Predicted curvatures and stresses in a fiber-optic interconnect subjected to bending

Simple formulas are obtained for the evaluation of the curvatures and stresses in a fiber-optic interconnect subjected to mechanical bending due to linear and angular misalignments of its end cross-sections. In addition, it is shown how to consider the compression caused by the thermal contraction mismatch of the glass material with the material of the enclosure. The obtained formulas can be helpful when predicting the added transmission losses and the maximum stress in optical interconnects experiencing bending. Particularly, they enable one to establish the allowable misalignments in, and/or the minimum allowable length of, the interconnect, which are permissible from the standpoint of its optical performance and mechanical reliability