Broadband System - H

Satellites are spaced every

2nd degrees above earth
"C" Band
Toward satellite 6.0 GHz
Toward earth 4.0 GHz

"L" Band
Toward satellite 14.0 GHz
Toward earth 12.0 GHz

TV
TRANSMITTER

Headend

Cable area

Fiber Optic Testing.

Welcome to the
Fiber Optic Topics & Testing
Seminar

Topics to be Covered during this seminar.

Fiber Optics Systems

Nature of Light

Optical Fiber Characteristics

Optical Measurements

Light Sources & Meters

OTDR

Fiber Optic Milestones.

You will see a short movie on fiber

optic technology.

Fiber Optic Milestones.

1854 John Tyndall demonstrated the optical waveguide principle.

1960 Theodore Maiman developed the first laser.
1972 4 dB/km loss fiber fabricated.
1982 Single mode fiber optic first reported.
1991 SONET telecommunications standards created.
1995 DWDM deployment began.
1998 > 1 Tbps demonstrated on one fiber.
2000 L-Band System and 40 Gbps transport system demonstrated.

Optical Scale of Measurements.

Fiber & Associated components are microscopic.

Distances covered are over 50 Kilometers!

Time = billionths of a second:

nanoseconds (ns)

Size = millionths & billionths of a meter:

microns & nanometers (um & nm)

Lengths = thousands of meters:

kilometers (km)

Optical Scale of Measurements.

Data Powers of Ten.
Bit

Single character ( 0 or 1)

Byte

8 bits (Single word)

Kilobyte

1000 bytes (A low-revolution photograph)

Megabyte

1,000,000 bytes (A small novel- 1.44 Diskette)

Gigabyte

1,000,000,000 bytes (A movie at TV quality)

Terabyte

1,000,000,000,000 bytes (X-ray film in hospital)

Petabyte

1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes (3 years of ESO data)

Exabyte

1,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes (All words ever spoken by human)

human)

Zettabyte

1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes

Yoattabyte

1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes

EOS = Earth Observing System.

7

Optical Overview.

Fiber Optics Transmission System

All Fiber Optic Systems have:

Transmitter (E > O)

Optical Waveguide

Receiver (O > E)

Optical Transmitter.

Electrical to Optical (E-O) Converter

Light Out
Electrical In
+
-

Variable Intensity = Analog

Blink On & Off
= Digital

Optical Waveguide.

Silica-Glass Optical Fiber

Light In

Light Out

Optical Receiver.

Optical to Electrical (O-E) Converter

Light Out

Photodiode

+
(original signal)

Electrical Out

Classifying Light.

Power (Watts or Decibels)

dBm is typical measurement unit of optical power
It is measured with a: Optical Power Meter

Color (Wavelength)
300nm (blue) to 700nm (red) is visible to humans eyes.
FiberOptic systems use ONLY Infrared (850, 1310, & 1550nm)

Visible Light Spectrum

IR

UV
300nm

700nm

Optical Power.

Like a light bulb:

more wattage = brighter light
100 W

FO transmitters:
about 1mw to 40 mW
(0 to 16 dBm)

Power ranges:
+20 dBm to -70 dBm

Optical Wavelength.

Measure of Color of light

Units in nanometers (nm) or microns (um)
Different colors (wavelengths) exhibit
different characteristics:
ex: red & orange sunsets; yellow fog lights

Visible Light Spectrum

IR

UV
300nm

700nm

Optical Reflection & Refraction.

Reflection is a light ray BOUNCING off of the

interface of two materials
Refraction is the BENDING of the light ray as it
changes speed going from one material to another

Optical Reflection.

Reflection

Some or all of the light

that strikes a surface is
reflected off at the same
angle.

air

glass

Optical Refraction.

Refraction
If the angle the ray hits the
surface is steep enough, most of
the light passes through and is
refracted (bent). The rest is
reflected off the surface.

Angle of
Refraction

Refraction

air

glass

Optical Critical Angle.

The Critical Angle
At an angle shallower
than the Critical Angle,
the light is Reflected back
into the fiber. This
condition is known as
Total Internal Reflection.
At an angle that is steeper
than the Critical Angle,
the light will penetrate the
glass/air boundary and
exit the fiber.

air

glass

Optical Reflection & Refraction.

The fishermans eyes only receive light

reflected off the fish that escapes the water.

Refracted Light

Reflected Light

Light rays reflecting off the fish that strike the surface of the water at an
angle outside that defined by the circle do not escape but are reflected back
into the water.

Optical Reflection & Refraction.

air

glass

As long as the light ray stays at the Critical Angle or less as it hits the airglass interface, it will remain in the fiber until it reaches the other end.

Optical Reflection at the Ends of Fiber.

Up to 4% of Light Is
Reflected at Each End Face

air

glass

Optical Raleigh Scattering.

light is weaker
after scattering

Backscatter
As light passes through a particle part of it is scattered in all
directions. The part that returns to the source (about
0.0001%) is called BACKSCATTER.

Optical Fiber Parameters.

Buffer/Coating (w/color)
Cladding (glass)
Core (glass)

The denser Core is centered within the

Cladding. Light travels in the Core only.
The Buffer protects the glass fiber.

Optical Fiber Types.

Multimode fiber has a large core

relative to the cladding diameter.
50, 62.5, 100 um are typical core sizes
centered in a cladding of 125/ 250 um.

Singlemode fiber has a smaller core

relative to the cladding diameter. 8 - 9 um
is a typical core size centered in a
cladding of 125 um.

Optical Multimode vs. Singlemode Fiber.

Multimode allows many paths (modes) for the light

Singlemode allows only one single path for the light

Fiber Geometry Problems.

Off Center

Different Size

Non-Circular

All fibers are allowed a certain tolerance in the core/cladding

geometry. This can cause light loss at joints between fibers.

Fiber Index of Refraction (n).

Speed of Light in a Vacuum is:
Speed of Light in a Vacuum is:

299,792,460 k/mt per second.

186,287.5 miles per second.

In fiber optic the speed of light will be less, it should be around

1.465 of that or: 204,778,157 kmt/sec or 127,158,703 miles/sec.

Different fiber manufacturers will vary slightly from the above.

c
n=
v

(velocity in a vacuum)
(velocity in glass)

C is a constant. V depends on the density of the glass. The

denser the glass the slower the light travels.

(smaller V => larger n)

Attenuation in Fiber.

Rayleigh Scattering
Macro Bending
Micro Bending
Absorption

Raleigh Loss in Fiber.

2.50 dB/km at 850 nm

1.0 dB/km at 1300 nm
0.33 dB/km at 1310 nm
0.19 dB/km at 1550 nm

Multimode
Multimode
Singlemode
Singlemode

Attenuation in Fiber.

Macrobending Loss

Absorption Loss
Microbending
Loss

Note: Only the fiber core is shown.

Type of Fiber.

For long and standard distance,

metro access, with a 9.2 um centre.
For long and standard distance,
metro access, with a 8.8 um centre.

Designed for optimum performance with

water peak removed at 1400 nm.

The world first NonNon-Zero Dispersion

optimized for long distance.

The latest innovation, designed for very

long transoceanic networks.

31

Fiber Specifications.

32

Polarisation Mode Dispersion in Fiber.

PMD = Polarization Mode Dispersion

PMD affects FO transmission by spreading light pulse over a distance
Digital effects: PMD increases BER and therefore limits system bandwidth
Analog effects: PMD creates distortion (CSO) and therefore limits the
numbers of channels.
33

Transmitting Two Wavelengths in Fiber.

WDM technology

It is possible to transmit Two wavelengths on the same finer, using a WDM at

each end.
1310 TX

1310 RX

1550 RX

1550 TX

WDM

Single Fiber

WDM
34

Using C and L Band in Fiber.

35

DWDM Technology in Fiber.

Above is a 32 wavelengths for the DWDM technology.

36

Type of Fiber Optic Available.

Loose Tube Fiber

This type of fiber cable is better

suited for HFC system, where it is
easier to get in the cable again.

Ribbon Fiber

This type of fiber cable is better

suited for long distance transport.
37

Preparation of Single Fiber Optic.

Coating

Cladding
8.5 to 9.0 mc

250 mc

Bare fiber

This coating is removed

by a stripper

38

Preparation of Single Fiber Optic.

Coating

Cladding
8.5 to 9.0 mc

250 mc

This is then cut to proper

length for fusing.

Bare fiber

39

Fusing Single Fiber Optic.

40

Fusing Single Fiber Optic.

High Electrical Heat Held for a Certain Time by the

Fusing Machine.
41

Fusing Single Fiber Optic.

Depending on the customer, the signal lost accepted after the fusion
can be as much as 0.02 dB and as little as 0.03 dB.
This measurement can done by the splicing machine.
This measurement can also can be measured with an OTDR.
42

Fusing Single Fiber Optic.

Fiber optic been fused.

43

Fusing Single Fiber Optic.

Fiber optic been fused.

44

Fusing Single Fiber Optic.

Mechanical splice
45

Mass Fusing Single Fiber Optic.

46

Mass Fusing Single Fiber Optic.

Multi Fiber optic been fused.

47

Mechanical Splicing Single Fiber Optic.

48

Splicing Closure for Fiber Optic.

Splicing Closures

49

Protecting the Fiber Optic after the Fusion.

Splicing Closures

50

Typical Splice Loss Values in Fiber.

Fusion: 0.02 to 0.20 dB

Mechanical: 0.10 to 0.50 dB
Splice Loss Depends on:
Quality of Fiber
Craftsmanship
Splicing Device Quality

Splice Loss Due to Core Mismatch in Fiber.

Off-center core in second fiber does not receive all the light from the
first fiber. The amount of light lost is the Splice Loss.

Cause of Connectors Loss in Fiber.

Typical Loss = 0.15 to 0.25 dB

End-Face Separation

Angular Separation

Core Misalignment

Testing Fiber Why?.

Verify specs
Check handling
Measure work
Record best condition
Detect defects
Locates faults
Troubleshoot problems

Testing Fiber When?.

At Factory
When Received
After Placed
After/During Splicing
System Acceptance
Periodic (Annual)
Troubleshooting

Testing Fiber What?.

Continuity
Average Loss (dB/Km)
Splice Loss & Location
Reflectance / ORL
End-to-End Attenuation
Overall Length

Reel of Fiber Optic Birth Certificate.

57

Testing Fiber How?.

Optical Power Meter

Optical Source
OTDR

Basic Fiber Optic Link.

Splices
TX

RX

Fiber Optic Cable

Optical Power Meter Applications.

Measure TX Output
Measure Fiber Loss
Optimize Splices
ID Active Fibers

Optical Power Calculations.

Step
Step 11 -- Take
Take Reference
Reference (P1)
(P1)

850 1310 1550

-10.00
dBm
850 1310 1550

ON OFF

ON OFF

-10.0
-10.0dBm
dBm

Optical Power Calculations.

Step
Step 22 -- Read
Read Fiber
Fiber Output
Output (P2)
(P2)

-23.4 dBm

850 1310 1550

850 1310 1550

ON OFF

ON OFF

-23.4
-23.4dBm
dBm

Optical Power Calculations.

Step
Step 33 -- Calculate
Calculate Loss
Loss

End-End Loss = P1 - P2
Loss = -10.0 - (-23.4) = 13.4 dB

The OTDR.

Creates a graph of DISTANCE vs. RETURN SIGNAL LEVEL

along fiber.
Produces Trace or profile of signal level loss throughout
the fiber.
Uses radar principle to measure faults, return loss and
distance.

The OTDR Measurements.

Locate End of Fiber (Fault Locate)

Measure End-to-End Loss
Locate Splices & Defects
Measure Splice & Defect Loss
Measure Splice & Connector Reflectance
Calculate Optical Return Loss

The OTDR.

CONTROLLER

CRT or LCD
DISPLAY

Coupler/Splitter
LASER(S)
DETECTOR

Fiber Under Test

The OTDR.

tC
d=
2n

C = speed of light

n = Index

If n is incorrect, then the distance

measured will also be wrong!!

t0
t1

t = t1 - t0

Speed of Light in a Vacuum is: 299,792,460 meters per second.

Speed of Light in a Vacuum is: 186,287.5 miles per second.

The Index of Refraction (IOR) Table.

Manufacturer

1310nm 1550nm

AT&T
Normal
Disp.Shifted

1.4659
1.4743

1.4666
1.4750

1.4640
1.4700
1.4760

1.4640
1.4700
1.4760

Corning
SMF-21
SMF-28
Disp.Shifted

The OTDR Distance Measurements.

Index of Refraction set correctly for fiber being tested

Fiber length versus sheath length (approx. 2%) - Helix factor

Sheath length versus ground distance

need to compensate for loops & slack in fiber & cable

Measure from closest known event on fiber to break

Set OTDRs resolution as high as possible

CO
CO
Splice Point

Break
Fiber is loose within cable sheath

The OTDR Loss Measurements.

OTDR measures BACKSCATTER and REFLECTIONS.

Compares BACKSCATTER levels to determine loss between

points in fiber.

Splice losses determined by amount of shift in backscatter.

Reflection & ORL measurements determine the reflective

quality of link components and connectors.

The OTDR Loss Measurements.

Test pulse

Backscatter
Backscatter is directly related to the level of light in the test pulse.
As the level of light in the pulse width decreases with distance, so
does the backscatter it produces.

Gathering Data on a OTDR.

Connect Fiber to Test Port

Press TEST or REAL TIME K
or
Press FAULT LOCATE Key

OTDR Traces Basics.

Reflective Event

Launch

End/Fault
NonNon-Reflective
Event
Noise

Distance

OTDR Locating the End of Fiber.

End of fiber causes

reflection of light.

After light leaves fiber end,

only internal electronic noise
shows up on OTDR screen.

OTDR Locating & Measuring Non-Reflective Even.

Misaligned cores is one cause of

loss of light at the splice point.

Splice Loss

OTDR Gainers & Losers.

W1 - field radii of initial fiber

W2 - field radii of following fiber

OTDR Reflection Magnitude Factors

What Creates a Big Reflection.

Maximum

90o or Angled End Face

cleaved or crushed

Smooth or Rough Surface

polished or scratched

Clean or Dirty End Face

Glass-Air or Glass-xxx

connectorized or in water/oil

Reduced

OTDR Reflection Are Negative.

-16dB

-47dB
Rayleigh
Scattering

Bad

Good

Reflections are measured from the receivers point of view. Reflected

light is power lost to the receiver and is therefore a negative number.

OTDR Views.
Scattering
Scattering Loss
Loss Difference
Difference

1550nm Trace

approx.. 10dB Loss

1310nm Trace

approx.. 18dB Loss

OTDR Dynamic Range.

Measured in dB. Typical range is between 30 40 dB

Describes how much loss an OTDR can measure in a fiber,

which in turn describes how long of a fiber can be measured

Directly related to Pulse Width: larger pulse widths provide

larger dynamic range

Increase by using longer PW and by decreasing noise through

averaging

OTDR Fiber Analysis Software - Operations.

Event Types
Non-Reflective = fusion splice, defect, or macrobend in fiber

Reflective = mechanical splice

Grouped = two or more NR or R events very close together

Cable End = point in fiber where signal level drops off. Means
Out of Range or Out of Distance.

NetTest OTDR CMA 4000.

The worlds fastest OTDR

Shortest Deadzones
50 dB Optics
Quad Wavelengths
Color Display
Built-in Keyboard
1 Meg RAM
540 MB Hard Drive

NetTest OTDR CMA 40 FiberHawk.

Light Weight and Portable

Fast - Locates a fiber break
typically in less than 60 seconds.

1310nm, 1550nm and dual
1310/1550nm singlemode models.

110km fault locate distance range
at 1550 nm.

Available floppy drive for storing
fiber trace data.

NetTest OTDR CMA 4000.

84

Test!

85

What are the two optical frequencies used in a HFC system?

______________________________________________________________
What is the main component used in fiber optic glass?
_______________________________________________________________
What is a figure-8 fiber optic cable?
_______________________________________________________________
What do we measure a break with in a fiber optic link?
_______________________________________________________________
What does a optical source do?
_______________________________________________________________
What is the proper light level required at a NODE?
_______________________________________________________________
What does backscatter do in fiber optic transmission?
_______________________________________________________________

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