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What materials do I need for proper cleaning?
Cleaning Information
It is essential that your compressed air is free of dust, water and oil. Only use clean, dry air.
If not, this can lead to filmy deposits or scratches on the surface of your connector. This will
reduce the performance of your transmission system.
When spraying compressed air, hold the can upright. If the can is held at a slant, propellant
could escape and dirty your optical device. First spray into the air, as the initial stream of
compressed air could contain some condensation or propellant. Such condensation leaves
behind a filmy deposit.
Please be friendly to your environment and use a CFC-free aerosol.
Additional Cleaning Equipment
Some Cleaning Procedures need the following equipment, which is not required to clean
each instrument:
• Microscope with a magnification range about 50X up to 300X
• Ultrasonic bath
• Warm water and liquid soap
• Premoistened cleaning wipes
• Polymer film
• Infrared Sensor Card
Microscope with a magnification range about 50X up to 300X
A microscope can be found in most photography stores, or can be obtained through or
specialist mail order companies. Special fiber-scopes are available from suppliers of splicing
equipment.
Ideally, the light source on your microscope should be very flexible. This will allow you to
examine your device closely and from different angles.
A microscope helps you to estimate the type and degree of dirt on your device. You can use
a microscope to choose an appropriate cleaning method, and then to examine the results.
You can also use your microscope to judge whether your optical device (such as a
connector) is severely scratched and is, therefore, causing inaccurate measurements.
Ultrasonic bath
Ultrasonic baths are also available from photography or laboratory suppliers or specialist
mail order companies.
An ultrasonic bath will gently remove fat and other stubborn dirt from your optical devices.
This helps increase the life span of the optical devices.
Only use isopropyl alcohol in your ultrasonic bath, as other solvents may cause damage.
Agilent 81570A, 71A, 76A, 77A & 78A Variable Optical Attenuators, Eigth Edition
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