MECHANICALFIBERPOLISHINGTechniquesforAchieving&ExceedingConnectorPolishingRequirementswww.ultratecusa.comBackgroundWithinthecommunicationsfield,highstandardsofconnectorperformanceareneededfortelephonetransmissionandevenhigherstandardsforCATVPolishedconnectorsarequalitytestedtoensuretheyallowmaximumlighttransmissionwithminimalinterferenceInthispresentationwediscussthevariousimportantpolishingperformancecriteriaandsuggestmethodstoensureconnectorsarepolishedrightfirsttime,everytimewww.ultratecusa.comEnsuringPerformanceThekeyperformancecriteriaforpolishedconnectorsare:�Backreflection�InsertionLoss�ApexOffset�FiberUndercut/Protrusion�VisualQualitywww.ultratecusa.comBackreflectionBackreflection(or“returnloss”)referstolightreflectedbackthroughthefibertowardthesource.Itmustbeminimized(tolessthan–55dB)toinsurespeedandclarityofinformationtransfer.Backreflectionistestedasshownbelow:Backreflectioncanbeimproved(minimized)bycontrolofthefollowingfactors…www.ultratecusa.comImprovingBackreflectionPolishingMethod–UseofamechanicalpolisherensuresanevenpolishofallsidesoftheconnectorendfaceThisleadstoreproduciblefinishesandconnectorsthatmateperfectly–improvingbackreflectionPolishingTechnique–‘Recipes’existtoimproveclarityofthepolishandsoimprovebackreflectionCleaving–AbadcleavebeforepolishingwillaffectallsubsequentpolishingstepsandoverallperformanceCleanliness–Thiscannotbestressedenough.Thoroughcleaningofconnectorsbetweeneachstep,alongwiththeuseofrapidchangepolishingplatesreducesthepossibilityforcross-contaminationhelpsensurebackreflectionresultswww.ultratecusa.comAskULTRATECformoredetails…InsertionLossInsertionlossistheamountofopticalpowerlostattheinterfaceoftwoconnectors.Poorinsertionlossreadingsaregenerallyaresultoffibermisalignment,separationbetweenconnectionsand/orthequalityofthefinishontheendoftheconnector.www.ultratecusa.comImprovingInsertionLossInsertionlosscanbeimproved(minimized)by…�CAREFULSELECTIONOFMACHINERY--Amachinethatproducespoorend-facegeometrywillalmostalwaysgenerateunacceptablelevelsofloss.Thecurrentlystatedstandardforinsertionlossis<.3db,butthecommonlyexpectedlevel,hasbecome.2dborless.Inadditiontotheaboveperformancecharacteristics,thereisaspecifiedproductgeometry--specifiedtoassurereliabilityandongoingproperconnectorperformanceunderadverseconditionssuchasvibrationandtemperaturecycling.Thesecharacteristicsareareimprovedbythehighlevelofcontrolthatarepeatablemechanicalpolisherprovides.�POLISHINGTECHNIQUE–‘recipes’existtohelpyouminimizeloss.www.ultratecusa.comAskULTRATECformoredetails…ApexOffsetThetermApexdefinesthehighestpointonthesphericalsurfaceattheend-faceoftheconnector.ApexOffsetisthemeasureddistancebetweenthecenterofthefiberandtheactualhighpointofapolishedconnector.www.ultratecusa.comImprovingApexOffsetAlthoughApexOffsetdescribesaphysicalconditionofthepolishedfiber,ratherthanaperformanceparameter,itisconsideredanacceptancecriterioninitself.AnexcessiveApexOffsetcontributestoahighInsertionLossandhighBackreflectionreading.Keytooptimizing(minimizing)apexoffsetistheuseofamechanicalpolisherthatpolishesallsidesoftheconnectorequally.www.ultratecusa.comAskULTRATECformoredetails…RadiusofCurvatureRadiusofcurvatureisthemeasurementofaconnector'send-facesphericalcondition.Theradiusgeneratedonaconnectorend-faceaffectsconnectorperformance,andsoisspecified--thei...
