The Boeing Company
Fabrication of universal hermetic optical fiber connector

Abstract:

A ruggedized hermetic optical fiber connector and methods for fabricating such an optical fiber connector which has both durability and hermeticity. The hermetic optical fiber connector is epoxy free and hermeticity is achieved by a sequence of high-temperature soldering steps with a proper soldering temperature hierarchy. The design of the hermetic optical fiber connector is universal for both glass optical fiber and plastic optical fiber connections. In addition, the universal hermetic optical fiber connector is ruggedized to withstand harsh avionics environments without incurring optical fiber damage inside the connector.