Connectorized optical fiber circuits

A process to produce connectorized optical interconnection circuits is described. An optical circuit is produced by laying optical fibers onto an adhesive coated plastic sheet such as Kapton which is temporarily attached to a carrier plate. Both the plastic sheet and the plate have apertures at the connectorizing locations, where the routed fiber arrays are left exposed. A second identical plastic sheet is laminated over the fiber circuit. Two halves of a precision molded multifiber array connector are brought together on either side of the exposed array of fibers and bonded to it with an epoxy adhesive to form a sandwich structure. This Z-axis connector assembly process has the potential for automation and is also usable for termination of existing fiber arrays, such as AccuRibbon. The molded parts and simplified connector assembly are expected to make the manufacturing of connectorized optical fiber circuits an efficient and cost effective process.<>