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8-12 Cleaning Connections for Accurate Measurements
tainty into account?
• Will a connector degrade the return loss too much, or
will a fusion splice be required? For example, many DFB
lasers cannot operate with reflections from connectors.
Often as much as 90 dB isolation is needed.
Figure 8-1. Basic components of a connector.
Over the last few years, the FC/PC style connector has
emerged as the most popular connector for fiber-optic
applications. While not the highest performing connec-
tor, it represents a good compromise between perfor-
mance, reliability, and cost. If properly maintained and
cleaned, this connector can withstand many repeated
connections.
However, many instrument specifications require
tighter tolerances than most connectors, including the
FC/PC style, can deliver. These instruments cannot tol-
erate connectors with the large non-concentricities of
the fiber common with ceramic style ferrules. When
tighter alignment is required, Agilent instruments typi-
cally use a connector such as the Diamond HMS-10,
which has concentric tolerances within a few tenths of a
micron. Agilent then uses a special universal adapter,
which allows other cable types to mate with this preci-
sion connector. See
Figure 8-2 on page
8-13.
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