OPTICAL TIME DOMAIN REFLECTOMETER

Lt Cdr Harshavardhan 2011 CRF 3631

CONTENT
Basic Introduction Reflection is the key Block diagram Evaluation of few traces Factors affecting OTDR trace Cost analysis

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Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR)

A device for characterizing a fiber optic cable

An optical pulse is transmitted through the fiber and the resulting backscatter and reflections to the input are measured as a function of time Useful in estimating attenuation as a function of distance
Identifying defects and other localized losses

Check the quality of fiber optic links by measuring backscatter

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Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

FRESNELS REFLECTION
Light moves from a medium of a refractive index (n1 )into a second medium with refractive index (n2) Both reflection and refraction of the light may occur. The Fresnel equations describe what fraction of the light is reflected and what fraction is refracted

Source-wikipedia

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n1 sin1 n2 sin2

Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

RAYLEIGH BACKSCATTERING
Result of the elastic collisions between the light wave and the silica molecules in the fiber. Accounts for about 96 percent of attenuation in optical fiber
Light scattered in all directions after interaction with silica

some portion of the light propagates forward

deviates out of the propagation path and escapes from the fiber core reflected back toward the light source

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Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

REFLECTION IS THE KEY

Rayleigh backscattering
used to calculate the level of attenuation in the fiber as a function of distance Expressed in dB/km shown by a straight slope in an OTDR trace Higher wavelengths are less attenuated than shorter ones and thus require less power to travel over the same distance in a standard fiber

Fresnels reflection
detects physical events along the link. When the light hits an abrupt change in index of refraction (e.g., from glass to air) a higher amount of light is reflected back, creating Fresnel reflection thousands of times bigger than the Rayleigh backscattering. Fresnel reflection is identifiable by the spikes in an OTDR trace Reflections from connectors, mechanical splices, fiber breaks

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Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

HOW OTDR WORKS

An OTDR calculates the distances to Events by measuring the time elapsed between transmission of the light and reception of the reflection The rising edge of the reflection of the front panel connector and the reflection from a connector/splice/cracks

The distance and the time measured depends upon the the refractive index of the fiber

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Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

BLOCK DIAGRAM

Adapted from http://www.EXFO.com/application note 194

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Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

EVENTS
Anything that causes loss or reflections other than normal scattering of the fiber material

Applies to all kind of connectors as well as damages such as bendings, cracks or breaks.
The vertical axis is the power axis and the horizontal one is the distance axis

Source- OTDR pocket book by Agilent Technologies

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Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

BEGINNING OF A FIBER
For a normal straight connector, the beginning of a fiber always shows a strong reflection at the front connector

Source- OTDR pocket book by Agilent Technologies

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FIBER END
A strong reflection at the end of the fiber before the trace drops down to noise level

Source- OTDR pocket book by Agilent Technologies

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FIBER BREAK
If the fiber is interrupted or broken, this is called a break Breaks are non-reflective Events. The trace drops down to noise level

Source- OTDR pocket book by Agilent Technologies

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CONNECTOR OR MECHANICAL SPLICE

Connectors within a link cause both reflection and loss

A mechanical splice has a similar signature to a connector. Usually it has lower loss and reflection values

Source- OTDR pocket book by Agilent Technologies

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FUSION SPLICE
A fusion splice is a non-reflective Event, only loss can be detected. Modern fusion splices are so good, they may be nearly invisible

In the case of a bad splice, we may see some reflection

Source- OTDR pocket book by Agilent Technologies

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CRACKS
A crack refers to as a partially damaged fiber that causes reflection and loss

Source- OTDR pocket book by Agilent Technologies

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PATCHCORDS
Patch cords are used to connect the OTDR to the fiber under test

The initial reflection is not covering the beginning of the fiber

This allows better examination of the first connector

Source- OTDR pocket book by Agilent Technologies

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FACTORS AFFECTING OTDR TRACE

Dead zone Pulse width Dynamic range

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DEAD ZONE
The time during which the detector is temporary blinded by a high amount of reflected light, until it recovers and can read light again
Assume yourself driving on a highway during night

More reflection causes the detector to take more time to recover, resulting in a longer dead zone Determines how close together two events can be measured Dead zone increases as the pulse width increases

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PULSE WIDTH
The time during which the laser is ON The shorter the pulse, the less energy it carries and the shorter the distance it travels due to the loss along the link (i.e., attenuation, connectors, splices, etc.). A long pulse carries much more energy for use in extremely long fibers

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NOISY TRACE
Increased averaging time
Results in a considerable improvement in SNR, while maintaining the good resolution of the short pulse. does not improve SNR indefinitely.

Longer Pulse width

Use the next available higher pulse (more energy). Dead zones extend along with the pulse width

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DYNAMIC RANGE
Maximum optical loss an OTDR can be analyzed from the backscattering level down to a specific noise level.

It is the maximum length of fiber that the longest pulse can reach
Bigger the dynamic range (in dB), the longer the distance reached. Typical values 20-50 dB Directly related to pulse width Specified for the longest pulse width at a three-minute averaging time with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) = 1 Improved by using longer pulse width and decreasing noise through averaging
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COST ANALYSIS M/s Fluke OTDRs

Measurement Type Multimode OTDR Model OF-500-M Cost $9,265.00

Singlemode OTDR

OF-500-S

$10,295.00

Multimode plus Single Mode OTDR

OF-500-MS

$14,415.00

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THANK YOU

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REFERENCES
http://www.EXFO.com/application note 194 by Jimmy Gagnon, Product Specialist, Optical Business Unit OTDR pocket guide Agilent Technologies Wikipedia

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TYPES OF FO CABLES
Single-mode fibers used to transmit one signal per fiber. They have small cores(9 microns in diameter) and transmit infra-red light from laser. Multi-mode fibers used to transmit many signals per fiber (used in computer networks). They have larger cores(62.5 microns in diameter) and transmit infra-red light from LED.

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FO CABLE
Core thin glass center of the fiber where light travels. Cladding outer optical material surrounding the core Buffer Coating plastic coating that protects the fiber.

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TYPES OF CONNECTOR
TYPE FULL NAME COUPLING TYPE Snap (duplex) SIZE USE

MT-RJ

Mechanical Transfer Registered Jack / Media Termination recommended jack

Subscriber Connector / Square connector / Standard Connector

2.454.4 mm

Duplex multimode connections

SC

Snap (push2.5 mm pull coupling)

Datacom and telcom; extremely common

ST / BFOC

Straight Tip/Bayonet Fiber Bayonet Optic Connector

2.5 mm

Multimode, rarely single-mode;

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INDEX OF REFRACTION (IOR)

The Index of Refraction is a way of measuring the speed of light in a material. Light travels fastest in a vacuum. Index of Refraction is calculated by dividing the speed of light in a vacuum by the speed of light in some other medium (such as glass in the case of fiber optics!).

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OTDR SETUP IOR

Each different optical glass fiber has a different refractive index profile consistent with its type and manufacture process. Typical G.652.B singlemode fiber from Draka has an index number of 1.467 @ 1310nm and 1.468 @ 1550nm The longer the wavelength, the faster the light travels through the core. The user must set the OTDR to the proper GIR (Group Index of Refraction). If the GIR is not set to the proper number, the OTDR may overestimate or underestimate linear cable footage.

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