Connectorized optical fiber circuits

Flexible optical backplane interconnections

“…Our goal was to identify and develop enabling technologies for producing complex intra-system optical backplanes at reasonably low cost. This has resulted in the development of a Z-axis assembly process whereby truly flexible, fully connectorized, large optical backplane circuits are produced by applying processes, materials and parts sequentially in the vertical (Z-) direction (17)(18)(19). The process consists of, designing the required circuit layout including fiber paths, length equalization (if required), boundary shapes, etc., using a commercial CAD tool, routing of single length of a fiber of desired type according to the CAD design using a dedicated computer controlled workstation which can control the fiber length to less than a mm over a work area of 30x30 inch, laminating the fiber circuit, cutting circuit boundaries using computer controlled machine, mechanized stripping coating from localized, uncut fiber lengths precisely and reproducibly, applying molded plastic split multi-fiber connectors using another computer controlled workstation, and terminating and polishing connector ends.…”