Agilent Technologies 86038B User Manual page 305

Why is it important to clean optical devices?
C A U T I O N
What materials do I need for proper cleaning?
Agilent 86038B Photonic Dispersion and Loss Analyzer, Second Edition
Optical power levels above 100 mW applied to single mode
connectors can easily damage the connector if it is not
perfectly clean. Also, scratched or poorly cleaned connectors
can destroy optical connectors mechanically. Always make
sure that your optical connectors are properly cleaned and
unscratched before connection. However, Agilent Technologies
Deutschland GmbH assumes no responsibility in case of an
operation that is not compliace with the safety instructions as
stated above.
In transmission links optical fiber cores are about 9 mm
(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 thus degrade the transmission quality. This
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 chapter, 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.
Some Standard Cleaning Equipment is necessary for cleaning
your instrument. For certain cleaning procedures, you may also
require certain Additional Cleaning Equipment.
Standard Cleaning Equipment
Before you can start your cleaning procedure you need the
following standard equipment:
• Dust and shutter caps
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Cotton swabs
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