Fujitsu Components Europe B.V.

Fujitsu Develops All-Plastic Ferrule for Optical Connectors

Hoofddorp, January 28, 2003 — Fujitsu Component Ltd. (Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Capital: 2764 Million Yen; President: Tozo Ono] and Fujitsu Laboratory Ltd. [Head Office: Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki City; Capital: 5 Billion Yen; President: Michio Fujisaki] have jointly developed a process for mass-producing inexpensive, all-plastic ferrules with high strength, high durability and optical characteristics equivalent to traditional Zirconia ferrules.

Based on this development, Fujitsu Component will promote the development and commercialization of optical devices with this technology as the core.

A ferrule is a component that guides optical fibers in optical connectors. It requires extremely high precision (circularity: 1 µm max., external diameter: 1 µm max., concentricity: 1.4 µm max.) to accurately join the optical fibers.

Traditionally, ferrules are made of Zirconia ceramic and the end faces must be polished prior to use. Using an all-plastic material saves labor cost required for this polishing process.

Developing a plastic ferrule with precise, mechanical dimensions requires uniform, thin walls, which makes mass production difficult because strength and durability cannot be assured. Fujitsu Component, however, was able to make the ferrule walls sufficiently thick enough to assure mechanical strength by using an injection molding process based on its own precision die and molding technology and a proprietary plastic developed by Fujitsu Labs.

Fujitsu Plastic Ferrule

Item	Specifications
Outer Diameter	2.499± 0.001mm
Circularity	0.001mm maximum
Concentricity	0.0014mm maximum
Hole Diameter	0.125± 0.0005mm

Major Features:

• High precision all plastic ferrule supports single mode (SC type)
• High mechanical strength with good weather resistance
• Optical characteristics equivalent to Zirconia ferrule
• Saves labor cost required for polishing process

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About Fujitsu Components Europe B.V.

Fujitsu Components Europe B.V. markets and distributes electronic components throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa. Products include relays, connectors, input and pointing devices, touch panels, KVM switches, and thermal printers.
For more information, please see: www.fceu.fujitsu.com

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