1、Figure 5: Reflection patterns using various connectors (reduced Fresnel magnitudes inside yellow box) IntroductionOptical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) is a common technique for detecting damage in fiber optic cables. The process involves transmitting a pulse of light down the optical fiber, anal
2、yzing the amount of light reflected back to the source, and displaying the reflection patterns on the OTDR screen. Connector TypeThe index of refraction of the patch vs. the test fiber was allowed differ by up to 10%, which created a mismatch at the junction of the two fibers. Four types of connecto
3、rs were simulated to determine which produced the lowest reflection magnitude.Plotting the reflection response patterns from all four connection types shows that the Angled Physical Contact connector produced the lowest reflection (see Figure 6). Though much less expensive, Index Matching Fluid only
4、 has a lifetime of 2 years. Most optical fiber applications require 10 years life or more 3.References1 Sadiku, N.O. Matthew. Numerical Techniques in Electromagnetics2 Newton, Steven A. Novel Approaches to Optical Reflectometry3 Knapp, John. Characterization of Fiber-Optic Cables Using an Optical Ti
5、me Domain Reflectometer (OTDR)Fiber optic characterization using a simulated Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR)Robb P. MerrillDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering - University of UtahDuring characterization of short fiber optic cables of approximately 1 meter, Fresnel reflections
6、pose a serious challenge to accurate damage detection. The Fresnel tail obliterates any small reflections that are produced by damaged sections of cable, and the damage is overlooked. Simulation MethodThe Finite Difference Time Domain method 1 was implemented in MATLAB to simulate a pulse of light t
7、raveling through the patch and test fibers. The following parameters used in the simulation were obtained from an actual OTDR system: Index of refraction (n) of test fiber = 1.4525, Wavelength () of light pulse = 850 nanometers 3 .Pulse Duration1Abnormalities in the fiber, such as bends, cracks, con
8、nectors, and other abrupt changes in the refractive index create reflection spikes called Fresnel (“Fre-nel”) reflections 2. After a spike is detected, a significant delay occurs when the reflectometer settles down from its saturated state. This delay is called a Fresnel tail (Figure 1).Figure 3: Si
9、mulated Fresnel Tail skews, then obliterates, the damage reflection at larger durations Figure 4: Common types of fiber optic connectors with relative reflection magnitudes shown1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 500.0050.010.0150.020.0250.030.035Travel Distance from Source (m)ElectricField (V/m)1 second2 seco
10、nds3 seconds2 2.5 3 3.5x 10Figure 1: OTDR screenshot showing reflection spike from cable connector, and resulting Fresnel tail (area marked by bracket)Figure 2: Simulated ideal response showing fiber damage (small reflection bumps).Damage is visible because no Fres-nel tail is present.To determine t
11、he effect of the light pulse duration on the saturation level of the OTDR unit, one period of a raised cosine pulse was transmitted through the fiber at various frequencies. A pulse duration of 1 microsecond proved to be the most favorably responsive for the parameters of the simulation (see Figure
12、3). In real-world application, however, the duration must actually be smaller due to the relatively slow simulation speed vs. the physical speed of light. SummaryShort fiber optic cables present many challenges that must be overcome in order to accurately detect fiber damage using OTDR. Pulse durati
13、ons shorter than 1 microsecond, and Angled Physical Contact (APC) fiber connectors are recommended to provide the greatest reduction in Fresnel reflection. By performing OTDR simulations, an optical systems engineer could understand the behavior of a fiber network and detect potential problems before actual production.
