Chapter 5

Laser-Fiber Connection
Content
Launching optical power into a fiber
Fiber-to-Fiber coupling
Fiber Splicing and connectors


Coupling Efficiency
s
F
P
P
= =
sourse the from emitted power
fiber the into coupled power
q
[5-1]
Source Optical Fiber
s
P
F
P
Radiance (Brightness) of the source
B= Optical power radiated from a unit area of the source into a
unit solid angle [watts/(square centimeter per stradian)]
Surface emitting LEDs have a Lambertian pattern:
u | u cos ) , (
0
B B =
[5-2]
Edge emitting LEDs and laser diodes radiation pattern
u

u
L T
B B B cos
cos
cos
sin
) , (
1
0
2
0
2
+ =
For edge emitting LEDs, L=1
[5-3]
Power Coupled from source to the fiber
rdr d d d B
dA d A B P
s
r
s
A
s s s F
m
f f
u u u u
u
t t
(
(

=
=
(
(

O O =
} } } }
} }
O
max 0
0
2
0
2
0 0
sin ) , (
) , (
[5-4]
source the of angle emission solid and area : and
s s
A O
fiber of angle acceptance solid
and area : and
f f
A O
Power coupled from LED to the Fiber
rdr d B
rdr d B
rdr d d B P
s
r
s
r
s
r
s
s
s
u t
u u t
u u u u t
t
t
t
u
2
2
0 0
0
2
0
max 0
2
0
0
2
0 0
0
0
NA
sin
sin cos 2
max 0
} }
} }
} } }
=
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
A ~ =
2
1 0
2
2 2
0
2
2
step LED,
2 ) NA ( n B r B r P
s s
t t
[5-5]
Power coupling from LED to step-index fiber
Total optical power from LED:
sin cos 2
sin ) , (
2 /
0
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2 /
0
}
} }
= =
=
t
tt
t u u u t t
u u u
B r d B r P
d d B A P
s s s
s s
[5-6]

>
|
|
.
|

\
|
s
=
a r P
r
a
a r P
P
s s
s
s s
if ) NA (
if ) NA (
2
2
2
step LED,
[5-7]
Equilibrium Numerical Aperture
Examples of possible lensing schemes used to improve optical source-to-fiber coupling
efficiency
Laser diode to Fiber Coupling
Fiber-to-Fiber Joint
Fiber-to-Fiber coupling loss:






Low loss fiber-fiber joints are either:
1- Splice (permanent bond)
2- Connector (demountable connection)
F F
L q log 10 ] dB [ =
[5-8]
Different modal distribution of the optical beam emerging from a fiber lead to different degrees of
coupling loss. a) when all modes are equally excited, the output beam fills the entire output NA.
b) for a steady state modal distribution, only the equilibrium NA is filled by the output beam.
Mechanical misalignment losses
Lateral (axial) misalignment loss is a dominant
Mechanical loss.
2 / 1
2
2
step ,
2
1
2
arccos
2
(
(

|
.
|

\
|
= =
a
d
a
d
a
d
a
A
comm
F
t t t
q
[5-9]
Longitudinal offset effect
Losses due to differences in the geometry and waveguide characteristics
of the fibers
E R
E
R
F
E R
E
R
F
a L
a a
a
a
a L
NA NA for )
NA
NA
log( 20 ) (
for ) log( 10 ) (
s =
s =
[5-10]
E & R subscripts refer to emitting and receiving fibers.
Experimental comparison of Loss as a function
of mechanical misalignment
Fiber end face
Fiber end defects
Fiber splicing
Fusion Splicing
V-groove optical fiber splicing
Optical Fiber Connectors
Some of the principal requirements of a good connector design are as
follows:
1- low coupling losses
2- Interchangeability
3- Ease of assembly
4- Low environmental sensitivity
5- Low-cost and reliable construction
6- Ease of connection

Connector Return Loss