ANGLE-SPECIFIC MULTI-FIBER FERRULES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF MANUFACTURE

The present invention provides a method of manufacture that minimizes the lateral offset of a plurality of optical fiber holes associated with a multi-fiber ferrule, including: determining an initial offset distance of each of the plurality of optical fiber holes from each of a plurality of corresponding target locations on an initial endface; removing a predetermined amount of material from the multi-fiber ferrule to form a subsequent endface; determining a subsequent offset distance of each of the plurality of optical fiber holes from each of the plurality of corresponding target locations on the subsequent endface; and, using the initial offset distance and the subsequent offset distance, determining an angle of each of the plurality of optical fiber holes relative to the initial endface. The method of manufacture also includes, using the angle, determining an optimal amount of material that is removed from the multi-fiber ferrule in order to minimize the offset distance of the plurality of optical fiber holes from the plurality of corresponding target locations. The method of manufacture further includes, using the optimal amount of material, removing this amount of material from another similarly-situated multi-fiber ferrule.