Fiber Optic Connector

Falak Shah, 6 Semester, Electronics and Communications Department, Institute of Technology, Nirma University.
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Abstract
This paper reviews the fiber connectors available for connecting fibers in a link end to end and their connection process. Beginning with the structure of the connector, followed by commonly used connector types and their applications, it journeys towards special connectors for harsh military environments finally explaining the mechanism for end to end fiber connection.

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1. Introduction
There are 110 design types of Fiber Optic connectors [1] available as on today. Connectors are used for many different applications including telecommunications, local area networks, and harsh environments. When choosing a connector and coupling for a particular application, fiber type, required optical performance, maintenance, and system cost are taken into consideration. If an existing system is being modified, compatibility with existing components is must. Specifically, a contact scheme, a connector style, terminations, and materials need to be chosen. This paper introduces the commonly used connectors followed by a discussion of military application connectors and finally concludes explaining the mechanism for connecting fibers end to end. g)

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2. Definitions [2]
a) Adhesive-A polymeric compound, usually an epoxy, used to secure the optical fiber in a splice assembly or connector. b) Back reflection (Backscattering) - The return of a portion of scattered light to the input end of a fiber; the scattering of light in the direction opposite to its original propagation.

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Buffer- A material applied over the coating that may be used to protect an optical fiber from physical damage, providing mechanical isolation or protection, or both. Small form factor (SFF)-It refers to any of several physically compact connector designs that have been developed for use in fiber optic systems. They are about half the size of conventional connectors. CladdingThe dielectric material surrounding the core of an optical fiber. Cleave- The process of separating an optical fiber by a controlled fracture of the glass for the purpose of obtaining a fiber end that is flat, smooth, and perpendicular to the fiber axis. Coupling Loss- The optical power loss suffered when light is coupled from one optical device to another. Ferrule- A mechanical fixture, generally a rigid tube, used to confine the stripped end of a fiber bundle or an optical fiber. Fiber Optic Connector- A fiber optic component normally assembled onto a cable and attached to a piece of apparatus for the purpose of providing interconnecting/disconnecting of fiber optic cables. Hackle- A surface irregularity characterized by a rippled or stepped break in the fiber, usually due to improper cleaving. Connector Insertion Loss- Total Optical Power Loss caused by insertion of an optical component such as a connector, splice, or couple into a previously continuous path or The loss in the power of a signal that results from inserting a passive component into a previously continuous path. Examples of such passive devices are connectors, inline star couplers and splices Mode- In terms of ray optics, a possible path followed by light rays dependent on index of refraction, wavelength of light and waveguide dimensions.

m) Multi-mode Fiber- An optical fiber that will allow two or more bound modes to propagate in the core at the wavelengths of interest. n) Pistoning- The axial movements of an optical fiber within a connector or connector ferrule. o) Single-Mode Fiber- An optical fiber in which only the lowest order bound mode can propagate at the wavelength of interest. p) Splice- An interconnection method for joining the ends of two optical fibers in a permanent or semi permanent fashion. q) Strength Member- That part of a fiber optic cable composed of Kevlar aramid yarn, steel strands, or fiberglass filaments included for increasing the tensile strength of the cable, and in certain applications, to support the weight of the cable.

Figure 2. Ferrule in connector

4. Summary connectors
4.1. SC Connector

of

commonly

used

3. Fiber connector Structure

A fiber-optic connector joins fibers in a way that light passes from one fiber to the other. The main goal is minimization of signal loss and reflections, while providing mechanical stability. Losses for various connector types are in the range of 0.25 dB to 1.5 dB [3]. A fiber-optic connection consists of three components: two male connector plugs, and a coupling (or in-line adapter). The connector plug consists of a ferrule, a strain relief boot, and housing or body. The coupling device allows two connectors to mate through a panel. It has receptacles on each end and a precision sleeve to align two mated connectors.

SC stands for Subscriber Connector. Manufactured By: NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) of Japan. Application: SC Connectors are frequently used for Network applications. SC connector is widely used in single mode systems. SC connectors have low cost and they are simple and durable. Ferrule Diameter: It has a 2.5mm diameter ferrule, made of ceramic or metal. A 124~127m diameter hole is drilled in the center of the ferrule. It is usually bonded by epoxy or adhesive. They provide accurate alignment due to ceramic ferrules. Standard: IEC 61754-4 Coupling Type: It has a square shaped design, with push-pull latching mechanism. Its molded housing provides optimum protection. Losses & Other Details: The SC connector is also available in a Duplex configuration. SC connectors allow up to 1000 mating cycle. They have insertion loss of 0.25 dB and return loss >55 dB. They are available in single and multimode.

Figure 1. Fiber Connector Structure

Figure 3. SC connector

Figure 4. ST connector

4.2. ST connector
Stands for straight tip connectors. Manufactured By: AT&T Application: ST connectors are used in telecommunications field for both long haul and local network applications. They are the most commonly used connectors for multimode applications. Ferrule Diameter: It has a 2.5mm keyed long cylindrical ferrule for the durability and repeatability requirements in telecommunication links. Standard: IEC 61 754-2 standard[9] Coupling Type: It has a twist-lock bayonet coupling. Couplers are keyed and spring-loaded. They come in push-in and twist types. Because they are springloaded, they must be seated properly. It must be removed and reconnected if high insertion loss is observed. It can be inserted and removed easily due to its design. It can have metal or plastic housing. Losses & Other Details: They are available in simplex version only. It allows 500 mating cycles. The Insertion Loss for correctly matched ST connectors is 0.25 dB. It is available in single mode as well as multimode fibers.

4.3. FC Connector
FC stands for Ferrule connector or fiber channel. Application: It is designed for telecommunication applications. It is being used in long haul and local network connections. They are also useful in highvibration environments. [4] Ferrule Diameter: FC connector also has a 2.5mm ferrule made of ceramic (zirconia) or stainless alloy) Standard: IEC 61 754-143 Coupling Type: It is designed with a threaded coupling. Due to such coupling, connections are durable. It makes use of screw on mechanism in couplers. Losses & Other Details: It is available in simplex mode only. It is rated for 500 mating cycles. The Insertion Loss for FC connectors is 0.25 dB. It is available in single mode and multimode. It is now gradually being replaced by SC and LC connectors.

4.5. MU Connector
MU stands for miniature unit connector. Manufactured By: It was developed by NTT. Application: It is a popular connector type in Japan. Applications include high-speed data communications, voice networks and telecommunications. They even support dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM). They can also be used for multiple optical connections.
Figure 5. FC connector

Ferrule Diameter: 1.25 mm Standard: IEC 61754-6

4.4. LC connector
LC stands for Lucent Connector. Manufactured By: Lucent Application: The LC has good performance and is highly favored for single mode. Due to its small size, it is used for high-density connections. Ferrule Diameter: LC connectors use a 1.25mm ceramic ferrule half the size of the 2.5mm ferrule used in above mentioned connectors. Standard: IEC 61754-20 Coupling Type: simplex and duplex push and latch Losses & Other Details: Externally LC connectors resemble a standard RJ45 telephone jack. Internally they resemble a miniature version of the SC connector. Insertion loss is <0.2 dB and return loss >50 dB. The LC is a small form-factor (SFF) Fiber optic connector.

Coupling Type: It has push/pull mechanism, but benefit is that 2 channels can fit in the footprint of a single SC. It is with square shaped. Losses & Other Details: It comes in simplex as well as duplex form. It is a small form factor SC connector. They have insertion loss of 0.25 dB and return loss >55 dB.

Figure 7. MU connector

4.6. SMA Connector

SMA stands for Subminiature version A. Manufactured By: Amphenol Fiber Optic Products Application: Industrial lasers, military; telecom multimode. The SMA connector has exceptional mechanical durability. Figure 6. LC connector Ferrule Diameter: The SMA connector holds a single fiber. The Ferrule is traditionally made of

steel, although ceramic versions are available. SMA 905 and SMA 906 multimode connectors are available with stainless alloy or stainless steel ferrules. The stainless alloy ferrule may be drilled from 125um to 1550um to accept various fiber sizes.

Coupling Type: SMA connectors use a threaded plug and socket. SMA connectors have a threaded Coupling nut.
Figure 8. MT-RJ connector

Losses & Other Details: Simplex only. Multimodeonly.SMA connectors come in two varieties: the SMA-905 has a straight ferrule, whereas the SMA-906 has a stepped ferrule design SMA 906 ferrule has a step, which requires a half sleeve to be installed when mating a SMA 906 connector with SMA 905 mating sleeves.

5. Connectors environment

for

harsh

military

4.7. MT-RJ Connector

MT-RJ stands for Mechanical Transfer Registered Jack or Media Termination - recommended jack. Manufactured By: Tyco Inc. Application: MT-RJ connectors are used in building communication systems for duplex multimode connections. Ferrule Diameter: It has a miniature 2.454.4 mm two-fiber ferrule with two guide pins parallel to the fibers on the outside. It is easier to terminate and install than ST or SC connectors. [5] Standard: IEC 61754-18 Coupling type: It is derived from MT ferrule design. The guide pins align ferrules precisely when mating two MT-RJ connectors. MT-RJ connectors are designed with male-female polarity which means male MT-RJ connector has two guide pins and female MT-RJ connector has two holes instead. MTRJ uses a form factor and latch similar to the RJ45 connectors. Two separate fibers are included in one unified connector. The small size allows double the density than ST or SC connectors.

AT&T has developed a new type of connector that uses expanded-beam optics to maintain accurate alignment, even under severe shock and vibration. The reliable optical card-edge connector (ROC) uses expanded beam optics to achieve optical alignment. Each terminus consists of a cleaved fiber aligned onaxis with a sapphire ball lens. The gap between the fiber end and the ball lens is filled with an indexmatching gel. The LRM assembly was subjected to high frequency (sine sweep) vibration, random vibration, and mechanical shock test but negligible increase in optical loss was observed [6]. The selfsealing feature of the connector provides adequate protection for handling in military environments. An additional feature of the ROC connector is its ability to self-seal or shield the optical fiber ends when unmated, protecting the fibers and internal mechanisms from environmental contamination and abusive handling. [7]

Figure 9. ROC connector expanded beam method

6. Connection mechanism
The steps for Fiber optic Connection are as follows

6.1. Setup and Tools

The tools that are needed for fiber optic Connection include a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) k) l) m) n) Safety Glasses for protection and safety. Cable to be assembled. Jacket Stripper for stripping outer jacket. Buffer Scissors for cutting Buffer member Kevlar Scissors to cut through strength member. Alcohol pads for wiping the fiber clean before insertion to connectors. Syringe and epoxy for injecting epoxy and adhesion. Hand Crimp Tool for crimping sleeve onto the jacket holding assembly together. Polishing disk for polishing the end face of the fiber The required connector. Scribing tool to scribe the glass from the connector itself Three types of lapping film for deburring, rough and fine polishing. Glass plate for smooth surface when polishing Small trash bin

6.2. Fiber Stripping

Knowledge about internal Fiber structure needs to be known for this section. It consists of a) Outer jacket b) Strength member-Usually aramid Yarn or Kevlar c) Buffer member-PVC coating d) Fiber-core and cladding

The steps involved in the stripping process are a) Jacket preparation is the first step wherein a tight knot is to be tied at one end of the jacket to prevent the internal parts from sliding out. The boot of the connector is inserted into the cable, small side first. This is followed by the crimp sleeve. b) The strip Dimension/marking of the Jacket stripping tool is set as per the jacket diameter. The jacket is bitten firmly without twisting or pulling the stripping tool. Then after the removal of tool, the jacket is twisted slowly and it comes off quite easily. c) The Kevlar and inside it the PVC coated glass fiber are then exposed. The Kevlar is cut using the Kevlar scissors leaving about 3/8 inches of strength member. d) The buffer stripping tool is used to strip away the protective buffer coating from the wire thus leaving the glass uncovered. For this, the fiber has to be kept slightly taut to fix the fiber tightly in the jacket and prevent slipping. Then the buffer is cut out bit by bit in straight motion such that the fiber doesnt bend while stripping. Taking large bites or bending can crack the glass as the buffer tube is strongly attached to it. e) After clearing all debris left over from the stripping process in the trash bin, the fiber is cleaned of any minute surface debris using good quality alcohol (91% to 99% alcohol). Wiping it with alcohol pads in straight motion removes all the leftover debris thus ending the stripping process.

6.3. Adhesive preparation

It is made up of two steps a) Mixing the epoxy-It has 2 portions that need to be mixed properly (dark and light). They must be properly mixed together to ensure hardening after some time. Setting time is around 30 minutes so only to be mixed when all tools ready to use.

Figure10. Fiber coating layers

b) After removing the needle plunger, the

epoxy is poured into the syringe and at three quarters filled condition, plunger is fitted back and needle pushed removing any air bubbles present.

6.4. Connectorization process

a) This epoxy is then injected into the connector till a small dark spot is visible at the connector face. After removing the needle halfway through the body. More epoxy is filled in till a similar spot is visible at the back end of the connector. b) The fiber is then inserted through the back end of the connector while rotating the connector back and forth to allow fiber find the hole in the ferrule. The connector is brought down till some portion of it covers the Kevlar it just meets the jacket. c) The crimp sleeve previously loaded into the fiber is brought forward to the junction of jacket and connector. The large part of the crimp sleeve is crimped hard down onto the connector and smaller on the jacket using a hand crimp tool. d) The boot also previously loaded is now brought up and attached over the back end of the cable. A protective sleeve is attached over the ferrule to protect the fiber and connector while it is allowed to settle and fix for 18 hours. The other end of the cable too has to be left as it is to prevent slipping of the fiber during this settling process.

lightly for about 20 seconds. As the stub of glass is rubbed off, the sound gets quieter; an indication to stop brushing. c) The 3 micron yellow colored lapping film is used for the pre-polishing stage. Here, the connector is first fixed into the polishing disk and placed on the double layer of yellow lapping film placed on glass. It is rubbed slowly in figure of eight motion till smoothening is felt and the piece of glass is completely gone. d) There is also a 0.3 microns white lapping film for final smoothing polish. Two layers of this film are placed on the smooth and cleaned glass plate for cushioning effect so that the round curve at fiber end is obtained. The gentle motion of figure eight is repeated in this film too for three times. This concludes the polishing process unless an stub is visible in which case, above three steps need to be repeated.

6.6. Visual inspection

a) The fiber connector is finally observed for any scratches on its face by using a microscope and if any scratches found, motion on white lapping film is repeated once or twice till its completely clean.

7. Acknowledgement
I acknowledge the motivation provider for writing of this term paper, Dr. Dhaval Pujara, for his constant guidance and words of motivation. I also acknowledge Professor Dhaval Shah for guiding me regarding technical paper writing rules and regulations.

6.5. Polishing
a) After settling, the protective sleeve is removed. Three cuts are made on the glass protruding from the connector end with a scribing tool having a wedged of 60 and then this glass protrusion is twisted and pulled away. A tiny portion still remains that has to be deburred. b) The 12 micron pink colored lapping film is used to debur the tiny stub of glass that is protruding [8]. The connector is first brushed on this film while it is held in hand

8. References
[1] Fleck Research, Global Connector Research Group, Inc. [2] NASA-NASA-STD 8739.5 with Change 2 Approved: 1998-02-09 Revalidation Date: 2008-0725 [3] Practical LEOS Applications -M. Leonard Riaziat [4] Keiser, Gerd (August 2003). Optical Communications Essentials. McGraw-Hill Networking Professional.

[5] Shimoji, Naoko; Yamakawa, Jun; Shiino, Masato. "Development of MT-RJ Connector" [6] THE RELIABLE OPTICAL CARD-EDGE CONNECTOR (ROC) Stephen L. Benning Wright Laboratory - Avionics Directorate Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-7301 [7] A New Type of Fiber Optic Connector Designed for Military Optical Backplanes R.J. Pimpinella, AT&T Bell Laboratories [8] www.thefoa.org (Fiber optic association) [9] International Standard IEC(International electrotechnical Commission)-61754 Fibre optic connector interfaces