To provide a high-precision fiber array that can be easily manufactured.
Each fiber is stripped of its coating layer at the end, exposing the clad layer of the fiber. The minimum bore of each face plate hole is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the clad layer of the fiber, enabling the clad layer of each fiber to be fully inserted through an arbitrary hole. Upon completion of the process, the complete cross section of the core layer is surely exposed in front of the face plate; therefore, the optical fiber is inserted into the face plate surface of one (rear) side and put through the hole, with a sufficient segment of the stripped fiber end extending over the face plate surface of the opposite side (front surface). Once inserted, the fiber is fixed at a prescribed position, with a part of the fiber removed that extends over the front surface of the face plate. The end face of the fiber is left essentially in flush with the front surface of the face plate.
DIMASCIO PHILIP A
KEARNS ROBIN M
WARYCH EDWARD T
