Importance

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Abstract

A connector endpiece for interconnecting two optical fibers end-to-end, the endpiece comprising a cylindrical body (1) provided with an axial bore (2) for receiving the end of one of the optical fibers to be connected (5), and having a polished plane front face for fixing in one half of the bore of a hollow connection sleeve (13) face-against-face with an identical connector endpiece housing the end of the other optical fiber (5A), the endpiece being characterized in that it further comprises a short optical element (7) of material having the same refractive index as that of the optical fibers to be interconnected, having a plane rear face (9) and having a front face presenting excellent surface state (8; 11), said element being disposed in the front portion of the bore of the endpiece in such a manner that the rear face of the element is close to the front end (6) of the corresponding optical fiber, and the front end of the element is flush with the polished plane front face (3) of the endpiece, a thin layer ( 10) of adhesive material having the same refractive index as the optical fibers to be interconnected being disposed between the front face of the optical fiber and the rear face of the short optical fiber element. The invention also relates to methods of assembling such an endpiece and of interconnecting two optical fibers using such endpieces.

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First Claim