Advanced optical fiber connectors

Several types of optical fiber connector are widely used in fiber-optic communication systems such as long haul transmission, subscriber access and local area networks. The SC type optical fiber connector has been selected as a standard connector for B-ISDN, fiber channel, and premises wiring and cabling. In order to realize fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), the cost of the SC connector as well as that of other optical devices must be drastically reduced. To achieve this with the SC connector, it is necessary to simplify and automate the assembly process, which accounts for a considerable portion of the total cost. The miniature unit-coupling (MU) connector system is a new system for higher-density packaging. It is available for backpanel connections and fiber wiring connections on a printed board. This paper describes an advanced SC connector for assembly-cost reduction and also the MU connector system.