Two important issues to consider when working with fiber

Safety when working with fiber optics

Some people think that the major concern in fiber optic installations is eye damage when working with the laser. The reality is that lasers that perform perforations on metal or remove warts from the fingers have little relation to the typical fiber optic installation. The optical sources that are used in the optical fiber, generally have much lower power levels (the exception is the high-power telecommunications systems of dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) or cable television). Of course, you should always be careful with your eyes, especially when using a fiber-optic microscope that can concentrate all the light of fiber in your eye.

The real safety problem is always related to the small glass residues that remain when cutting the ends of the fibers that have already been finished or spliced. These wastes or fiber fragments are very dangerous! The cut ends are extremely sharp and can easily penetrate your skin. If they get into your eyes, they are very difficult to remove. Don't even think about what happens if you ingest any. Always wear safety glasses when working with fiber and dispose of fiber waste carefully.

Whenever you work with fiber, follow the rules detailed below.

1. Always wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from fiber debris.

2. Dispose of all-fiber remains properly. Always use a properly labeled container for later disposal and work on a black cloth so that the glass remains are more easily located.

3. Do not throw them on the floor where they can stick to carpets or shoes and move to any other place,

4. Do not eat food or drink near the work area.

The fiber optic splicing and termination processes involve the use of chemical adhesives and cleaners. Follow the instructions for use (detailed in the substance safety data sheet - MSDS) carefully. Remember that even isopropyl alcohol, used as a simple cleaning product, is flammable.

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Zero dirt tolerance

When we work with fiber optics, dirt tolerance is practically zero. The particles present in the air are about the size of the core of single-mode fiber - they absorb a lot of light and can scratch the connectors if they are not removed! Dirt on the connectors is the biggest cause of scratches on the polished connectors, and high loss measurements!

1. Try to work in a clean area. Avoid working near heating system outlets, as these eliminate dust.

2. Always use dust caps on connectors, threaded splice connectors, connection panels or any other material with which you are going to make a connection.

3. Use special fiber optic cleaners or clothes that do not leave lint residue, and isopropyl alcohol to clean the connectors.

4. The splints of the connectors and cables used for the tests will become dirty by discarding the material from the alignment sleeve in the splice bushing, which will create an attenuator. You will see how the front edge of the connector splint turns black! Use metal or ceramic alignment sleeves for testing only.

Development of a cable of 3000 fibers, using tapes of 16 fibers.

Development of a cable of 3000 fibers, using tapes of 16 fibers.

The design and characteristics of cables with 3000 optical fibers are described. In a design tape from 16 fibers that can be used are used. easily divided into 4 types of 4 fibers or 2 of 8. Each. Field tests of cables with diameters of 44 and 46 mm showed good performance. The design of a device for splicing by the method of fusion and separation of fiber tapes is presented. The aim of this proposal is to: increase the number of fibers in the cable and reduce the connection time of the cables.

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Optical LZ with AC delayed.

Optical LZ with altern. delayed. In the 1st embodiment, an optical circulator with 4 ports is used, one of which is used as an input, others as an output, and the optical fibers with Bragg reflector arrays with a linearly varying period are attached to the remaining 2, and the nature change in the period in both cases is the opposite to compensate for variance. In the 2nd case, a communication device with radiation separation according to the polarization state is connected to the port of the optical circulator, and 2 segments of the optical fiber with arrays of Bragg reflectors with ac are connected to the outputs of the communication device. period. In the 3rd case, quarter-wave plates are located at the input of the optical fiber segments. In each case, a delay change is made using linear fiber expansion.


Linear control of the spectral characteristics of components with wavelength selection.

The design of linearly tunable fiber-film components whose characteristics depend on the wavelength of the incoming radiation is considered. The design includes a linearly broadened thin-film optical waveguide with a high refractive index associated with a single-mode fiber coupler. The results of the theory are given. and experiment. studies of linear adjustment of spectral characteristics (branch power, resonance position and polarization of the light emerging from the fiber). Almost linear control has been achieved.

Board combining modules for two-way optical systems.

The concept of an optical module combining the board for an optical system for two-way communication in the range of 850 nm is proposed. The board contains optical transceivers, the content of the PD grating and semiconductor lasers with vertical resonators. In addition, on the board, there are devices for deflecting optical rays of a holographic type using polymer optical waveguides in which the total internal reflection of the propagating radiation occurs. Noise characteristics and factors affecting the orientation of the rays are considered. Device m b. used as part of communication systems with a data transfer rate of 2.5 Gbps.

Parallel processors for processing optical signals using optoelectronic VLSI.
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The problem of using semiconductor VLSI in optical information processing devices, in particular in optical computers, is considered. It is shown that in order to overcome the difficulties caused by the limited bandwidth and low speed, it is recommended to use parallel VLSI arrays connected with each other using three-dimensional optical interconnects. Interconnects are created on the basis of two-dimensional structures. As an example of an optical signal processing device, a binary memory of a neural type is mentioned. It is shown that when creating associative memory devices based on optoelectronic devices, memory parameters m are increased several dozen times. Shows examples of optoelectronic VLSI.

channels transmission with spectral multiplexing over 85 km std. single-mode fiber.

The results of the successful operation of 35 channels with a transmission rate of 40 Gbit / s in each (with a total aggregate bandwidth of 1.4 Tbit / s) for 85 km per standard are presented. single-mode optical fiber. For error-free transmission, the dispersion compensation method was used. The experimental scheme is presented. installation and line characteristics. Data was transmitted in a format without returning to zero. For amplification, an optical amplifier with an erbium-doped optical fiber with an equalized coefficient was used. gain, and to compensate for dispersion - dispersion compensating fiber.

300 km transmission of 2.5 Gbit / s channels with a dense arrangement and direct modulation, demultiplexed using a demultiplexer on curved diffraction gratings.

The results of the experiment are presented. transmitting information on 4 channels with spectral multiplexing and demultiplexing 4 lasers with distributed OS and direct modulation at a speed of 2.5 Gbit / s per channel with a very narrow distance between the channels (~ 50 GHz) over a distance of> 300 km. The experiment was conducted on a test bench with a single-span recirculation loop built on an optical fiber with shifted dispersion. The circuit uses a bent diffraction grating demultiplexer.

Backbone data transmission technologies

Ways of solving problems generated by the rapid growth of data volumes transmitted over fiber optic links are considered. Two ways to solve this problem are revealed: the efficient use of bandwidth; increasing the capacity of the existing cable infrastructure through the use of modern optical technologies. The first method involves the construction and operation of intelligent ATM networks, which allow telecom operators to increase profitability due to new types of telecommunication services provided by the multiservice network and significantly reduce the cost of using trunk communication channels. The second way involves the use of DWDM technology. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods of solving the problem are considered.

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Evaluation of a fully optical 2 R regenerator at a transmission rate of 2.5 Gbit / s at 3600 km using only standard fiber.

Experiment proposed. fiber optic installation built on std. optical fiber without dispersion control circuits. A fully optical 2 R regenerator included in a 400 km regeneration loop allows transmitting at a speed of 2.5 Gbit / s over a distance of > 3600 km in a line with 100 km spacing of fiber amplifiers .

Fiber Optic Disposal of fragments.

Disposal of fragments.

Fragments of fiber must be disposed of properly. For this, the waste must be collected in special containers such as small lockable bottles.

The fragments are usually thrown into the bin, on which a plastic bag should be worn. It is also necessary to make a clear inscription on the bucket: “Contains glass fragments”. When emptying the bucket, do not squeeze the bag, place it in another bag, and tie it.

Disposal of fiber splinters is the responsibility of the cable contractor and must be included in the work order, invoice, or contract. Fragments of fiber should never be thrown under raised floors, where unsuspecting workers could injure themselves in the future.

Even with all the precautions, everyone who deals with optical fiber is not safe from getting a finger in. Most often this happens during the installation of connectors or splicing cables when the sheath is removed from the fiber. What should be done in this case? To remove fragments from under the skin “you need Teflon-coated tweezers. It has a more resilient surface than ordinary steel tweezers. The latter can break a splinter, leaving part of it under the skin.

Workplace chemicals.

As in many other industries, various chemicals are used in working with fiber optics. Some cables use water repellent gels; in many connectors, the fibers are fixed using epoxy adhesive with ultraviolet, anaerobic, or thermal cure; in mechanical connectors to match the refractive indices, these or those liquids and gels are placed; the optical fiber is cleaned with alcohol or another solvent. In addition, it is necessary to pull the cable through the cable channels using various lubricants.

When sold, all of these materials must be accompanied by a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). As part of the “right to knowledge” law, MSDS is derived from the Hazard Communication Standard, developed by the US Department of Labor Safety and Health Administration, issued in 1985.

MSDS includes detailed information about the manufacturer of the drug; about dangerous substances contained in it; about physical properties, flammability and explosiveness; health hazards; data on its ability to react with other substances; about the unpacking and use procedures, as well as about all special protective measures and precautions that must be observed when using this drug.

When ordering chemicals or materials containing chemicals, always require MSDS instructions. In addition, these instructions should be at hand and when working in the field.

In places of work with optical fiber should be prohibited from eating and drinking. It is best to do this in specially designated places and remember to always wash your hands after handling fiber and chemicals.
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Despite the great number of safety rules at the workplace, they are effective only when they are strictly observed. To create a security problem, one person is enough, and only one person is able to prevent it.

FOCL scope and connection technologies

The length of the FOCL communication lines can reach hundreds of kilometers (for example, when building communications between cities), while the standard length of optical fibers is several kilometers (including because working with too long lengths is in some cases inconvenient). Thus, when constructing the route, it is necessary to solve the problem of the splicing of individual optical fibers.

There are two types of connections: detachable and one-piece. In the first case, optical connectors are used for the connection (this is associated with additional financial costs, and, in addition, with a large number of intermediate detachable connections, optical losses increase).

For permanent connection of local sections (installation of routes), mechanical connectors, adhesive splicing, and fiber bonding are used. In the latter case, the apparatus for welding optical fibers are used. Preference for a particular method is given taking into account the purpose and conditions of use of optics.

The most common is gluing technology, for which special equipment and tools are used and which includes several technological operations.

In particular, before connecting, the optical cables undergo preliminary preparation: in the places of future connections, the protective coating and excess fiber are removed (the prepared section is cleaned of the hydrophobic composition). For reliable fixation of the fiber in the connector (connector), epoxy glue is used, which fills the internal space of the connector (it is inserted into the connector housing using a syringe or dispenser). To harden and dry the glue, a special oven is used that can create a temperature of 100 degrees. FROM.

After the adhesive has hardened, the excess fiber is removed, and the connector tip is ground and polished (chip quality is of utmost importance). To ensure high accuracy, the performance of these works is controlled using a 200-fold microscope Polishing can be done manually or using a polished machine.

The highest quality connection with minimal loss provides fiber welding. This method is used to create high-speed fiber-optic links. During welding, the ends of the fiber are melted; for this, a gas burner, electric charge or laser radiation can be used as a source of thermal energy.

Each of the methods has its advantages. Laser welding due to the absence of impurities allows obtaining the purest compounds. For strong welding of multimode fibers, gas torches are usually used. The most common are electric welding, which provides high speed and quality of work. The melting time of various types of bulk fibers is different.

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For welding, special tools and expensive welding equipment are used - automatic or semi-automatic. Modern welding machines allow you to control the quality of welding, as well as to conduct testing of joints at tension. Advanced models are equipped with programs that allow you to optimize the welding process for a specific type of fiber.

FOA CFOT certified fiber optic technician course

FOA CFOT certified fiber optic technician course

Consultrónica offers this basic fiber optic course, developed by The FOA - The Fiber Optic Association in order to provide a basic training and certification program for all those who start in the world of fiber optics and want to acquire first knowledge of this new but growing technology

and it is also addressed to all people who already have knowledge of fiber optics and want to acquire a professional certification from the prestigious professional organization The FOA.
This course is a complete introduction to the world of fiber optics and at the same time serves as a basis and prerequisite for specialist courses at The FOA.

The CFOT course with a duration of two days transmits the theoretical foundations of the optical fiber and deepens in extensive practical workshops what has been learned in such a way that the participants really acquire the techniques and skills necessary to perform with ease in performing different preparation tasks of cables, splices, assembly of the different types of connectors, test, and verification with OTDR and design and realization of fiber optic communication networks.
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