Measuring Polarity (crossed fibers)

AN-145 Measuring ILRL and Verifying Polarity

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by Kate Torrence
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  AN-145 Measuring Insertion Loss and Return Loss and Verifying Polarity

Overview

Polarity testing and Insertion Loss (IL) testing are crucial steps in the production and assessment of multi-stranded fiber optic cables. With certain setups, IL can be measured while verifying polarity.

The IL test measures the amount of light lost when traveling through the DUT en route to the detector. A test setup that uses a multichannel source and multichannel power meter evaluates the light paths of a multifiber device under test (DUT) one at a time. If any of the fibers are crossed or broken, light does not reach the OPM on the expected channel resulting in dark values. Using an Insertion Loss and Return Loss (RL) meter as the source instrument and a multichannel power meter as the detector allows for 3-in-1 IL, RL, and polarity evaluation.

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AN-112 Testing Insertion Loss and Return Loss on Ribbon Fiber Fanouts with OPL-MAX

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by Alex Test
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AN-112 Testing Insertion Loss and Return Loss on Ribbon Fiber Fanouts with OPL-MAX

Overview

Measuring Insertion Loss and Return Loss on Ribbon Fiber Fanouts, like the MTP® to LC cable shown in figure 1 below, can be a streamlined process when using the right equipment and automation software.

For the methods described in this Application Note, only a multichannel IL/RL Tester (OP940) fitted with large area detector (RIN) or integrating sphere (OP-SPHR) is needed. This setup can greatly reduce testing time and inaccuracies caused by additional reference cables and multiple detectors. For even further efficiency in testing, using OPL-MAX software will automate and store all test results.

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AN-113 Bidirectional MultiFiber Insertion and Return Loss Testing Using OP725-OP940 and Two OP720s

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by Alex Test
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AN-113 Bidirectional MultiFiber Insertion and Return Loss Testing Using OP725-OP940 and Two OP720s

Overview

With 100G Ethernet and beyond quickly becoming the standard for the fiber optics communication industry, many cable manufacturers want to be able to test multifiber cables with relative speed and ease. Using an OP725-OP940 and two 1xN OP720 switches with OPL-MAX, an operator can test bidirectional insertion loss and return loss on high-fiber-count cables.

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AN-102 Polarity Verification through Loss Testing on Duplex Cables

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by Alex Test
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AN-102 Polarity Verification through Loss Testing on Duplex Cables

Insertion loss (IL) and polarity testing are just a couple of the steps required in the testing of multi-stranded fiber optic cables. IL testing quantifies the amount of light lost through the cables and polarity testing ensures that the correct input is routed to its proper output. Usually these two steps can’t be done simultaneously and require almost twice the time. In the case of duplex cables, the OP815-D—coupled with OPL-PRO and a proper configuration setup—can perform both tests at the same time and effectively shortening the testing process. The example discussed below shows how to combine the two steps into one.

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