JP2509772B2 - Optical connector end face inspection equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting the end face shape of an optical connector used for connecting optical fibers. More specifically, the present invention relates to an end face inspection device for an optical connector, which measures the radius of curvature of a spherically processed tip end face of an optical connector composed of an optical fiber and a ferrule holding the optical fiber at the center.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical connector having an optical fiber and a ferrule holding the optical fiber whose end face is processed into a convex spherical surface can reduce reflected light at a connector connecting point and reduce connection loss. However, in order to ensure reduction of the connection loss of both, a device for detecting and evaluating whether or not the convex spherical surface for the optical fiber centered on the ferrule has a radius of curvature satisfying the standard is also required.

Conventionally, as a method of measuring the radius of curvature of the tip surface of a spherical ferrule, it is common to draw a cross-sectional profile of the apex with a stylus type roughness meter or shape measuring instrument, and then calculate it. It was

[0004]

However, in the method of measuring the radius of curvature, the tip of the ferrule may be damaged by the stylus. In addition, there is a problem that the measurement takes time or the calculation points are limited and the reliability of the measurement result is lowered. In addition, a method of calculating the radius of curvature of the spherical surface as a part of the function of the laser interferometer using a very large-scale laser interference principle having another application can be considered, but the equipment cost becomes too expensive. Because it is not realistic.

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber end face inspection apparatus capable of easily measuring the radius of curvature of the spherical surface with high accuracy without damaging the convex spherical end face of the ferrule.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, the present invention inspects the end face shape of an optical connector in which an optical fiber is penetrated and fixed at the center of a ferrule and the end faces of which are processed into a convex spherical surface. In the apparatus, an image pickup means for taking in a Newton ring generated on the surface to be measured of the optical connector as image information, an interference fringe discrimination means for analyzing the image information and discriminating an interference fringe, and a diameter of each Newton ring is obtained. The ring diameter detecting means and the radius-of-curvature detecting means for calculating the radius of curvature of the convex spherical surface from the relative comparison of the diameters of two arbitrary Newton rings among the Newton rings.

Further, in the end face inspection apparatus of the present invention, the curvature radius detecting means sets a plurality of arbitrary combinations of the diameters of the two Newton rings, obtains the curvature radius of the convex spherical surface from each of them, and further averages them to obtain the curvature. I try to find the radius.

[0008]

Therefore, the radius of curvature R of the convex spherical surface can be obtained by using the Newton's ring taken in on the XY coordinates by the image pickup means. For example, the individual interference fringes are discriminated and the interference fringes belonging to the same ring are combined to obtain the diameter of the ring. From the relative size of the diameters of two rings in this ring group and the wavelength of the interference light, a convex spherical surface is obtained. The radius of curvature R of is calculated.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an end face inspection apparatus for an optical connector according to the present invention. This optical connector 1
Is an imaging optical system 10 using an interference objective lens 5 arranged in a non-contact manner with a reference surface 9 separated from an object surface, that is, an end surface (convex spherical surface) of the optical connector 1 by a Newton ring 28 by a microscope. Is generated and observed. The interference objective lens 5 mainly includes an objective lens 6, a beam splitter 7, and a reference mirror 8 forming a reference surface 9.
And a position that is not in contact with the measurement target surface 2, for example, the measurement target surface 2 and the reference surface 9 are positioned at the beam splitter 7.
Refer to a position that is approximately equidistant from the center axis of the ferrule 4 on the surface 2 to be measured and that is perpendicular to the center axis passing through the optical fiber 3 and is parallel to the axis of the optical fiber 3. A mirror 8 is installed. The beam splitter 7 provided between the reference surface 9 and the measurement target surface 2 irradiates a part of the light to the measurement target surface 2 and the remaining part of the reference surface 9, respectively, and The optical path difference causes interference to generate a Newton ring 28. Since the reference surface 9 has to be arranged at substantially the same distance as the distance from the beam splitter 7 to the measurement target surface 2 and orthogonal to the central axis passing through the center of the optical fiber 3,
For example, by using a fine adjustment screw (not shown) or the like, the reference surface mirror 8
Is provided so that the inclination of the and the position of the front and rear can be adjusted. The image forming optical system 10 and the center line of the optical fiber 3 do not necessarily have to coincide with each other, as long as the inspection surface is within the visual field of the microscope. Further, a CCD (charge coupled dev) as an image pickup means 15 is provided in an image forming portion of the microscope 10.
ice) A camera is installed so that the Newton ring and the optical fiber 3 are imaged. For image input, A / D conversion is performed for each pixel of the CCD camera 15, which is an image pickup unit, and the interference fringes are converted into a grayscale image having a desired gradation, for example, 16 gradations.

On the other hand, the microscope objective part is provided with a support member for attaching the optical connector 1 to the microscope 10 and setting the surface 2 to be measured at a fixed position. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the support member includes a fixed block 18 having a V-shaped groove 17 that comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule 4 and a movable block 19 that presses the ferrule 4 against the fixed block 18.
The movable block 19 uses the stopper pin 19a fixed to the fixed block 18 as a guide, and the fixed block 1
It is attached so as to be able to move toward or away from 8.
The movable block 19 includes a coil spring 19b mounted between the stopper pin 19a and the movable block 19.
Thus, the ferrule 4 is always urged toward the fixed block 18 and holds the ferrule 4 between the fixed block 18 and the fixed block 18. An eccentric cam 16b is rotatably attached to the movable block 19, and is provided so as to rotate the eccentric cam 16b by operating the knob 16a. On the other hand, the fixed block 18
The bracket 1 extending to the vicinity of the eccentric cam 16b
6 is fixed. When the eccentric cam 16b on the movable block 19 side rotates and comes into contact with the bracket 16, the movable block 19 separates from the fixed block 18,
Release ferrule 4. The fixed block 18 is attached to, for example, a fine adjustment unit / upper / lower stage of the microscope 10 for adjusting the distance between the surface 3 to be measured and the objective lens 6, and is vertically moved by operating the knob 10a for adjusting the upper / lower stage to move the optical fiber 3 It is moved toward or away from the objective lens 6. Here, the support member is preferably the ferrule 4
Is not supported by the fixed block 18, but is supported by a small width of two points on the front end side and the rear end side. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 is a half mirror, 12 is a condenser lens, 13 is a light source, and 14 is an imaging lens.

The image information obtained by the CCD camera 15 is sent to the image processing unit 20, which discriminates the Newton ring 28 and obtains the diameter of the ring, and then the curvature of the surface to be measured, that is, the convex spherical surface 2 of the ferrule. The radius R is calculated. The image processing unit 20 uses the image pickup means 15
Interference fringe discriminating means 21 for discriminating interference fringes from the image data inputted via, a ring diameter detecting means 22 for obtaining the ring diameter of the interference fringes, and a curvature for obtaining the radius of curvature R of the convex spherical surface of the optical connector from the diameter. And a radius calculation unit 23,
It is composed of a known computer and program software for controlling the computer. Although the computer is not shown in the figure, it is generally an R that stores a control program or the like.
OM, RAM for storing image data and input data regarding optical fiber position, and at least one CPU
(Central processing unit) and I / O interface for connecting this CPU to a keyboard 24 which is an input device, a display 25 which is a display means for outputting a calculation result, a printer or the like.

The interference fringe discriminating means 21 recognizes bright fringes or dark fringes from the image data, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in, the image data is scanned on a certain straight line that intersects with the Newton ring 28, and the ring group is recognized as a continuous change or wave of density / brightness. When a difference is generated, it is determined that the change in density is caused by the interference fringes, and the density change below that is determined as noise, so that the interference fringes are determined. Also, regarding the distinction between one interference fringe and its adjacent interference fringe, one or more effective density changes due to the interference fringes exist in the same direction (for example, in the direction of increasing density), and thereafter, the effective density change occurs. One interference fringe is completed when one or more effective density changes in the opposite direction (in the direction of decreasing density) are present in the same direction after passing through the non-existent portion, and when there is no more effective density change. Then, the next effective change in density in the increasing direction is distinguished from that of the next adjacent interference fringe.

The ring diameter detecting means 22 determines the diameter of one or more rings in the ring group. For example,
In the area determined to be the same fringe by the interference fringe discrimination means 21, two points having the same brightness are selected, the center thereof is determined as the center of the stripe of the interference fringe, and the centers of the fringes belonging to the same ring are combined with each other. The diameter of each ring is obtained by determining the distance between them. For example, in the present embodiment, two points s ₁ and t ₁ having the same brightness on a certain straight line are selected and the center a ₁ of the interference fringes is selected in the area determined to be the same fringe by the interference fringe determination means 21. Of the stripes belonging to the same ring, and the other centers b ₁ of the stripes that belong to the same ring are combined in the same manner, a large number of these a ₁ and b ₁ are combined, and the distance between the two points (a ₁ · b ₁ ) Center points Q ₁ , Q ₂ , ..., Q _n, and an average center Q is obtained, and the two fringes belonging to the same ring are similarly passed through the center point Q on a straight line orthogonal to the previous straight line. The ring centers are obtained by averaging the center points B ₁ , B ₂ , ..., B _n between the two points from the center points c ₁ and d ₁ , c ₂ and d ₂ , ..., C _n and d _n. Is obtained.

The radius-of-curvature detecting means 23 obtains the radius of curvature R of the front end face of the optical connector from the diameter of any two rings in the ring group and the wavelength of the reflected light.
The radius of curvature R can be easily calculated by obtaining the ring radius because the wavelength λ of the light that generates the Newton ring 28 is known in advance. For example, any two rings can be extracted from the plurality of Newton rings 28, and the radius of curvature R can be calculated by comparing their relative radii. That is, the ring of light having the wavelength λ appears at each step λ / 2 on the spherical surface, and therefore, for example, when two adjacent fringes are compared, it can be obtained by Expression 1.

[0016]

## EQU1 ## R = {(r _{i + 1} ) ² − (r _i ) ² } / λ When flying two fringes and comparing two fringes, it is calculated by the mathematical formula 2.

[0017]

[Number 2] R = - when {the ^{_{(r i + 2) 2 (}} r i) 2} / 2λ further compare the two stripes away the n is determined by Equation 3.

[0018]

## EQU3 ## R = {(r _{i + n} ) ² − (r _i ) ² } / nλ The radius of curvature R obtained by using any one of the formulas 1 to 3 by combining two rings is Although the radius of curvature of the convex spherical surface is shown, preferably, a combination of a plurality of rings is set, and the radii of curvature obtained from these are averaged to obtain a radius of curvature with a small error.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiment is an example of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the Newton's ring 28 is generated without using the interference objective lens 5 to bring the reference surface 9 into contact with the measurement target surface 2, but the present invention is not particularly limited to this and is not shown. A Newton ring generated by pressing a glass plate against the surface 2 to be measured may be used.

According to the end face inspection apparatus for an optical connector of the present embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration, the calculation of the radius of curvature R of the convex spherical surface is executed based on the flow charts shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example.

First, as a preparatory step, the optical connector 1 is held between a fixed block 18 and a movable block 19 of a supporting member of the microscope 10 which is an image forming optical system. Then, by operating the upper and lower stage adjustment knobs 10a to move the optical connector 1 in the optical axis direction together with the fixed block 18 and the movable block 19, a new ring 28 is generated. For example, two or more dark stripes or bright stripes are generated. Adjust as follows.

Next, the image of the Newton ring 28 is input (step 31). Image input is CCD as image pickup means
A / D conversion is performed for each pixel of the camera 15, and the interference fringes are converted into, for example, a 16-gradation gray-scale image and stored. Then
With the imaging screen viewed at the XY coordinates, the center position A of the optical fiber 3 at the XY coordinates is input (step 32). For example, by operating the keyboard 26 while looking at the display, the cursor is positioned at the center of the optical fiber 3 and the coordinates are read and stored. Further, it is determined whether or not the input image data is an interference fringe (step 33). For example, a memory image is scanned on a certain straight line set in advance and captured as a wave of light and dark. For example, if the density adjacent to one pixel has a difference of three or more gradations, it is determined that the density changes due to interference fringes,
Interference fringes are discriminated by judging that the density change is smaller than noise. Also, regarding the distinction between one interference fringe and its adjacent interference fringe, one or more effective density changes due to the interference fringes exist in the same direction (for example, in the direction of increasing density), and thereafter, the effective density change occurs. One interference fringe is completed when one or more effective density changes in the opposite direction (in the direction of decreasing density) are present in the same direction after passing through the non-existent portion, and when there is no more effective density change. Then, the next effective change in density in the increasing direction is distinguished from that of the next adjacent interference fringe.

Next, a combination of interference fringes belonging to the same ring is obtained as shown in FIG. First, the center a _1, a ₂ of each of the interference _{fringes, ..., P, b 1,} b 2 ..., determine the b _n (step 34). This can be obtained, for example, by defining the center of two points S ₁ and t ₁ having the same brightness in the area determined to have the same fringe in step 33 as the center a _{1 of the} interference fringe. Specifically, pixels having the same gray scale are searched for between the same stripes, and the center between the pixels is set as the center of the interference stripe.
Similarly, the center points a ₂ , a ₃ ,..., P, b ₁ , b ₂ ,... Of the interference fringes constituting the other Newton rings are obtained. Next, a combination of interference fringes belonging to the same ring is obtained (step 35). As is clear from FIG. 3, the lengths (a ₂ · a ₃ ) between adjacent center points are calculated from the coordinate values of each point,
(A ₁ · a ₂ ), (P · a ₁ ), (P · b ₁ ), (b ₁
· B ₂₎ When seeking, be a _{(P · a 1) = (} P · b 1) = a maximum _{(P · a 1)> (} a 1 · a 2)> (a 2 · a 3) Recognize. From this, it is judged that a ₁ and b ₁ are on the same ring, and they are combined. Next, the center point Q ₁ of any ring, for example, between the innermost rings a ₁ and b ₁ , is obtained, and similarly, a ₂ , b ₂ to Q ₂ , a ₃ , b _{3 to} Q ₃ , ..., Q _n. Is calculated, and the average center Q is calculated from the average of those coordinate values (step 36). However, although Q may overlap with P, it does not always match. At this time, a straight line passing through Q and forming a right angle with the scanning direction in step 33 is located on the average across the center of the ring group. The Newton ring 28 is scanned again in a direction that passes through Q and is perpendicular to the scanning direction in step 33 (step 3
7). Then, similarly to steps 34 to 36, the centers of the interference fringes (that is, the centers of wave peaks or troughs) c ₁ , c ₂ ,
_{..., B 0, d 1,} d 2, ..., determine the d _n (Step 3
8), center points c ₁ and d ₁ , c ₂ and d on the same ring
_2, ..., perform a combination of C _n and d _n (step 39),
Center distance of interference fringes on the same ring (c ₁ · d ₁ ),
(C ₂ · d ₂ ), ..., (C _n · d _n ) are obtained (step 40). At this time, the scanning straight line is steps 33 to 3.
Since it passes through the center of the string intersecting the point Q, that is, the Newton's ring 28 obtained at 6 and is orthogonal to the string, it intersects the center of the ring group, so that the diameter of each bright ring is obtained.

Next, the radius of curvature R of the convex spherical surface is calculated. The radius of curvature R of the convex spherical surface 2 is calculated by obtaining the ring radius because the wavelength λ of the light that generates the Newton ring 28 is known in advance. (C ₁ · d ₁ ), (c ₂ ·
The radius of each ring is obtained by _dividing the distance of d ₂ ), ..., (C _n · d _n ), that is, the diameter of each ring into two (step 41).
Then, the radius of curvature R is calculated from the value of each ring radius using two arbitrary radii (step 42). in this case,
For example, two adjacent arbitrary bright stripes are extracted, and the radius of curvature R is calculated from the comparison of their relative radii according to Formula 4.

[0025]

Equation 4] _{R = {(r i + 1} ) 2 - (r i) 2} / λ radius of curvature R may be further determined plurality by changing the combination of the two rings to be extracted, averaging it Required by. Next, the radius of curvature R obtained in step 42 is displayed on the display (step 47). Then, the process ends with a return (step 48).

[0026]

As is apparent from the above description, the optical connector end face inspection apparatus of the present invention takes in a Newton ring generated on the convex spherical surface by the image pickup means as image information,
The diameter of the ring is obtained by discriminating the individual interference fringes and combining the interference fringes belonging to the same ring, and comparing the relative sizes of the diameters of the two Newton rings, the radius of curvature R of the convex spherical surface is calculated. So I asked for
Do not scratch the ferrule end face with a stylus. Also, since the radius of curvature is not calculated from a single Newton ring but the relative size of the two rings is compared, the contact state between the interference fringe reference surface and the ferrule end surface or the interference lens is used. The radius of curvature can be obtained without being affected by the positional relationship between the non-contact reference surface and the ferrule. Furthermore,
Since calculation is performed using all the rings in the field of view, highly reliable measurement results can be obtained, and the reproducibility of measurement values is also high.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing one embodiment of an optical connector end face inspection apparatus of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic explanatory views of a microscope objective section in the system configuration of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2A shows an interference objective lens and FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a method for obtaining a diameter and a center of a Newton ring.

FIG. 4 is a part of a flowchart of the optical connector end face inspection apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a continuation of the flowchart of the optical connector end face inspection apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Optical Connector 2 Surface to be Measured 3 Optical Fiber 4 Ferrule 10 Imaging Optical System 15 Imaging Unit 18 Fixed Block Constituting Support Member 19 Movable Block Constituting Support Member 21 Interference Pattern Discrimination Means 22 Ring Diameter Detection Means 23 Curvature Radius Detection Means 28 Newton's Ring

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus for inspecting an end face shape of an optical connector in which an optical fiber is penetrated and fixed to the center of a ferrule and the end face of which is processed into a convex spherical surface, and a Newton generated on a surface to be measured of the optical connector. An image pickup means for taking in the ring as image information, an interference fringe discrimination means for analyzing the image information to discriminate interference fringes, a ring diameter detection means for obtaining the diameter of each Newton ring, and any two of the Newton rings. An end face inspection device for an optical connector, comprising: a radius-of-curvature detecting means for obtaining a radius of curvature of the convex spherical surface from a relative comparison of Newton's ring diameters. 2. The curvature radius detecting means sets a plurality of combinations of diameters of arbitrary two Newton rings, obtains the curvature radius of the convex spherical surface from each of them, and further averages these to obtain the curvature radius. The end face inspection device for an optical connector according to claim 1.