Tag Archives: optical attenuator

The Basic Parameters of Passive Optical Network Devices

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There are many devices elementary but necessary for the Passive Optical Network (PON) applications that require the transmission, combining, or distribution of optical signals. These passive devices include the Optical Splitter/Coupler, Optical Switch, Optical Attenuator, Optical Isolator, Optical Amplifier, and WDM Filters (CWDM/DWDM Multiplexer) etc. Tips: The passive devices are components that do not require an external energy source.

When working with these passive devices it is important to have a basic understanding of common parameters. Some of the basic parameters that apply to each device are Optical Fiber Type, Connector Type, Center Wavelength, Bandwidth, Insertion Loss (IL), Excess Loss (EL), Polarization-Dependent Loss (PDL), Return Loss (RL), CrossTalk (XT), Uniformity, Power Handling, and Operating Temperature.

Connector Type and Optical Fiber Type

Many passive devices are available with receptacles or fiber optic pigtails. The pigtails may or may not be terminated with a fiber optic connector. If the device is available with a receptacle or connector, the type of receptacle or connector needs to be specified when ordered. You should also note the type of optical fiber used by the manufacturer of the device to ensure it is compatible with the optical fiber used for your application.

Center Wavelength and Bandwidth

Center Wavelength is the nominal operating wavelength of the passive device.

Bandwidth (or bandpass) is the range of wavelengths over which the manufacturer guarantees the performance of the device. Some manufacturers will list an operating wavelength range instead.

Types of Loss

  • IL is the optical power loss caused by the insertion of a component into the fiber optic system. When working with passive devices, you need to be aware of the IL for the device and the IL for an interconnection. IL as stated by the manufacturer typically takes into account all other losses, including EL and PDL. IL is the most useful parameter when designing a system.
  • EL may or may not be defined by the manufacturer. EL associated with fiber optic couplers, is the amount of light lost in the coupler in excess of the light lost from splitting the signal. In other words, when a coupler splits a signal, the sum of the power at the output ports does not equal the power at the input port; some optical energy is lost in the coupler. EL is the amount of optical energy lost in the coupler. This loss is typically measured at the specified center wavelength for the device.
  • PDL is only a concern for Single-Mode passive devices. It is often the smallest value loss, and it varies as the polarization state of the propagating light wave changes. Manufacturers typically provide a range for PDL or define a not-to-exceed number.
  • RL, short for Return Loss or Reflection Loss, is typically described as this: when a passive device is inserted, some of the optical energy from the source is going to be reflected back toward the source. RL is the negative quotient of the power received divided by the power transmitted.

Tips: IL, EL, PDL, RL are all measured in decibels(dB).

CrossTalk (XT)

XT in an optical device describes the amount of light energy that leaks from one optical conductor to another. XT is not a concern in a device where there is a single input and multiple outputs. However, it is a concern with a device that has multiple inputs and a single output, such as an optical switch. XT is also expressed in dB, where the value defines the difference between the optical power of one conductor and the amount of leakage into another conductor. In an optical switch with a minimum XT of 60 dB, there is a 60 dB difference between the optical power of one conductor and the amount of light that leaked from that conductor into another conductor.

Uniformity

Uniformity is a measure of how evenly optical power is distributed within the device, expressed in dB as well as XT. For example, if a device is splitting an optical signal evenly into four outputs, how much those outputs could vary from one another is defined by uniformity. Uniformity is typically defined over the operating wavelength range for the device.

Power Handing

Power Handling describes the maximum optical power at which the device can operate while meeting all the performance specifications defined by the manufacturer. Power handling may be defined in mW(milliwatt) or dB, where 0 dBm is equal to 1 mW.

Operating Temperature

Operating Temperature describes the range of temperatures that the device is designed to operate in. This can vary significantly between devices, because some devices are only intended for indoor applications while others may be used outdoors or in other harsh environments.

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Four Types Of Common Optic Components

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Optical components include lasers, splitters, multiplexers, switches, photodetectors and other receiver types,and other building blocks of fiber optic communications modules, line cards, and systems. FiberStore provide many types of optical components,such as fiber splitters,optical attenuator,fibre connector,fiber optic transceiver modules and so on. We will not regularly updated -product, tutorials, blog and other related information, sharing of information about fiber optic communication.

Common Optic Components:

The First,Fiber Splitters. The Fiber Optic Splitter, also named beam splitter, is based on a quartz substrate of integrated waveguide optical power distribution device, the same as coaxial cable transmission system, The optical network system also needs to be an optical signal coupled to the branch distribution, which requires the fiber optic splitter, Is one of the most important passive devices in the optical fiber link, is optical fiber tandem device with many input terminals and many output terminals, Especially applicable to a passive optical network (EPON, GPON, BPON, FTTX, FTTH etc.) to connect the MDF and the terminal equipment and to achieve the branching of the optical signal.

The Second,Optical Attenuator. The optical attenuator is a device used to reduce the power level of an optical signal, either in free space or in an optical fiber. The basic types of optical attenuators are fixed, step-wise variable, and continuously variable.Attenuators are commonly used in fiber optic communications, either to test power level margins by temporarily adding a calibrated amount of signal loss, or installed permanently to properly match transmitter and receiver levels.The most commonly used type is female to male plug type fiber optic attenuator, and it has the fiber connector at one side and the other side is a female type fiber optic adapter. The types of fiber optic attenuators are based on the types of connectors and attenuation level. FiberStore supply a lot of fiber optic attenuators, like FC, SC/APC, ST, PC, LC, UPC, MU, FC/APC, SC, LC/APC, fixed value plug type fiber attenuators with different attenuation level, from 1dB to 30dB.

The Third,Fibre Connector. Fibre connector is used to join optical fibers where a connect/disconnect capability is required. The basic connector unit is a connector assembly. A connector assembly consists of an adapter and two connector plugs.Optical fiber connector is removable activities between optical fiber and optical fiber connection device. It is to put the fiber of two surface precision docking, so that the optical output of optical energy to maximize the fiber optic coupler in receiving optical fiber, and optical link due to the intervention and to minimize the effects on the system, this is the basic requirement of fiber optic connector. To a certain extent, fiber optic connector also affects the fiber optic transmission reliability and the performance of the system.

The Fourth,Fiber Optic Transceiver Modules. Fiber optic transceiver is an important device in the optical fiber communication systems, which can be performed between the photoelectric signal conversion, with the receiving and transmitting functions. The fiber optic module is typically composed by the optoelectronic devices, the functional circuit and the optical interface, the optoelectronic device includes a transmitter and receiver in two parts.Usually, it is inserted in devices such as routers or network interface cards which provide one or more transceiver module slot (e.g GBIC, SFP, XFP).

For more information about fiber optic component,pls focus on www.fs.com, we will not regularly updated product, tutorials, blog and other related optical component information.

What does an Optical Attenuator do

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An optical attenuator is a device commonly used to lower the amount of power of an optical signal in a fiber optic communication system. In fiber optics, attenuation can also be called transmission loss. It’s the reduction in light signal intensity with regards to the distance traveled by the signal inside a transmission medium. Attenuation is an important element to limit the transmission of the digital signal driving considerable distances. Optical attenuator reduces this optical signal because it travels along a totally unoccupied space or perhaps an optical fiber.

Optical fiber attenuators may employ several principles when utilized in fiber optic communications. One common principle may be the gap loss principle. Attenuators by using this principle are responsive to the modal distribution ahead of the attenuator. Thus, they should be utilized at or close to the transmitting end. Otherwise, the attenuators could establish less loss than intended. This problem is avoided by attenuators which use absorptive or reflective principles.

You will find three basic types of optical attenuator: the fixed attenuator, step-wise attenuator and the continuously variable attenuator. Fixed attenuators reduce light signals by a specific amount of negligible or no reflection. Because signal reflection isn’t an issue, fixed attenuators are known for more accurate data transmission. Principal components associated with fixed attenuators include the flatness over a specified frequency, range, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), the quantity of attenuation, average and peak power-handling capability, performance over a specific temperature, size and height. Fixed attenuators are also often accustomed to enhance interstage matching in an electronic circuit. Thornton’s fixed attenuators can be found from 5 dB to 25 dB. Mini-Circuits’ fixed attenuators are packaged in rugged plug-in and connector models. They are available in both 50- and 76-ohm models which range from 1to 40 dB spanning DC to 1500 MHz.

In variable optical attenuators (VOA), resistors are replaced with solid state devices like the metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFETs) and PIN diodes. VOA attenuates light signal or beam inside a guarded manner. Thus producing an output optical beam with various attenuated intensity. The attenuator adjusts the ability ratio between your bright beam from the tool and the light beam entering the device over a changeable rate. VOA is usually used in fiber optic communication systems to manage optical power levels in order to prevent damages in optical receivers which may be due to irregular or fluctuating power levels. Price of commercial VOA varies depending on the manufacturing technology used.

Fiberstore claims that it is optical attenuator units produce precision amounts of attenuation, utilizing the added flexibility of adjustment. Fiberstore’s variable attenuators can be found in single mode and multi-mode versions. They have low insertion loss and back reflection. The attenuators will also be compact in dimensions and obtainable in multiple packaging options. These attenuators could be adjusted in milliseconds with a simple square wave bias between 0 and 10 volts.