Application of V-groove technology for small form factor connector and transceiver modules

The VF-45/sup TM/ interconnect and transceiver use molded V-grooves and the optical fiber's inherent precision geometry for establishing consistent reliable optical connections. This interconnect design has predominantly been used in LAN applications with multi-mode fiber. As standards continue to evolve from 100 Mb/sec to gigabit and beyond, an increased use of singlemode optical fiber is forecast for campus backbone applications. This paper discusses the design and performance of the VF-45/sup TM/ interconnect design and its applicability for use with singlemode fiber. Application of the VF-45/sup TM/ interconnect design is also extended to small form factor transceiver design. A double bend V-groove design is used for fiber alignment resulting in a transceiver module with repeatable performance and a Mezzanine height profile.