An apparatus and method for combining light signals carried on a plurality of
input fibers onto a single receiving fiber with a high degree of efficiency. The
apparatus broadly comprises the receiving fiber and a plurality of input fiber-lens
assemblies, with each fiber lens assembly including an input fiber; a collimating
lens interposed between the input fiber and the receiving fiber and adapted to
collimate the light signal; and a focusing lens interposed between the collimating
lens and the receiving fiber and adapted to focus the collimated light signal onto
the face of the receiving fiber. The components of each fiber-lens assembly are
oriented along an optic axis that is inclined relative to the receiving fiber,
with the inclination angle depending at least in part on the input fiber's numerical
aperture and the focal lengths and diameters of the collimating and focusing lenses.