Why Is It Important To Clean Optical Devices - Agilent Technologies 81630B User Manual

Cleaning Instructions
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Agilent 81630B/4B/6B/7B Power Sensor Modules and Agilent 81635A Dual Power Sensor Module, Second Edition
• Under no circumstances look into the end of an optical device
attached to optical outputs when the device is operational. The
laser radiation is not visible to the human eye, but it can seriously
damage your eyesight.
• To prevent electrical shock, disconnect the instrument from the
mains before cleaning. Use a dry cloth, or one slightly dampened
with water, to clean the external case parts. Do not attempt to clean
internally.
• Do not install parts or perform any unauthorized modification to
optical devices.
• Refer servicing only to qualified and authorized personnel.
Why is it important to clean
optical devices ?
In transmission links optical fiber cores are about 9 µm (0.00035") in
diameter. Dust and other particles, however, can range from tenths to
hundredths of microns in diameter. Their comparative size means that
they can cover a part of the end of a fiber core, and as a result will
reduce the performance of your system.
Furthermore, the power density may burn dust into the fiber and
cause additional damage (for example, 0 dBm optical power in a single
mode fiber causes a power density of approximately 16 million W/m
If this happens, measurements become inaccurate and non-repeatable.
Cleaning is, therefore, an essential yet difficult task. Unfortunately,
when comparing most published cleaning recommendations, you will
discover that they contain several inconsistencies. In this section, we
want to suggest ways to help you clean your various optical devices,
and thus significantly improve the accuracy and repeatability of your
lightwave measurements.

Why is it important to clean optical devices ?

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