Polishing of Fibre Optic Connectors

This study reports the development of high efficiency polishing protocols of fibre connectors, by replacing the presents three step polishing with two step polishing protocols, and by using various abrasives as polishing mediums, to achieve necessary geometrical and optical qualities for physical contact transmission using a commercially available connector polisher. The study focuses on surface integrity of the fibre and ferrule as well as other geometry of the polished connector end faces covering the fibre height or undercut, the apex offset, and the radius of curvature. Optical performances of the polished connectors were evaluated by return and insertion losses. Finally, relationship between geometrical qualities and optical performances was established. This study shows that the efficiency for polishing fibre connectors can be raised by at least 30% by selection of suitable abrasives and grit sizes.