Cost-effective side-coupling polymer fiber optics for optical interconnections

Potentially low-cost optical side-couplers embedded along a polymer optical fiber are demonstrated using etched micromirrors. Both serial and parallel mirror fabrication possibilities are discussed. Light distributions to as many as 300 such side-coupling ports along a single straight fiber were experimentally obtained with uniformity of 74%. Various unidirectional and bidirectional all polymer array coupler concepts are presented. Some of them are experimentally demonstrated.