Fiber optics basics and standards
Electromagnetic spectrum
Visible light
T radiation
Cosmic radiation
UV radiation
IR radiation
Communications radiation
Microwave, radar
X ray radiation
20
Frequency (Hz)
1018
10
1016
1014
1012
250 THz
(1 pm)
(1 nm)
10-12
Wavelength (m)
10-9
1010
(1 THz)
(1 m)
SW
(1 MHz)
(1 m)
10-3
LAN/customer premises network digital transmission standards
106
(100 m)
100
OMK-15A
102
0.6
0.7
Bit rate (Mbit/s)
Source type
Wavelength (nm)
Range
Power range (dBm)
Receiver dynamic range (dBm)
-10
(BER 10 )
Max. network extent (km)
Max. segment distance (km)
Fiber type
Fiber transmission
wavelength range
0.8
670
0.9
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.3 1.4
780 850
1.5
1300
1.6
1550 1625 nm
Power
Loss
10
Attenuation coefficient/dB
Token Ring
ISO/IEC 8802-5
IEEE 802.5
FDDI/MM
ISO/IEC 9314-4
4, 16
LED
850
800 to 910
-13 to -22
100
LED
1300
1270 to 1380
-14 to -20
-12 to -30
-14 to-31
200
2
62.5 to 85/125
100/140
Duplex-MIC
ST
Fiber Channel
ASC X319.3
IBM ESCON
2
50/125
62.5/125
Duplex-MIC
ST
Biconic
Mini-BNC
F-SMA
OLP-5
OMK-5 (OLS-5 + OLP-5)
OVF-1
OFT-30
FiberPRO
FiberPRO
Definitions:
LD = Laser Diode
LED = Laser Emilting Diode
Cat.2
100
LD
1300
1270 to 1340 1290 to 1330
-14 to -20
0 to -4
200
LED
LD
1300
-20
-9
-15
BER 10
-35
-36
6
60
2
20
50/125 9/125 SM
62.5/125
Duplex ESCON
-14 to -31
-15 to -37
200
2
9/125 SM
SM Duplex-MIC
200
800
LED
LD
1300
OFT-50
Complete Solutions:
OFS-1 = Optical Fiber
Service Tester
OFC-1 = Optical Fiber
Certification Tester
1
62.5
>10
9/125 SM
SC
Complete solutions
Single solutions
Power meter
Power meter + Source
Visible fault locator
OTDR
Documentation
Archiving
3rd window
FDDI/SM
ISO/IEC 9314-4
Cat.1
Measurement tasks
Fault location
2nd window
-12 to -32.5 -27 to -41 -31/41 to -11/-21
4.5
1
2
2
1
50/125
62.5 to 85/125
62.5 to 85/125
62.5/125
100/140
100/140
Duplex-MIC
F-SMA
ST
ST
ST
F-SMA
Biconic
Mini-BNC
F-SMA
-9 to -27
Connector type
Attenuation coefficient a of silica fibers
1st window
CSMA/CD (Ethernet)
FOIRL
10 BASE F
Token Bus
ISO/IEC 8802-4
ISO/IEC 8802-3
IEEE 802.4
IEEE 802.3
Passive
Active
5, 10, 20
10
10
LED
LED
LED
850
850
850
800 to 910
800 to 910 820 to 910
790 to 910
-7 to -11
-12 to -20 -11 to -15
-12 to -15
LAN type
Standards
l = wavelength
f = frequency
Visible
light
0.5
10
(1 mm)
10-6
VHF
(1 GHz)
C0 = 300 000 km/s
C=lxf
0.4
TV
OMK-14A (OLS-15 + OLP-15A)
OMK-5
OFT-5
OFT-30
OFS-1
OMK-14A OMK-5 OMK-14A
OFT-5
OFT-30
OFS-1
OFT-5
OFC-1
Multimode fiber
Single mode fiber
OMK-5
IR absorption
Rayleigh
scattering 1/l4
OVF-1
Application areas for fiber optics technology
1400
1600
Wavelength/nm
Wavelength
range
Fiber optic transmission makes use of the three optical windows (850, 1300, 1550 nm) that are given by the attenuation characteristics
of the silica fibers. Also, 670 nm light is used for visible fault location, and low-cost 780 nm lasers have been introduced for short haul
access networks. For on-line test purposes (fiber monitoring), 1625 nm is used to cover even long haul applications.
Fiber type
core/cladding
100/140 m
85/125 m
850 nm
62.5/125 m
50/125 m
62.5/125 m
9/125 m
Different fiber types
Cladding
100 m
9/125 m
Buffer
140 m
250 to 900 m
Multimode fiber
(step index)
SI 100/140
Multimode fiber
(graded index)
GI 62.5/125
GI 50/125
1550 nm
n2 = 1.515
n1 = 1.527
62.5 m
50 m
125 m
9/125 m
780 nm
Maximum segment distance
1
5
10
50
Access/longhaul network digital transmission standards
Application
100
km
500
Standard
Bit rate (Mbit/s)
Source
Optical path
Receiver
Source
Optical path
Values given are based on typical applications for LAN, access and longhaul networks.
850/1300 nm MM, bit rates around 10 Mbit/s.
1300/1550 nm SM, bit rates up to 10 Gbit/s.
780 nm SM, bit rates around 10 Mbit/s (application in access networks).
n2 = 1.540
n1 = 1.540 to 1.562
250 to 900 m
in combination
with EDFA
N.A.
0.28
0.5
50/125 m
1300 nm
Core
0.1
LAN/
Customer premises
1200
Access/
Longhaul
1000
Multimode (MM)
800
Single mode (SM)
0.1
Receiver
N.A.
0.21
9 m
125 m
Source
n2 = 1.457
n1 = 1.471
250 to 900 m
Single mode fiber
(step index)
SI 9/125
Detectors/spectral response
Optical path
Sl (A/W)
N.A.
0.1
InGaAs
1.0
Si
Multimode fibers are used for LAN applications only, while single mode fibers are used for all telecom applications, offering
almost unlimited bandwidth. The refractive index n1 must be known for OTDR measurements, since it directly affects the accuracy
of fault location. Typical values are given above.
Receiver
Ge (23C)
0.5
Receiver dynamic test
Power
Loss
850
1300
1550
l (nm)
Different photodiodes are used for different applications.
Si: Silicon photodiodes are the best choice for applications in the visible light range (400 and 1000 nm).
Ge: Germanium detectors cover all three optical windows and are suitable for applications from 750 to 1600 nm.
InGaAs: Indium Gallium Arsenide detectors are ideal for wavelengths >1000 nm (particularly in the 3rd optical
window), due to the almost flat response characteristic up to 1700 nm.
Popular connector types
Physical contact
connector
.../PC
CATV
LAN
Angled physical
contact connector
.../APC
WAN
Type
Wavelength/nm
Power range/dBm
Min. ext. ratio/dB
Range/dB
ORL/dB
SBR/dB
Dynamic range/dBm
Penalty/dB
SBR/dB
Type
Wavelength/nm
Power range/dBm
Min. ext. ratio/dB
Range/dB
ORL/dB
SBR/dB
Dynamic range/dBm
Penalty/dB
SBR/dB
Type
Wavelength/nm
Power range/dBm
Min. ext. ratio/dB
Range/dB
ORL/dB
SBR/dB
Dynamic range/dBm
Penalty/dB
SBR/dB
Intra-office
approx. 2 km
Shorthaul
inter-office
Longhaul
inter-office
1300 nm
approx. 40 km,
1550 nm
approx. 60 km
OC-1
51.840
LED/MLM
1300
-23 to -14
8.2
0 to 7
NA
NA
-31 to -14
1
NA
MLM/SLM
1300/1550
-15 to -8
8.2
0 to 12
NA
NA
-23 to -8
1
NA
MLM/SLM
1300/1550
-5 to 0
10
10 to 28
NA
NA
-34 to -10
1
<-25
SDH
OC-3
155.520
LED/MLM
1300
-15 to -8
8.2
0 to 7
NA
NA
-23 to -8
1
NA
MLM/SLM
1300/1550
-15 to -8
8.2
0 to 12
NA
NA
-23 to -8
1
NA
MLM/SLM
1300/1550
-5 to 0
10
10 to 28
>20
<-25
-34 to -10
1
<-25
OC-12
622.080
LED/MLM
1300
-15 to -8
8.2
0 to 7
NA
NA
-23 to -8
1
NA
MLM/SLM
1300/1550
-15 to -8
8.2
0 to 12
>24
<-27
-23 to -8
1
<-27
MLM/SLM
1300/1550
-3 to 2
10
10 to 24
>20/24
<-27
-28 to -8
1
<-27/-14
OC-48
2488.320
MLM
1300
-12 to -5
8.2
0 to 7
>20
<-25
-20 to -5
1
<-25
SLM
1300/1550
-5 to 0
8.2
0 to 12
>24
<-27
-18 to 0
1
<-27
MLM/SLM
1300/1550
-4 to 1
8.2/10
10 to 20
>24
<-27
-26 to -9
1/2
<-27/-14
WAN
ITU-T/G.957 STM-1
155.520
LED/MLM
1300
-15 to -8
8.2
not
Short reach 0 to 7
NA
defined
NA
-23 to -8
1
NA
MLM/SLM
SLM
1300/1550
1530 to 1565
-15 to -8
ffs
8.2/10
8.2
Intermediate 0 to 12
ffs
reach
NA
24
NA
<-27
-23 to -8
-18 to 0
1
2
NA
<-27
MLM/SLM
SLM
1300/1550
1530 to 1565
-5 to 0
ffs
10
10
10 to 28
ffs
Long reach
>20
24
<-25
-27
-34 to -10
-26 to -9
1
2
<-25
-27
OC-192
9953.280
Single solutions
Measurement tasks
Ge (0C)
Fault location
Angled
WAN
air-gap
connector
ANSI/T1.105.06
-23 to -8
1
NA
MLM/SLM
1300/1550
-15 to -8
8.2/10
0 to 12
>24
<-27
-23 to -8
1
<-27
MLM/SLM
1300/1550
-3 to 2
10
10 to 24
>24
<-27
-28 to -8
1
<-27
Definitions:
STM-16
2488.320
MLM
1300
-10 to -3
8.2
0 to 7
>24
<-27
-18 to -3
1
<-27
SLM
1300/1550
-5 to 0
8.2/10
0 to 12
>24
<-27
-18 to -0
1
<-27
SLM
1300/1550
-4 to 1
8,2/10
10 to 20
>24
<-27
-26 to -9
1/2
<-27
STM-64
9953.280
ffs = for further study
MLM = Multi-Longitudinal Mode
NA = Not Applicable
ORL = Optical Return Loss
not
defined
SBR = Single Back Reflection
SLM = Single Longitudinal Mode
SLM
1530 to 1565
ffs
8.2
ffs
24
<-27
-18 to 0
2
<-27
SLM
1530 to 1565
ffs
10
ffs
24
-27
-26 to -9
2
-27
Complete Solutions:
OFS-1 = Optical Fiber
Service Tester
OFC-1 = Optical Fiber
Certification Tester
Complete solutions
OLA-15
OLP-15A/-16A/-18A (OLP-18A when EDFA are used)
OMK-14A (OLP-15A + OLS-15A) or OMK-15A (OLP-15A + OLS-15A + OLA-15)
OVF-1
OFT-5/-50/-50A/-50B
FiberPRO
FiberPRO
Attenuator
Power meter
Power meter+Source
Visible fault locator
OTDR
Documentation
Archiving
SONET
STM-4
622.080
LED/MLM
1300
-15 to -8
8.2
0 to 7
OFS-1
OFC-1
CATV
Channel spacing in dense WDM systems according to ITU Rec. G.MCS
LED and laser diode power spectra
Insertion loss Return loss
Air-gap 0.4 to 0.8 dB
>60 dB
Physical contact
Super
Ultra
S'
Insertion loss Return loss
<0.5 dB
>30 dB
<0.5 dB
>40 dB
<0.5 dB
>50 dB
Insertion loss Return loss
Angled (8 APC)
<0.5 dB
>60 dB
SIMPLEX
VFO
EC/RACE
HRL-11
FC
ST
SC
D4
-15 to -25 dBm
FWHM
100 nm
DUPLEX
Biconic
DIN-LSA
E2000
Mini-BNC
F-SMA
Escon
0 to -10 dBm
.../APC
.../PC
.../PC
.../PC
HRL-10
.../PC
.../APC
.../PC
.../PC
.../PC
.../PC
.../APC
.../PC
1300
FP laser diode
(MLM laser)
Rx
Up to 32 channels
Short band
~
~
.../APC
.../PC
W
D
M
OFA
<<1 nm
SC Duplex Duplex-MIC
FDDI
~
~
.../APC
.../PC
Tx
FWHM
3 nm
OFA
Up to 32 channels
1300
LED
.../PC
W
D
M
+5 to -10 dBm
Long band
OMS-100 with OSP-102A
1300
l (nm)
DFB laser diode
(SLM laser)
The type of fiber used and the characteristics of the source impose limits on system performance. The
narrower the spectral bandwidth of the source diode, the higher the possible frequency bandwidth/bit rate
of the system. LEDs are used for short haul, low bit rate systems, e.g. LANs. Laser diodes are used in
longhaul, high bit rate systems that use single mode fibers. Multi-Longitudinal Mode (MLM) lasers, also
known as Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers, and Single Longitudinal Mode (SLM) or Distributed Feedback (DFB)
lasers are used for these applications.
Optical test solutions wherever you are:
1525
1530
1535
1540
1545
1550
Wavelength/nm
ITU Rec. G. MCS defines the carrier frequencies/wavelengths and carrier spacings:
lREF = 1552.52 nm
Dl = k x 0.8 nm
1555
1560
1565
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