Overview
The connection quality depends on the following two factors: the type of connector and
the proper cleaning and connection techniques. The connectors must be precisely
aligned and the connector interfaces must be absolutely free of trapped foreign material.
In a communication system, proper fiber-optic connections become a critical factor.
Fiber-optic cable connectors can be damaged by improper cleaning and connection
procedures. Therefore, cleaning the fiber-optic equipment is one of the most basic and
important procedures for maintaining fiber-optic systems. Any contamination in the fiber
connection can cause failure of the component, failure of the entire system, or inaccurate
communication.
Even microscopic dust particles can cause a variety of problems for optical connections.
A particle that partially or completely blocks the core generates strong back reflections,
which can destabilize the laser system. Dust particles trapped between two fiber end
faces can scratch the glass surfaces. A particle on the cladding or on the edge of the end
face can cause an air gap or a misalignment between the fiber cores, which significantly
degrades the optical signal. You must remove all foreign materials and debris from the
fiber end face before attaching the connectors.
Common contaminants include:
l Oils (frequently from human hands)
l Film residues (condensed from vapors in the air)
l Powdery coatings (remaining after water or other solvents evaporate)
If they are not removed, these contaminants can be more difficult to remove than dust
particles and can also cause damage to equipment.
Risk of equipment damage
With high-powered lasers, any contaminant can be burned into the
fiber end face if it blocks the core while the laser is turned on. This
burning may damage the optical surface enough that it cannot be
cleaned.
Fiber-optic cable connectors need periodical care and maintenance. Unless the
equipment is installed in a hermetic environment, dust particles will eventually collect
within the fiber-optic connections. Over time, this can cause signal degradation. Dirty
fiber-optic connectors are a common source of light loss, especially for 9 μm core single-
mode fibers. As a general rule, whenever there is a significant, unexplained loss of light,
check the connectors.
The network fiber and patch panels used to connect ADVA Optical
Networking equipment to the network fiber must have discrete back
reflection level values to be below -27 dB or less (-40dB for standard
connectors and -55dB for angled connectors).
l Best Practices
l Required Tools and Equipment
l Laser and LED Safety Guidelines and Warnings
264 FSP3000 C Hardware Guide - R1.1 - Issue:A (12/09/2016)
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