What Is A Fiber Optic Adapter?

Fiber optic adapter, also called Fiber Optic Coupler, is a small device that used to terminate or link the fiber optic cables or fiber optic connectors between two fiber optic lines. A Fiber Adapter allows fiber-optic cables to be attached to each other singly or in a large network, allowing many devices to communicate at once. Fiber Optic Adapters are widely used in light distribution frame(ODF), optical fiber communications equipment, measuring appliance and so on.

Features

Optical adapter comes in versions to connect single fibers together (simplex), two fibers together (duplex), or sometimes four fibers together (quad).

Most adapters are female on both ends, to connect two cables. Connecting two cables together can allow two devices to communicate from a distance through a direct connection with the fiber optic line. Some are male-female, which typically plug into a port on a piece of equipment. This then allows the port to accept a different connector than for which it was originally designed. We discourage this use because we find the adapter extending from the equipment is subject to being bumped and breaking. Also, if not properly routed, the weight of the cable and connector hanging from the adapter may cause some misalignment and a degraded signal.

Function

Fiber optic adapters are typically connecting cables with similiar connectors (SC adapter to SC connector, LC adapter to LC Connector, etc.). Some adapters, called “hybrid”, accept different types of connectors (ST to SC, LC to SC, etc.). When attempting to connect two cables that are different shapes, it is necessary to use a hybrid connector.

There are also adapters that can be used to attach a bare fiber-optic cable to a Power Adapter. This piece allows the cable to fit into a connection slot, whether into a mating sleeve or into an electronic device. The fiber-optic cable can be fit into an adapter that works with any of the standard shaped connectors.

Types

The fiber optic adapters are many types because of the diversity of the connectors. In order to realize the fluent fiber optic connection, the fiber optic adapter panel shapes or types should be in accordance with the fiber optic connectors or cables. Common shapes of the adapters are square, rectangular, or round that with FC, LC, ST, SC, MTRJ types. These simple types of adapters are often referred to as mating sleeves because they allow two cables to connect to one another. Some of these common line to line connectors are also built to connect three or four cables together.

There are also single mode and multimode fiber optic adapters or single mode and multimode fiber optic connections. They are designed for singlemode or multimode cables. The singlemode adapters offer more precise alignment of the tips of the connectors (ferrules). It is ok to use singlemode adapters to connect multimode cables, but you should not use multimode adapters to connect singlemode cables. This can cause misalignment of the small singlemode fibers and loss of signal strength (attenuation).

Flange fiber optic adapters are typically with ceramic sleeves, fitting for both single mode and multimode fiber optic connector. The adapters are in many different shapes, but they all serve the same purpose.

PCI Network Adapter acts as the interface between a computer and a fiber optic network cable. The purpose of the fiber optic network card is to prepare, send, and control data on the network. There are 100M, 1000M, and 10G fiber optic network card adapter available. Fiber network interface cards are available in both Multimode and Single-mode configurations with ST, SC, MTRJ, orLC connectors, and SFP for Gigabit.

Because the fiber adapters should fit the according connectors, the fiber optic adaptors sides and shape are made as per the connectors. Generally, ST adapter and FC adapter are metal body, LC, SC, MU, MTRJ, E2000 types are non-metal body. Single mode fiber optic adapters are with ceramic sleeves, multimode fiber optic adapters are bronze sleeves. But you can also use ceramic sleeve fiber optic adapters to link multimode connectors.

Fiber optic patch cord|fiber optic pigtail|optical connector|fiber optic adapter-DKComm

Fiber optic patch cord|fiber optic pigtail|optical connector|fiber optic adapter-DKComm
DKComm Technology Co.,Limited was founded by a leading team of professional technicians and research pioneers, who have been dedicated to the fiber optic communication sector for years. DKComm main products include fiber optic patch cord, fiber optic pigtail, fiber optic connector, fiber optic adapter, fiber optic attenuator, fiber optic coupler, fiber optic splitter, fiber optic splice closure, Fiber Optic Termination Box, ODF etc, which are widely used in telecommunications system, LAN, CATV and network industry.

When Do We Need Fiber Optic Splicing

When we want two fibers or fiber optic cables joint together, there are two method come to our head, installing a fiber optic connectors at the end of the optical fibers, or splicing the two optical fibers. Fiber optic cable splicing is a method that creates a permanent joint for two fibers, while fiber connector installation is used for temporary connections. There are two options for fiber optic splicing: Fiber optic cable fusion splicing and mechanical splicing. Both methods provide much lower insert loss than fiber optic connectors.
Common application for splicing is jointing cables in long outside plant cable runs where the length of the run requires more than one cable. Splicing is generally used to terminate singlemode fibers by splicing preterminated pigtails onto each fiber. It can be also used to mix numbers of different types of fiber cables like connecting a 48 fiber cables to six 8 fiber cables going to different places.
Fusion splicing provides a maximum insertion loss of 0.1 which is less than 0.5dB of mechanical splicing. Fusion splicer are available in two types that splice a single fiber or a ribbon of 12 fibers at one time. Almost all singlemode splices are fusion spliced. Mechanical splicing is most used for temporary restoration and for multimode splicing. Fusion splices are so good today that splice points may not be detectable in OTDR traces.
Fusion Splicing Process
Fusion splices are made by welding two fibers together by an electric arc of the fusion splicing machine. It can be not done in the enclosed space for safety reasons. It is suggested to done the job above the ground in a truck or trailer for a clean environment for splicing.
Fusion splicing needs the help of a special equipments which is fusion splicer to perform the splicing process. Main steps are aligning the two fibers precisely and generate a small electric arc to melt the fibers and weld them together.Splicing machine can do one fiber at a time while mass fusion splicer can do all 12 fibers in a ribbon at once.
Preparing fibers: The first step for fusion splicing is to strip, clean & cleave the fibers to be spliced. Stripping the primary buffer coating to expose the proper length of bare fiber with the fiber stripper. Clean the fiber with appropriate wipes, what you need is the fiber optic cleaning kit, Cleave the fiber using the directions appropriate to the fiber cleaver being used. Place each fiber into the guides in the fusion splicing machine and clamp it in place.
Running the splicer program: Choose the proper program according to the fiber type being spliced. The splicer would show the fibers being spliced on a video screen. The fiber ends will be inspected for proper cleavers and bad ones will be rejected for a second time cleaving. The fibers will be moved into position, prefused to remove any dirt on the fiber ends and preheat the fibers for splicing. The fibers will be aligned using the core alignment method used on that splicer. Then the fibers will be fused by an automatic arc cycle that heats them in an electric arc and feeds the
fibers together at a controlled rate.
Ribbon fusion splicing: Each ribbon is stripped, cleaved and spliced as a unit. Special tools are needed to strip the fiber ribbon, usually heating it first, then cleave all fibers at once. Many tools place the ribbon in a carrier that supports and aligns it through stripping, cleaving and splicing. Consult both cable and splicer manufacturers to ensure you have the proper directions.
Fusion splicing pigtail is another typical application for fiber optic splicing. By this method, a fiber optic patch cord is cut into two pigtails with connectors attached. The fibers are cleaved and welded together with a fusion splicer, which is considered to be the fastest and highest-quality method of fiber connector installation.

What Is an Optical Attenuator?

An optical attenuator decreases the strength of an optical signal passing through it to a fiber optic cable or open air. The intensity of the signal is described in decibels over a specific distance the signal travels. It is the strength, or amplitude of the signal that changes and not the overall waveform or frequency, so the optical signal remains undistorted for use in the desired application. Optical attenuators are often used in optical communication systems, in which the attenuation, also called transmission loss, helps with the long-distance transmission of digital signals. The most common optical attenuator types include fixed and continuously variable attenuators.

Often installed where signals are transmitted from, an optical attenuator can apply the principle of gap loss so the signal intensity is lowered to the optimal level over a given distance. Attenuators installed elsewhere along the optical fiber will not lower the signal strength enough, but some devices utilize signal absorbing or reflecting components to compensate. An optical fiber connector is often attached to the optical attenuator which typically has an adapter with a female configuration. The attenuator itself usually has a cylindrical or even box-like structural shape which determines the type of equipment in which it can be installed.

The fixed variety of optical attenuator, sometimes found in an electronic circuit, does not reflect light signals to reduce their intensity. It is generally used where the transmission of data needs to be highly accurate. The device’s function is determined by the amount of power it can handle in addition to important variables such as performance versus temperature and frequency range. Most optical attenuators utilize resistors, but a variable optical attenuator uses metal semiconductor field effect transistors or other solid state components. Attenuation intensity is adjustable so the signals in a fiber optic communication system can be changed to accommodate fluctuating power levels, protecting the system from damage.

A variable optical attenuator can be mounted on a printed circuit board, or used in test devices such as an optical power meter. Many attenuators are installed in-line with an optical fiber cable in order to adjust the transmitted signal accordingly. They are sold by many retailers and manufacturers online so one can assess their characteristics by reading the product specifications. Aspects to consider include the average and peak power the device can tolerate, how much attenuation it provides, as well as its overall dimensions and the type of environment it can operate in.