OPTICAL CONNECTOR, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING OPTICAL CONNECTOR, AND OPTICAL CONNECTION STRUCTURE

An optical connector includes at least one optical fiber, a ferrule, a spacer, and a protective film. The ferrule includes a ferrule end surface. The ferrule holds the optical fiber so as to expose a tip surface of the optical fiber at the ferrule end surface. The spacer is provided on the ferrule end surface. The spacer surrounds an exposed region of the ferrule end surface where the tip surface of the optical fiber is exposed. The protective film is configured to protect the spacer. The protective film covers the tip surface of the optical fiber. The protective film is provided so as to cover at least a part of a boundary between the exposed region of the ferrule end surface and a surface of the spacer when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the ferrule end surface.