:: A Small History of LC Connectors
The LC connector was a evolutionary approach to experiencing this goals of SFF (Small Form Factor) connector. The LC connector utilizes the traditional aspects of a SC duplex connector having independent ceramic ferrules and housings with the overall size scaled down by one half.
The LC family of connectors includes a stand-alone simplex design, a behind-the-wall (BTW) connector, and also the duplex connector available in both single mode and multimode tolerances, all designed while using RJ-style latch.
The LC connector is a universal connector. It is available in simplex and duplex configurations and is half how big the SC and utilizes a 1.25mm ferule. The LC is highly favored for single mode and is easily terminated with an adhesive. They’re actively replacing the SC connectors in corporate environments due to their smaller size.
:: The Most Critical Parameters You Should Be Looking
Many manufacturers make LC optic fiber patch cables, but they are not all created equal. Here are the most critical optical performance parameters you should be looking closely. This fiber optic cable manufacturer provide the detail fiber optic cable specifications, you can reference its specs.
A) Single mode LC optic fiber patch cables
Single mode LC patch cords is available in several polishing favors: PC, UPC and APC.
a) PC means Physical Contact.
This is the most basic polishing. The back reflection is not too good, especially for just one mode fiber system. The rear reflection is under -45dB. Since single mode fiber systems are particularly sensitive to back reflections, we don’t recommend using PC polish. It is best to choose a UPC polish for single mode LC fibers.
b) UPC stands for Ultra Physical Contact.
It supplies a better back reflection performance: under -50dB. While not providing the superior optical return loss performance of the APC connector – UPC connector has return loss (back reflection) characteristics that are appropriate for intraplant serial video or data transmissions.
c) APC means Angled Physical Contact.
The endface is polished precisely in an 8-degree angle to the fiber cladding to ensure that most return loss is reflected into the cladding where it can’t hinder the transmitted signal or damage the laser source.
As an effect, APC connectors offer a superior RL performance of -65 dB. APC LC optic fiber patch cables are best for high bandwidth applications and long haul links because it provides the lowest return loss (RL) characteristics of connectors now available.
However, it is extremely hard to terminate an LC APC connector at 8 degrees with any consistent degree of success within the field.
B) Multimode LC fiber patch cables
Multimode LC optic fiber patch cords have only one sort of polishing: PC (Physical Contact) polishing.
However, there are at least three kinds of common multimode fibers to select from. 62.5/125um multimode fiber (also called OM1), 50/125um multimode fiber (also known as OM2), and 10Gig laser optimized 50/125um multimode fiber (also known as OM3 multimode fiber OR OM4 multimode fiber ).
Among multimode LC fiber patch cables, usually you only care about the insertion loss which needs to be no more than 0.3 to 0.5dB.
:: Which kind of LC Patch Cords Do you want?
LC fiber patch cables are available in a variety of configurations, such as LC to FC, LC to ST, LC to SC, LC to LC, LC to MTRJ, and many more. LC fibers can be found in simplex fiber cable and duplex fiber cable configurations.