Fiber Characterization & Testing

Keith Hayes
keith@dbxcom.com
201-988-6099

EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. All rights reserved.

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

Legacy Networks
WDM OC48/OC192
Vancouver

Toronto

Montreal

Chicago

Frankfurt

Seoul
San Francisco
Halifax

Dublin

Denver

Hong Kong

NYC

Paris

Moscow

Washington

Dallas
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

22

Todays Network
Toronto

Vancouver

Montreal

Chicago

Frankfurt

Seoul
San Francisco

Denver
Halifax

100GigE

Dublin

Moscow

Washington

Hong Kong

Paris

NYC

Mexico

Dallas
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

33

Tomorrows Network
Toronto

Vancouver

Montreal

Chicago

Frankfurt

Seoul
San Francisco

Denver
Halifax

Dublin

100GigE

Hong Kong

NYC

Mexico

Paris

Moscow

Washington

Dallas
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

44

Fiber Characterization

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

55

key performance attributes

Text Here
Link Loss

Reflectance

Optical
Return Loss

Chromatic
Dispersion

Polarization
Mode
Dispersion

Impacts
transmitters and
amplifiers

Impacts
transmitters and
amplifiers.

Impacts receiver
decision circuits

Impacts receiver
decision circuits

Uncompensated
CD limits
bandwidth and/or
distance.

Stochastic
phenomenon
impairs high bit
rate transmission
typically seen
on legacy fiber
but may appear
in any fiber.

Impacts
transmitter and
receiver
selection

Contributes to
poor ORL.

May contribute to
Multi-Path
Interference on
Ramaan
amplified links.

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

66

KEEP IT CLEAN! Largest Source of ORL

Clean

Dust

Liquid contamination

Dry residue

Oil from hand

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

77

Connector Inspection

The first step in solving a problem is understanding it

The image of a connector can tell you a lot
Different issues may be recognized by looking at the image

Wrong cleaning technique

Mishandling
Chips
Pits/dust particles
Scratches

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

88

Connector Inspection

After drying

Wet residue:
Most often caused by an
improper cleaning technique
fibers must be dried after a wet
cleaning
When drying, remaining dust
particles will migrate toward the
core
Proper cleaning will remove the
residue

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

Connector Inspection

Oil residue:
Most often caused by touching
the fiber endusers must never
touch fiber ends
An oil residue may act as a
matching gel:
May not affect IL and RL short term
May trap dust and increase IL and
RL with time

Additional truck rolls: $$$

Proper cleaning will remove

residue
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

10

Connector Inspection
Dust/dirt/residue transfer:
Residue transfers & may create permanent damage when mating

Before mating:

After mating:

Patch Panel
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

11

Connector Inspection

Adhesive region defects:

May originate during the
manufacturing process
Epoxy and chips may show in this
region
Are most often permanent defects
May show as dark or light defects
Are normal if size does not exceed
the IEC and IPC criteria

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

12

Connector Inspection

Scratches:
Are linear defects in nature
Are critical if appearing in the core
area
May originate from mishandling or
improper cleaning technique
Are permanent defects
May be normal if they are on the
ferrule surface (contact zone)
depending on manufacturing
techniques and connector grade
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

13

Connector Inspection
Scratches:
May appear as light or dark defects
May be hard to see with the naked eye
Are critical if appearing in the core area of SM fibers

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

14

Cleaning
Dry method
An efficient technique for removing light contaminants
Often considered the technique of choice in a controlled manufacturing
environment where speed and ease of use are important factors
Advantages

Disadvantages

Convenience of readily available tools

Can possibly create electrostatic charges

Fast and easy

Not effective in removing all contaminant types

Examples of dry cleaning supplies:

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

15

Cleaning
Wet method
The main purpose of using the wet-solvent approach is to raise dust and
contaminants from the connectors endface to avoid scratching the connector
The most widely-known solvent in the industry is the 99.9% isopropyl alcohol
(IPA), which removes most contaminants
Advantages

Disadvantages

Can dissolve complex soils and

contaminants

Can leave residue on the ferrule when too much

solvent is used and not properly dried

Eliminates the accumulation of

electrostatic discharge on the ferrule

Solvent choice can be confusing with issues of

performance and EH&S

Example of wet cleaning supplies:

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

16

Cleaning
Combination method (hybrid)
Combination cleaning is a mix of the wet and dry cleaning methods
The first step in hybrid cleaning is to clean the connector end-face with a solvent
and to dry any remaining residue with either a wipe or a swab
Advantages

Disadvantages

Cleans all soil types

Reduces potential static field soil accumulation

Automatically dries moisture and solvent used in the cleaning process

Captures soil in wiping material as an integrated aspect of cleaning procedure

Requires multiple
products

Not expensive

Example of combination cleaning supplies:

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

17

Link Loss

Any light that does not reach the receiver is lost.

Link Loss

This is known as Attenuation or Link Loss

Core

Cladding
Impacts
transmitter and
receiver
selection

Impurity
Source

Ray of light
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

18
18

Reflectance/Optical Return Loss

Source

Impurity

Reflectance

Impacts
transmitters and
amplifiers

Ray of light

Incident Power
Contributes to
poor ORL.

Rx

Tx

Reflected Power

Connector
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

19
19

OTDR The tool of choice.

It reveals what?

Its used for

what?

Total Loss

Characterize the link

components

Optical Return Loss

Highlight a potential
problem

Fiber Length

Locate a fault
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

20
20

OTDR -- Basic parameter: Pulse Width

Short pulses will give a better resolution but less dynamic range:
Two connectors 3
meters apart

Connectors
are
measured
for distance
and marked
as separate
events

5ns pulse

End of link (patch

panel)

End of fiber is not

reached due to
low power of
short pulses

Long pulses will give a better dynamic range but less resolution:
Connectors
are
merged
and
identified as
one event

30ns pulse

End of fiber is reached

and located

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

22

OTDR TRACE GENERATION P2P TEST

50ns manual test 9 events found

The link looks good but no clear pass/fail indicators

Pulse width limitation: 3 missed events in dead zone
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

23
23

OTDR TRACE GENERATION P2P TEST

SOR trace generated by iOLM 12 events located

iOLM elements integrated Minimal dead zones with maximum reach

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

24
24

iOLM report includes an OTDR trace

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

25
25

OTDR Testing for CWDM Networks

MUX/DEMUXs
CWDM
OTDR signal
only allows
will follow
specific
the right
wavelengths
path and reach
each premise,
Standard
1310/1550nm
based onare
its filtered
respective
andwavelength
do not go through

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

26
26

Dispersion
Chromatic (SM) Dispersion:
Different wavelengths travel at different velocities

Pulse Spreading

Polarization Mode (birefringence) Dispersion:

Two polarization modes travel at different velocities

Pulse Spreading

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

27
27

Dispersion

Dispersion and Bit Rate Dependence

2.5 Gbps

2.5 Gbps
Optical Fiber

10 Gbps

10 Gbps

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

28
28

Consequences

Dispersion CD/PMD

Pulse Broadening

Bit Errors and BERT issues

Significant delays and expense in installation

and commissioning

SLA Penalties

Inability to operate at high speed (extreme)

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

29
29

Chromatic Dispersion (CD)

Chromatic
Dispersion

Chromatic Dispersion

Impacts receiver
decision circuits

Different wavelengths travel at different speeds

Causes spreading of the light pulse
Limits how fast and how far a signal will travel
Higher bit rates are less robust

Solutions

Use DSF or NZDS Fibers

Dispersion Compensating Fiber

Uncompensated
CD limits
bandwidth and/or
distance.

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

30
30

CD Testing in Advanced Networks

Chromatic dispersion in networks over the past few years has been managed
through dispersion compensation modules (DCM). DCMs placed in the
network were engineered to reverse pulse spreading over the distance of fiber
span.

Todays networks have also overcome some of the chromatic dispersion

challenges through advanced modulation systems.

So why test for chromatic dispersion?

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

32
32

Chromatic Dispersion (CD)

If measured accurately Chromatic Dispersion can be compensated for.

No Compensation

With Compensation

OC192 Delay Threshold

Delay

Length

DCM
TX

DCM

RX

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

33
33

Chromatic Dispersion
(ps/nm-km)

CD in Optical Fiber
+

+7

dispersion unshifted
G.652

non-zero
dispersion

dispersion shifted
G.653
non-zero dispersion shifted
G.655
(nm)

When you look at this chart, it shows two interesting pieces of information:
1. This shows the level of typical dispersion per km for the specific wavelength.
Example: G.652 fiber is ~ +17 ps/nm/km at 1550 nm.
2. This graph also shows where there is zero dispersion at which wavelength.
Example: G.652 fiber has zero dispersion ~ 1310 nm.
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

34
34

CD Tolerance vs. Bit Rate

Bit rate

Time per bit

(ps)

CD Tolerance
(ps/nm)

CD Tolerance
(km of G652)

2.5Gbits (OC48/STM16)

400

16000

650

10Gbits (OC192/STM64)

100

1600

80

10GigE

100

1000

50

40Gbts (OC768/STM256)

25

+/-150

100Gbts

10

30

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

35
35

Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD)

Polarization
Mode
Dispersion
Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD)

Impacts receiver
decision circuits

Solutions

Stochastic
phenomenon
impairs high bit
rate transmission
typically seen
on legacy fiber
but may appear
in any fiber.

Single-mode fiber supports two polarization states

Fast and slow axes have different group velocities
Causes spreading of the light pulse
Limits transmission rate

Regeneration
Improved placing method
Improved fiber

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

36
36

What causes PMD?

Fiber Manufacturing Process

Cable Manufacturing Process
Cable Installation Process
Environmental Changes

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

37
37

Visualizing PMD
Lets visualize a light pulse traveling into a fiber and segment it into 9
quadrants (easier to visualize)

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

38
38

Visualizing PMD

Fiber section:

Light pulse:

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

39
39

Impact of PMD

If we transmit 1-0-1:

1 0 1
With PMD, this becomes:

1 0 1
The 1 is dimmer, the 0 can have light: BER
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

40
40

PMD Specifications
PMD measurement verifies if the fiber & installation are good enough to deliver high
bandwidth services
PMD can have catastrophic effect on whether a link can sustain 40GigE and 100GigE
services
Difficult to compensate for PMD because its random & can vary with environmental
changes

MD

Bit rate
(Gbit/s)

Average DGD*
(ps)

2.5

40

10

10

40

2.5
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

41
41

PMD Mitigation

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

42
42

Arent New Systems PMD Tolerant?

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

43
43

Report

In field verification showed it was

LEAF fiber.

Fiber tested showed values of 4.48 ps/nm*km, 1500.27nm

Lambda Zero
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

44
44

Power Density
Why is determining what type of fiber you have in your network important?
Network Equipment Manufacturers, etc. have requested from network owners what type of fiber they are
working with when upgrading to 100GigE, especially if doing DWDM.
Two reasons why knowing fiber type through CD measurements is important.

1. Installing multiple wavelengths (DWDM) on fiber with low or zero CD can exhibit issues with non-linear
effects like four wave mixing (FWM).
2. Coherent Detection systems allow for the growth to 100GigE. These systems upgrades will require higher
OSNR. Raman pumps allow low noise amplification.
1. NEMs documents state that Raman gain depends on fiber type
2. the same amount of pump power provides different gain for different fiber types.

When discussing core size versus gain, we are talking about power density.
Smaller core, more power density. Larger core, lower power density.
2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

45
45

Typical RAMAN Gains

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

46
46

Network Design with Raman Amplification

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

47
47

Fiber Characterization Summary:

Relevant parameters:

Fiber type needed at design level

High power needs accurate connector cleaning.
Fiber length and loss needed
Fiber quality is important: splice loss, reflections, fiber attenuation
Dispersion measurements and compensation

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

48
48

Thank You

2010 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.

49