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FIBER OPTIC MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
Identify the prime reasons for conducting fiber optic manufacturing laboratory and field
measurements.
Describe the optical fiber and optical connection laboratory measurements performed by
the Navy to evaluate fiber optic component and system performance.
Describe the near-field and far-field optical power distribution of an optical fiber.
Describe optical fiber launch conditions and modal effects that affect optical fiber and
optical connection measurements.
Understand the term optical time-domain reflectometry and the interpretation of an
optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) trace.
Describe the procedure for locating a fiber fault using an OTDR.
FIBER OPTIC MEASUREMENTS
Fiber optic data links operate reliably if fiber optic component manufacturers and end
users perform the necessary laboratory and field measurements. Manufacturers must test how
component designs, material properties, and fabrication techniques affect the performance
of fiber optic components. These tests can be categorized as design tests or quality
control tests. Design tests are conducted during the development of a component. Design
tests characterize the component's performance (optical, mechanical, and environmental) in
the intended application. Once the component performance is characterized, the
manufacturer generally only conducts quality control tests. Quality control tests verify
that the parts produced are the same as the parts the design tests were conducted on. When
manufacturers ship fiber optic components, they provide quality control data detailing the
results of measurements performed during or after component fabrication.
End users (equipment manufacturers, shipbuilders, maintenance personnel, test
personnel, and so on) should measure some of these parameters upon receipt before
installing the component into the fiber optic data link. These tests determine if the
component has been damaged in the shipping process. In addition, end users should measure
some component parameters after installing or repairing fiber optic components in the
field. The values obtained can be compared to the system installation specifications.
These measurements determine if the installation or repair process has degraded component
performance and will affect data link operation.
Whenever a measurement is made, it should be made using a standard measurement
procedure. For most fiber optic measurements, these standard procedures are documented by
the Electronics Industries Association/Telecommunications Industries Association
(EIA/TIA). Each component measurement procedure is assigned a unique number given by
EIA/TIA-455-X. The X is a sequential number assigned to that particular component test
procedure. System level test procedures are assigned unique numbers given by
EIA/TIA-526-X. Again the X is a sequential number assigned to that particular system test
procedure.
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