X-Ferrule Technology

One of the most challenging aspects of using optical fiber is dealing with how to hold them mechanically in a system design. Historically, ceramic and glass ferrules have been used to hold and align the fiber. Unfortunately, epoxies were needed to bond the fibers into the ferrule. These epoxies typically have a significantly higher coefficient of thermal expansion than both the fiber and the ferrule, and are not hermetic. In applications with extended temperature environments, induced stress on the fiber can also be an issue.

To counteract these effects, Polymicro has developed a new type of ferrule using our patented X-Ferrule Technology. This ferrule has a special lower softening temperature layer on the inside of the ferrule which allows us to thermally weld the ferrule directly to the fiber, giving a strong, hermetic seal with minimal stress on the fiber.  Applications for this include hermetic single-mode and multi-mode pigtails, polarization-maintaining fiber terminations, and fiber sensors. In addition, the technology has been used in capillary devices, such as in a flow cell, where a sealed cell region is formed without epoxy in the flow path.