Fiber Collimator

A fiber collimator transforms light emitted by an optical fiber into a collimated beam in free space. It can also be used for fiber-to-fiber coupling or to launch collimated light into a fiber. At Avantier, we produce custom fiber collimators.

Fiber Collimator

Types of Fiber Collimator

The output from an optical fiber can be collimated with a simple collimation lens placed at a fixed distance from the end of the fiber; a distance equal to the focal length. For ease of use, fiber collimators that are mounted to the fiber are often preferred.  These come in two types:

Fiber collimators designed to attach permanently to a fiber. These collimators are both compact and affordable, and a good solution for use with bare fibers.

Fiber collimators with mechanical interfaces that attach to a fiber connector. These can be designed to connect with whichever fiber connector you use; FC/PC, FC/APC and SMA are two popular options. These types of collimators are more expensive, but also more flexible as they can be easily attached or removed from a setup. Fiber collimators may include different types of lenses, including gradient-index (GRIN) lenses, singlet or doublet lenses. When you have a fiber with small mode radius and large beam divergent, you may need to use an aspheric lens to minimize aberrations. 

A fiber collimator may be adjustable, with screws for controlling beam directional and working distance, or fixed. It may be polarization maintaining. The exact fiber collimator you need will depend on the specifications of your application and the wavelength of light you need to have collimated as well as on collimated beam size.

A fiber optic collimator designed for a large collimated beam will be longer and larger than one designed for a small beam. Collimators to be used in high power laser applications must also be optimized for the high power levels and heat present in such situations. 

Applications of Fiber Collimators

Applications of Avantier fiber optic collimators include:

  • Free-space to fiber coupling light
  • Fiber to detector coupling 
  • Fiber to fiber coupling
  • Sensor technology
  • Communications and data transfer
  • Components testing and checking

For instance, a fiber collimator might be used to couple a free space laser beam into a multi-mode fiber. 

Sometimes, a fiber collimator is used together with another optical component to perform a special function. The combination of a fiber collimator and quarter-wave plate will produce a half-wave plate reflector, and a combination of a fiber collimator with a Faraday rotator will produce a fibered Faraday mirror.

Factory Standard

Focal Length 

3.65 mm

F#

1.8

Spectral Region

405nm-638nm

Size

∅6.8 x 9.28 mm

Custom Fiber Collimators at Avantier

At Avantier we can produce custom high-performance fiber collimators for every application. Whether you need a non-adjustable, permanently attached collimator for pigtailed fibers or a thermal-resistant adjustable collimator for use with a high powered laser, we can get you what you need. Our experienced optical designers are available to work with you and come up with a solution that provides the collimation you need while surmounting any challenges you might have. Call us today to schedule a first introductory consult or place your custom order. 

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