Understanding Fiber Optic Based Light Source

Each piece of active electronics will have a variety of light sources used to transmit over the various types of fiber. The distance and bandwidth will vary with light source and quality of fiber. In most networks, fiber is used for uplink/backbone operations and connecting various buildings together on a campus. The speed and distance are a function of the core, modal bandwidth, grade of fiber and the light source, all discussed previously. Light sources of the fiber light source are offered in a variety of types. Basically there are two types of semiconductor light sources available for fiber optic communication – The LED sources and the laser sources.

Using single mode fiber for short distances can cause the receiver to be overwhelmed and an inline attenuator may be needed to introduce attenuation into the channel. With Gigabit to the desktop becoming commonplace, 10Gb/s backbones have also become more common. The SR interfaces are also becoming common in data center applications and even some desktop applications. As you can see, the higher quality fiber (or laser optimized fiber) provides for greater flexibility for a fiber plant installation. Although some variations ( 10GBase-LRM SFP+ and 10GBASE-LX4) support older grades of fiber to distances 220m or greater, the equipment is more costly. In many cases, it is less expensive to upgrade fiber than to purchase the more costly components that also carry increased maintenance costs over time.

Light sources of the fiber light source are offered in a variety of types. Basically there are two types of semiconductor light sources available for fiber optic communication – The LED sources and the laser sources.

In fiber-optics-based solution design, a bright light source such as a laser sends light through an optical fiber, called laser light source . Along the length of the fiber is an ultraviolet-light-treated region called a “fiber grating.” The grating deflects the light so that it exits perpendicularly to the length of the fiber as a long, expanding rectangle of light. This optical rectangle is then collimated by a cylindrical lens, such that the rectangle illuminates objects of interest at various distances from the source. The bright rectangle allows line scan cameras to sort products at higher speeds with improved accuracy.

The laser fiber-based light source combines all the ideal features necessary for accurate and efficient scanning: uniform, intense illumination over a rectangular region; a directional beam that avoids wasting unused light by only illuminating the rectangle; and a “cool” source that does not heat up the objects to be imaged. Currently employed light sources such as tungsten halogen lamps or arrays of light-emitting diodes lack at least one of these features.

The Core Components of The Fiber Optic Connector: Ceramic Ferrule

What is ceramic ferrule? As the name suggests, the main material of the ceramic ferrule is ceramics, however, thia is not just ceramic so simple. Ceramic ferrules must be used in fiber optic communication, it is to ensure the communication quality is a very important role.

We all know that fiber connection technology is divided into two categories, one class is permanently connected, often called fixed joints dead joints; another class activities removable connection, often referred to as the union, need to use fiber optic connector. In the transmission network, a fiber optic cable connection between the permanent connection, the optical fiber connector is mainly used to implement the system between devices, between the equipment and instruments, equipment and between the optical fibers and the optical fibers and optical fiber between nonpermanent the fixed connection, it is the optical communication system of the most widespread and the largest use of basic passive devices. Matching ceramic material with quartz fiber thermal, physical and chemical properties and stability, as the core device with ceramic ferrule fiber optic connectors has been developed rapidly.

The most important role of the ceramic ferrule fiber physical docking (also known as fiber cold splice), often used in conjunction with ceramic sleeve, Ceramic cylindrical tube fired zirconia ceramic ferrule, hard texture, delicate white color accuracy of the finished sub-micron level, is the most commonly used in optical fiber communication network, the largest number of precision positioning pieces, often used for the manufacture of the optical connector, the optical coupling of the devices, and the like.

Like the ciruit in the plug and receptacle, the ferrule and sleeve are the key components of fiber optic connector. The diameter of only 0.125mm optical fiber must pass through the inner bore of the ceramic ferrule, and to maintain a linear transmissin of the state; connected to the outgoing optical fiber in the other end of the ceramic ferrule. Straight and precise connection directly affect the transmission efficiency of the optical fiber. Ceramic ferrule is not only highly internal hole diameter, while the outer diameter and concentricity requirements higher. And the optical connector because of the need for multiple plug, after repeated use must maintain the same accuracy of the same, very high demands on the material density.

The ceramic ferrule classification and features

Ceramic ferrule in accordance Dimensions is divided into three categories of SC, LC, and non-standard, in accordance with its precision, can be divided into two kinds of single-mode and multimode. The industry is often referred to as SC singlemode ferrule SC multimode ferrule LC singlemode ferrule LC multimode ferrule non-standard ferrule.

The ceramic ferrule characteristics depend on the characteristics of the material zirconia, mainly reflected in the good thermal stability, high hardness, high melting point, and wear-resistant, high machining accuracy.

Source: www.fs.com