OPTICAL LAP CONNECTOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical lap connector capable of monitoring the light output level of an optical signal transmitter/receiver simultaneously checking the control function and transmission characteristic of the optical signal transmitter/receiver. SOLUTION: An optical coupler 7 is built in the loop part of an optical fiber 16 formed to a loop shape in such a manner that the input and output of light may be executed from the same direction. A photodetector 8 is mounted at the branching end of the optical fiber extending from the optical coupler 7. The optical fiber 6, the optical coupler 7 and the photodetector 8 are housed in the same package. According to such optical lap connector, the monitoring of the light output level from the outside is made possible by utilizing not only the control function and transmission function of the optical signal transmitter/receiver 1 but the photodetector as well.