Acrylic-based Y-branch POF coupler for "do-it-yourself" next generation optical devices

Abstract

Optical devices are components which require sophisticated equipment and technically skilled manpower for device fabrication and assembling and most of the production costs are on the device assembly. However, the next generation optical components may not be devices assembled at the production line but it will be based on the concept of 'do-it yourself' optical devices. We proposed a simple low-cost acrylic-based Y-branch POF coupler which can be assembled easily by the end users themselves. The device is composed of three sections: an input POF waveguide, an intermediate adjustable hollow waveguide taper region and output POF waveguides. Low cost acrylic-based material has been used for the device material. A desktop high speed CNC engraver is utilized to produce the mold inserts used for the optical device. In addition to the engraved device structure, 4 holes are drilled at each corner to allow a top plate to be screwed on top and enclosed the device structure. Included with this POF coupler assembly kit will be the mold insert, top acrylic block, input and output POF fibers (cleaved and stripped with different stripping lengths) and connecting screws. The short POF fibers are inserted into the engraved slots at the input and output ports until the fibers are positioned just before or butt-coupled to each other. The assembling is completed when the top plate is positioned and the connecting screws are secured. The POF coupler has an average insertion loss of 5.8 ± 0.1 dB, excess loss of 2.8 dB and a good coupling ratio of 1:1.