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Why is it important to clean optical devices?
Agilent DFB Laser Source Module User's Guide
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
2
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.
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