shaped positioning groove of the corresponding pressure plate of the layer of optical fiber that has already been positioned and solidified.

[0012] In some embodiments, for each layer of optical fiber, the following steps are included before the photocurable adhesive is irradiated and cured: Remove the top surface of the optical fiber that needs to be cured with photocurable adhesive.

[0013] In some embodiments, the photocurable adhesive is a UV-curable adhesive, and a UV curing lamp is used to irradiate and cure the photocurable adhesive corresponding to each layer of optical fiber.

[0014] In some embodiments, the size and shape of the through-hole in the connector housing are the same as the size and shape of the cross-section of the target fiber array; The cross-section of the target fiber array can be any one of a rectangle, triangle, hexagon, or octagon.

[0015] In some embodiments, the fiber array preform is inserted into a through-hole in the connector housing and encapsulated to form a fiber array connector, specifically including the following steps: Insert the fiber array preform into the through hole of the connector housing and cure it with glue; The end face of the connector housing with the through hole is ground; after grinding, positioning posts are set on the end face and around the through hole.

[0016] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a fiber optic array connector, which includes: being manufactured according to a fiber optic array connector manufacturing method.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in this application include: By employing a layer-by-layer positioning and curing process, combined with a pressure plate featuring multiple V-shaped positioning grooves, this invention enables independent and precise lateral constraint and fixation of each optical fiber in the array. The V-groove design ensures that the optical fiber automatically centers within the groove and prevents rolling, allowing each fiber to be fixed in a uniquely defined position according to preset arrangement parameters (number of layers, quantity per layer). This bottom-up, layer-by-layer construction method fundamentally overcomes the technical defects of traditional monolithic arrangements, such as fiber compression and ambiguous positioning in intermediate layers, resulting in a fiber array prefabricated structure with extremely high geometric precision. Once the prefabricated structure is packaged with connectors, the emitting point position of each optical fiber on its end face is precisely known, enabling efficient and low-loss spatial alignment and optical coupling with terminal devices such as LED arrays and optical waveguides, significantly improving the performance of the optical interconnect system.

[0018] During the layer-by-layer construction process, after each layer of optical fibers is positioned, the photocurable adhesive beneath it is immediately irradiated and cured. This ensures that the positioned optical fibers do not shift or loosen when new layers are subsequently added. The final fiber array prefabricated structure is a stable whole with strong interlayer bonding, capable of withstanding the mechanical stresses brought about by subsequent encapsulation, polishing, and insertion / removal operations, thus guaranteeing the long-term reliability of the product.

[0019] By replacing molds with working slots of different cross-sectional shapes (such as rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, and octagonal) and combining them with corresponding arrangement parameters and pressure plates, the same process principle can be flexibly used to manufacture fiber optic arrays of various specifications and shapes. This flexibility allows the invention to meet the needs of diverse application scenarios, such as adapting to LED arrays with different packages or optical systems with specific spatial layouts, greatly expanding the application scope of this technology.

[0020] By breaking down the complex array manufacturing process into standardized, cyclical individual steps (adhesive application, fiber placement, platen positioning, and curing), the entire process becomes clear and controllable. The operational parameters for each step (such as adhesive amount, pressure, and curing time) are easily standardized and controlled, facilitating a high degree of automation and large-scale production. Furthermore, this method offers exceptional repeatability, ensuring consistent high precision and performance across different batches of fiber array connectors, meeting the quality stability requirements of industrial production. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the fiber optic array connector in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the fiber optic array structure in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of UV curing lamp irradiation curing in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the working groove of the mold and the sliding guide rail of the pressure plate in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a comparative schematic diagram of the pressure plates corresponding to the two misaligned optical fiber layers in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the fabrication of the fiber optic array in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a comparative schematic diagram of six different fiber optic array end faces in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic flowchart of the manufacturing method of the fiber optic array connector of the present invention.

[0022] In the diagram: 1. Mold; 2. Working groove; 3. Pressure plate; 4. Pressure plate sliding guide rail; 5. Connector housing; 6. Through hole; 7. Positioning post; 8. UV curing lamp. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0024] First, this application will be explained in order to enable those skilled in the art to understand it.

[0025] Driven by the digital age, data centers, as the core hubs for information storage, processing, and transmission, have experienced unprecedented rapid development. Over the past 20 years, the hardware performance of data centers has shown a significant imbalance in growth. Hardware computing power has increased by a staggering 60,000 times, and memory bandwidth has increased 100 times, while interconnect bandwidth has only increased 30 times. This severe imbalance in hardware performance growth has made the interconnect system a key bottleneck restricting the overall improvement of data center computing power and efficient operation, failing to meet the ever-increasing demand for high-speed transmission of massive amounts of data.

[0026] To overcome this interconnection bottleneck, the industry has been continuously exploring various interconnection solutions. Active copper cable interconnection, as one of the early widely used technologies, played a crucial role in short-distance interconnection scenarios in data centers. However, with the continuous increase in data transmission rates and density requirements, active copper cable interconnection solutions, limited by their own physical characteristics such as signal attenuation, electromagnetic interference, and high power consumption, have reached their physical limits. They can no longer meet the demands of data centers for higher bandwidth, lower latency, and lower power consumption interconnection technologies, necessitating the development of new interconnection technologies to replace them.

[0027] Against this backdrop, high-efficiency optical interconnect technology, with its outstanding advantages such as high bandwidth, low loss, and strong anti-interference capability, has become a key technology direction for solving the short-distance bandwidth bottleneck in data centers, attracting widespread attention and in-depth research from the industry. With the continuous evolution of technology, optical interconnect technology has also undergone a series of important development stages. While traditional optical modules have improved data transmission performance to some extent, they suffer from drawbacks such as large size, low integration, and high cost, making it difficult to adapt to the development trend of high-density interconnection in data centers.

[0028] To overcome the shortcomings of traditional optical modules, silicon photonics interconnect (SPT) technology emerged. Based on mature silicon-based semiconductor processes, SPT technology integrates optical and electronic devices, effectively improving integration density and reducing costs, achieving significant progress in the field of optical interconnects. However, with the increasing demands for interconnect density and transmission efficiency from data centers, SPT technology still faces some challenges in ultra-high-density interconnect scenarios, such as improving the efficiency of optical signal modulation and detection, and controlling interference in multi-channel parallel transmission.

[0029] In this context, Micro-LED array interconnect technology is gradually becoming a new direction for the development of optical interconnect technology. This technology utilizes Micro-LED arrays as light sources, possessing mature manufacturing processes, excellent stability, and extremely high yield rates. It enables ultra-short-distance, ultra-high-density parallel optical transmission, providing new possibilities for addressing the increasingly demanding interconnect requirements of future data centers. Fiber optic arrays, as an important optical transmission medium, feature multi-channel parallel transmission, low transmission loss, and high stability, perfectly matching Micro-LED array interconnect technology. As its parallel transmission medium, it demonstrates significant application advantages in short-distance, high-density interconnect scenarios, becoming a key supporting component for promoting the practical application and performance optimization of Micro-LED array interconnect technology. The aforementioned fiber optic arrays are used for short-distance optical interconnects.

[0030] There are several ways to arrange the entire fiber bundle: (1) The entire fiber bundle is arranged using a mold. This arrangement method can only restrict the external shape of the fiber bundle. It is difficult to accurately position each fiber unit of the fiber array and it is impossible to produce a neatly arranged fiber array.

[0031] (2) V-shaped positioning grooves were added to the upper and lower ends of the mold. It can only position the fiber unit close to the V-shaped positioning groove. It is difficult to position the fiber in the middle part. It is not suitable for fiber arrays with a large number of layers.

[0032] (3) Using positioning posts on the end face of the mold can improve the positioning accuracy of the fiber unit, but it will occupy part of the fiber space, resulting in some gaps on the end face of the array fiber bundle.

[0033] In the following text, the middle section of the fiber array is loosely distributed, with arrangement only at both ends. The bending performance of the fiber bundle array is close to that of a single fiber. Each layer of fibers can be arranged in either an aligned or staggered manner.

[0034] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Firstly, reference Figures 1-4 ,as well as Figure 8 This application provides a method for manufacturing a fiber optic array connector, comprising: Step 100: Select the corresponding mold 1 according to the cross-sectional shape of the target fiber array and determine its fiber arrangement parameters; the mold 1 has a working groove 2 that matches the cross-sectional shape; the arrangement parameters include the total number of fiber layers and the number of fibers per layer; the target fiber array includes multiple closely packed fibers, each fiber unit has the same diameter, and the spacing between two adjacent fibers is the diameter of the fiber unit; the fibers used are various sizes of quartz fiber, glass fiber, and plastic fiber, and the refractive index profile of the fiber can be step-index, graded-index, or triangular; the target fiber array is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, it is marked as C; Step 200: In the working groove 2, the optical fibers are positioned and cured layer by layer according to the arrangement parameters to form an optical fiber array preform; for each layer of optical fiber, a photocurable adhesive is first placed below it, and then a pressure plate 3 with multiple V-shaped positioning grooves is used to position the optical fiber of the layer, and then the photocurable adhesive is irradiated and cured; the two sides of the V-shaped positioning groove are tangent to the outside of the optical fiber. Step 300: Insert the fiber array preform into the through hole 6 of the connector housing 5 and encapsulate it to form a fiber array connector.

[0036] The core of the above steps lies in selecting a matching mold 1 and determining the arrangement parameters according to the cross-sectional shape of the target fiber array. Then, in the working groove 2, the fiber array preform is constructed layer by layer through a cycle of first setting the photocurable adhesive, then using the pressure plate 3 for positioning, and then irradiating for curing. Finally, it is encapsulated.

[0037] By decomposing the complex three-dimensional array construction into simple, controllable single-layer operations, and combining V-shaped positioning grooves to laterally constrain each optical fiber, and then contacting the bottom limiting structure for positioning, the limiting structure is the bottom wall, side wall or already positioned and solidified optical fiber layer, which fundamentally solves the technical problems of easy mutual interference of optical fibers and poor positioning accuracy of intermediate layers in traditional one-time overall arrangement.

[0038] The process of immediately curing after positioning ensures that the position of each fiber is permanently fixed before the next layer is stacked, preventing the positioned fibers from shifting during subsequent operations, thus guaranteeing the accuracy and robustness of the final prefabricated internal structure.

[0039] By selecting the mold according to the cross-sectional shape of the target fiber array, this method can be adapted to the manufacturing of fiber arrays with various cross-sectional shapes such as rectangular, triangular, and hexagonal, meeting the customized needs of different application scenarios, such as coupling with different LED arrays.

[0040] In some embodiments, the length direction of the working groove 2 is parallel to the axis of the optical fiber, and both ends of its length direction penetrate the sidewall of the mold 1. In this embodiment, the working groove 2 of the mold 1 extends through the side wall at both ends, so that the cured fiber array preform can be easily pushed out of the mold along the axial direction, and it is also convenient to insert long fiber into the mold before manufacturing.

[0041] The top of the mold 1 is also provided with a pressure plate sliding guide rail 4 that is perpendicular to the length direction of the working groove 2; the depth of the pressure plate sliding guide rail 4 is the same as the depth of the working groove 2; the pressure plate sliding guide rail provides a dedicated and centered channel for the downward movement of the pressure plate, which can effectively guide the pressure plate to press down vertically and smoothly, avoid collision or scratching between the pressure plate and the edge of the mold, thereby ensuring that the V-shaped positioning groove can act accurately and consistently on each layer of optical fiber.

[0042] Furthermore, there is another corresponding form, specifically: The length direction of the working groove 2 is parallel to the axis of the optical fiber, and both ends of its length direction penetrate the side wall of the mold 1 respectively; in the depth direction of the working groove 2, the top of the working groove 2 penetrates the top of the mold 1. The top of the working slot 2 of mold 1 is completely open, providing greater operational flexibility and process visibility, allowing operators to more intuitively observe the placement of each layer of optical fiber and the positioning of the pressure plate 3, which facilitates process adjustment and quality control.

[0043] The position design of the pressure plate sliding guide rail 4 facilitates the limiting of the pressure plate during its descent. For example, a cross-shaped limit is used. At the same time, the pressure plate sliding guide rail is at the same depth as the working groove, ensuring that the bottom surface of the V-shaped groove of the pressure plate 3 can maintain an ideal alignment with the bottom surface of the working groove or the upper surface of the cured layer when it is finally positioned, further ensuring the consistency of the interlayer spacing.

[0044] In some embodiments, the multiple V-shaped positioning slots of the pressure plate 3 are located on the same horizontal plane, and the number of V-shaped positioning slots is greater than or equal to the number of optical fibers in the layer with the most optical fibers in the arrangement parameters; or, The multiple V-shaped positioning grooves of the pressure plate 3 are located on the same horizontal plane; when positioning each layer of optical fiber, the pressure plate 3 with the number of V-shaped positioning grooves is selected as equal to the number of optical fibers in that layer.

[0045] Pressure plate 3 is designed in two schemes: A. The number of V-grooves shall not be less than the number of the maximum single layer of optical fibers; B. For each layer, select a pressure plate with the number of V-grooves exactly equal to the number of optical fibers in that layer.

[0046] Option A, Universal Plate: By using a single plate that covers the widest area, tooling management and operation are simplified. There is no need to change plates for different layers, which improves production efficiency. It is especially suitable for mass production of arrays of a single specification.

[0047] Option B, Dedicated Pressure Plate: Equipping each layer of optical fiber with a pressure plate of matching width can reduce the size and weight of the pressure plate and reduce the space occupied by the mold clearance slot. When making arrays with complex cross-sectional shapes, such as triangles and hexagons, the pressure plate can better adapt to the changing width of each layer, avoid interference with the mold sidewall, and make the positioning more accurate.

[0048] In some embodiments, if the layer of optical fiber to be positioned is misaligned with the layer of optical fiber that has already been positioned and solidified, a target pressure plate 3 is selected for positioning; the V-shaped positioning groove of the target pressure plate 3 is misaligned with the V-shaped positioning groove of the pressure plate 3 corresponding to the layer of optical fiber that has already been positioned and solidified.

[0049] When misalignment is required, the V-groove position of the pressure plate selected for the current fiber layer is pre-misaligned with the V-groove position of the pressure plate used for the cured layer.

[0050] This method precisely achieves honeycomb or close-packed arrangements by using two types of pressure plates with specific lateral offsets, typically equal to the fiber radius, in alternating applications. This allows for strict control of the misalignment between fiber layers, enabling higher fill density misaligned arrangements, such as hexagonal arrangements. This mechanical positioning method based on dedicated pressure plates offers higher accuracy and better consistency than methods relying on manual visual inspection or simple baffle positioning.

[0051] In some embodiments, for each layer of optical fiber, the following steps are included before the photocurable adhesive is irradiated and cured: Remove the top surface of the optical fiber that needs to be cured with photocurable adhesive.

[0052] This ensures clear interlayer interfaces and accurate vertical spacing. Removing excess adhesive prevents it from accumulating on the fiber surface, forming bumps or nodules, and thus avoiding interference with the flat placement of the next layer of fiber. This ensures that layers are bonded together by only a single, uniform adhesive film, thereby guaranteeing that the axial position of each fiber and the overall height of the array meet design expectations.

[0053] This improves the product's appearance and optical end-face quality, reduces excess colloid inside, and facilitates a clearer and cleaner optical interface during subsequent grinding and polishing of the fiber array end-face, thus reducing stray light scattering.

[0054] In some embodiments, the photocurable adhesive is a UV-curable adhesive, and a UV curing lamp 8 is used to irradiate and cure the photocurable adhesive corresponding to each layer of optical fiber.

[0055] In this embodiment, UV curing adhesive and UV curing lamp 8 are specified to achieve a fast and controllable curing process. UV curing technology has the characteristics of fast curing speed and high energy utilization. It can instantly fix the positioned optical fiber, greatly shorten the single-layer operation cycle and improve production efficiency.

[0056] UV curing is a cold curing process, which does not cause deformation of the optical fiber or mold due to thermal effects. Operators can precisely control the irradiation time and area, and there is no solvent evaporation, making the working environment more environmentally friendly.

[0057] In some embodiments, the size and shape of the through hole 6 of the connector housing 5 are the same as the size and shape of the cross-section of the target fiber array; The cross-section of the target fiber array can be any one of a rectangle, triangle, hexagon, or octagon.

[0058] In this embodiment, the through-hole of the connector housing is precisely matched in size and shape to the cross-section of the target fiber array.

[0059] The mechanical mating accuracy between the fiber array and the connector is ensured. The through hole 6, as the final destination of the fiber array, fits tightly with the cross-section, eliminating assembly gaps and preventing the array from shaking or rotating inside the connector, thus providing a reference structure for the entire connector.

[0060] This precise matching ensures that the light-emitting position of each fiber on the connector end face is determined after packaging, which is crucial for optical interconnect applications that require alignment with external micro-optical components.

[0061] In some embodiments, the fiber array preform is inserted into the through hole 6 of the connector housing 5 and encapsulated to form a fiber array connector, specifically including the following steps: Insert the fiber array preform into the through hole 6 of the connector housing 5 and cure it with glue; The end face of the connector housing 5 with the through hole 6 is ground, that is, the end face is coarsely polished, finely polished and finely polished in sequence to ensure the surface smoothness; after the grinding is completed, positioning posts 7 are set on the end face and around the through hole 6.

[0062] This technology enables secondary curing within the through-hole 6, firmly bonding the fiber array preform to the connector housing 5 into a single unit, enhancing the product's mechanical strength and reliability. It also ensures that the end faces of all optical fibers are flush with the connector end faces, achieving optical-grade smoothness and minimizing insertion loss and return loss of the optical signal.

[0063] Active positioning posts 7, such as rectangular or cylindrical posts, are provided on the end face of the connector housing 5 to fix the fiber array in a preset position for precise connection between fiber bundles and between fiber bundles and terminal devices. This eliminates the need for complex optical calibration and greatly improves the convenience of system integration and the stability of repeated insertion and removal.

[0064] refer to Figures 3-6 As shown above, for a target fiber optic array with a determined mold and arrangement parameters, the following steps can be referenced: S1: Cleaning of mold 1, pressure plate 3, and optical fiber surface. Place mold 1, pressure plate 3, and optical fiber in ethanol solution and clean with ultrasonic vibration. Repeat the cleaning more than 3 times to ensure that the surface is clean and free of foreign matter. Apply a thin layer of UV curing adhesive to the lower surface of the mold groove. S2: Insert the first layer of optical fiber and use a pressure plate with V-shaped positioning grooves to position this layer of optical fiber. The spacing of the V-shaped positioning grooves is the diameter of the optical fiber. S3: Use a cleaning tool to remove excess UV curing adhesive from the surface of the fiber layer, and use UV curing lamp 8 to cure the first layer of fiber; S4: Apply a thin layer of UV-curable adhesive to the surface of the Nth layer of optical fibers after they have been arranged. S5: Insert the N+1th layer of optical fiber and use a pressure plate with a V-shaped positioning groove to position this layer of optical fiber. For aligned arrangement, no pressure plate needs to be replaced; for staggered arrangement, two types of pressure plates are required. There is a misalignment between the V-shaped positioning grooves of the two types of pressure plates. The misalignment distance m is the radius of the optical fiber. The corresponding pressure plate needs to be replaced after each layer is arranged. The two types of pressure plates are used alternately to achieve the purpose of staggered arrangement. S6: Use a cleaning tool to remove excess UV curing adhesive from the upper surface of the N+1 layer of optical fiber, and use UV curing lamp 8 to cure the N+1 layer of optical fiber; S7: Repeat steps S3, S4, and S5 in sequence to increase the number of layers in the arrangement until the designed number of layers is reached; S8: Insert the arranged array of fiber optic end faces into the through holes of the connector and cure them with glue; S9: The surface of the connector is sequentially rough polished, fine polished, and precision polished to ensure surface smoothness, and a positioning device is installed at the same time.

[0065] Secondly, a fiber optic array connector is provided, which is manufactured according to the manufacturing method of a fiber optic array connector. This fiber optic array connector inherits the core advantages of the manufacturing method, with extremely high internal fiber arrangement accuracy, excellent end-face optical quality, firm bonding with the housing, and an alignment structure.

[0066] It provides a plug-and-play high-precision optical interface, and the final product is a standardized, highly reliable optical connection component that can be directly used in systems that require high-density, multi-channel, low-loss optical coupling, such as data center optical interconnects, parallel optical computing, and high-precision sensing, solving the key bottleneck problem of fiber alignment in system integration.

[0067] Among them, reference Figure 7 To further illustrate different fiber optic array configurations, the following examples are provided: Example 1: like Figure 7As shown in (a), the fiber array C is arranged in a 9×11 rectangular alignment, and the fiber is quartz fiber with a coating diameter of 250μm±2μm. The working groove 2 of the mold 1 has a rectangular side shape with a width of 2.75mm±10μm. Only one type of pressure plate 3 is used, with a V-shaped positioning groove spacing of 250μm±2μm.

[0068] Example 2: like Figure 7 As shown in (b), the fiber array C is a 10×11 rectangular staggered arrangement, and the fiber is glass fiber with a cladding diameter of 50μm±1μm. The working groove 2 of the mold 1 has a rectangular side shape with a width of 0.575mm±10μm. Two types of pressure plates 3 are used, with a spacing of 50μm±1μm between the V-shaped positioning grooves of both types of pressure plates 3. There is a stagger between the V-shaped positioning grooves of the two types of pressure plates 3, with a stagger distance of 25μm±1μm. The two types of pressure plates 3 are used alternately in a staggered arrangement.

[0069] Example 3: like Figure 7 As shown in (c), the fiber array C is a 10×11 rectangular staggered arrangement, and the fiber is quartz fiber with a coating diameter of 150μm±1μm. The working groove 2 of the mold 1 has a rectangular side shape with a width of 0.55mm±10μm. Two types of pressure plates 3 are used, with a V-shaped positioning groove spacing of 150μm±2μm for both types of pressure plates 3. There is a stagger between the V-shaped positioning grooves of the two types of pressure plates 3, with a stagger distance of 75μm±2μm. The two types of pressure plates 3 are used alternately in a staggered arrangement.

[0070] Example 4: like Figure 7 As shown in (d), the fiber array C is arranged in a triangular staggered pattern, with 9 fibers arranged at the base and 9 layers in total. The fibers are silica fibers with a coating diameter of 250μm±2μm. The working groove 2 of mold 1 has a triangular side shape with a 60-degree slotting angle. Two types of pressure plates 3 are used, with a V-shaped positioning groove spacing of 250μm±2μm for both types of pressure plates 3. There is a stagger between the V-shaped positioning grooves of the two types of pressure plates 3, with a stagger distance of 125μm±2μm. The two types of pressure plates 3 are used alternately in a staggered arrangement.

[0071] Example 5: like Figure 7As shown in (e), the fiber array C is arranged in a hexagonal staggered pattern, with 7 fibers arranged on the bottom edge and 11 layers. The fibers are glass fibers with a cladding diameter of 50μm±1μm. The working groove 2 of the mold 1 has a hexagonal side shape, with a bottom edge width of 0.408mm±10μm. Two types of pressure plates 3 are used, with a V-shaped positioning groove spacing of 50μm±1μm for both types of pressure plates 3. There is a stagger between the V-shaped positioning grooves of the two types of pressure plates 3, with a stagger distance of 25μm±1μm. The two types of pressure plates 3 are used alternately in a staggered arrangement.

[0072] Example 6: like Figure 7 As shown in (f), the fiber array C is an octagonal staggered arrangement with 8 fibers arranged at the bottom and 13 layers. The fibers are silica fibers with a coating diameter of 150μm±2μm. The working groove 2 of mold 1 has an octagonal side shape, with a bottom width of 1.373mm±10μm, a height of 1.709mm±10μm, a middle width of 1.8mm±10μm, and a middle height of 0.52mm±10μm. Two types of pressure plates 3 are used, with a V-shaped positioning groove spacing of 150μm±2μm for both types of pressure plates 3. There is a stagger between the V-shaped positioning grooves of the two types of pressure plates 3, with a stagger distance of 75μm±2μm. The two types of pressure plates 3 are used alternately in a staggered arrangement.

[0073] It should be noted that the sequence numbers of the embodiments in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0074] The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to such process, method, product, or apparatus. The terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used to distinguish different objects, etc., and do not indicate a sequence, nor do they limit "first," "second," and "third" to different types.

[0075] In the description of the embodiments of this application, terms such as "exemplary," "for example," or "for instance" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary," "for example," or "for instance" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary," "for example," or "for instance" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0076] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or". For example, A / B can mean A or B. The "and / or" in the text is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, in the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more.

[0077] In some processes described in the embodiments of this application, multiple operations or steps are included in a specific order. However, it should be understood that these operations or steps may not be executed in the order they appear in the embodiments of this application, or they may be executed in parallel. The sequence number of the operation is only used to distinguish different operations, and the sequence number itself does not represent any execution order. In addition, these processes may include more or fewer operations, and these operations or steps may be executed sequentially or in parallel, and these operations or steps may be combined.

[0078] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) as described above, and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0079] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a fiber array connector, comprising: It comprises: According to the cross-sectional shape of the target fiber array, a corresponding mold (1) is selected, and the arrangement parameters of its fibers are determined; The mold (1) has a working groove (2) matching the cross-sectional shape; the arrangement parameters include the total number of layers of fibers and the number of fibers per layer; In the working groove (2), the positioning and curing of the fibers are carried out layer by layer according to the arrangement parameters to form a fiber array preform; For each layer of fibers, first set the photocuring glue below it, then use a pressing plate (3) with multiple V-shaped positioning grooves to position the layer of fibers, and then irradiate and cure the photocuring glue; the two sides of the V-shaped positioning groove are used to be tangent to the outside of the fiber; Insert the fiber array preform into the through hole (6) of the connector housing (5) and encapsulate to form a fiber array connector.

2. The manufacturing method of the fiber array connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The length direction of the working groove (2) is parallel to the axial direction of the fiber, and the two ends of the length direction respectively penetrate the side wall of the mold (1).

3. The manufacturing method of the fiber array connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The length direction of the working groove (2) is parallel to the axial direction of the fiber, and the two ends of the length direction respectively penetrate the side wall of the mold (1); in the depth direction of the working groove (2), the top of the working groove (2) penetrates the top of the mold (1); The top of the mold (1) is also provided with a pressing plate sliding guide rail (4) arranged perpendicular to the length direction of the working groove (2); the depth of the pressing plate sliding guide rail (4) is the same as the depth of the working groove (2).

4. The manufacturing method of the fiber array connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multiple V-shaped positioning grooves of the pressing plate (3) are located on the same horizontal plane, and the number of V-shaped positioning grooves is greater than or equal to the number of the layer of fibers with the most fibers in the arrangement parameters; or, The multiple V-shaped positioning grooves of the pressing plate (3) are located on the same horizontal plane; for positioning each layer of fibers, the pressing plate (3) with the number of V-shaped positioning grooves equal to the number of fibers of the layer is selected.

5. The manufacturing method of the fiber array connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: If the current layer of fibers to be positioned is arranged in error with the layer of fibers that has been positioned and cured, a target pressing plate (3) is selected for positioning; the V-shaped positioning grooves of the target pressing plate (3) are arranged in error with the V-shaped positioning grooves of the corresponding pressing plate (3) of the layer of fibers that has been positioned and cured.

6. The method of manufacturing a fiber array connector of claim 1, wherein, For each layer of fibers, before irradiating and curing the photocuring glue, the following steps are further included: Remove the upper surface photocuring glue of the layer of fibers to be cured.

7. The manufacturing method of the fiber array connector according to claim 6, characterized in that: The photocuring glue is UV curing glue, and a UV curing lamp (8) is used to irradiate and cure the photocuring glue corresponding to each layer of fibers.

8. The manufacturing method of the fiber array connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The size and shape of the through hole (6) of the connector housing (5) are the same as the size and shape of the cross section of the target fiber array; The cross section of the target fiber array is any one of a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, and an octagon.

9. The method of manufacturing a fiber array connector of claim 1, wherein, The fiber array preform is inserted into the through hole (6) of the connector housing (5) to form a fiber array connector, specifically including the following steps: The fiber array preform is inserted into the through hole (6) of the connector housing (5) and is cured with glue; The end face of the connector housing (5) with the through hole (6) is polished; after polishing, positioning columns (7) are arranged on the end face and around the through hole (6).

10. An optical fiber array connector, characterized by, It comprises: The fiber array connector is prepared according to the manufacturing method of any one of claims 1-9.

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