What Are the Functions of the Fiber Optic Attenuator?

The strength of the optical signal received by the optical receiving device needs to be within a certain range, and the optical power cannot be too strong or too weak, otherwise, the device life will be shortened or the device will not work properly. The fiber optic attenuator is an optical passive device that can act on it to reduce the energy of the optical signal and attenuate the input optical power, so as to avoid the distortion of the optical receiver due to the super-strong input optical power.

1. How does the fiber optic attenuator reduce optical power?

Fiber optic attenuator reduces optical power through absorption, reflection, diffusion, scattering, deflection, diffraction, and dispersion of optical signals. For example, in the absorption of optical signals, the fiber optic attenuator is set to a working wavelength range that can absorb light energy. Within this range, it does not reflect light and reduces unnecessary echo reflections. In this way, the attenuation effect of optical power is achieved.

Generally, air isolation technology, displacement dislocation technology, attenuation fiber technology, absorption glass method, and other technologies are used to make fiber optic attenuators.

2. Attenuation of the fiber optic attenuator

The attenuation range of the optical attenuator is 0~65dB. Among them, the attenuation power of the fixed fiber optic attenuator on the market is between 1 and 30 dB. Fixed fiber optic attenuator is a type of fiber optic attenuator that fixes the attenuation power at an attenuation value. Typically used in telecommunication networks, fiber optic test equipment, local area network (LAN), and cable television (CATV) systems.

There is also a variable optical attenuator, the attenuation level of the variable attenuator can be adjusted, for example, from 0.5 dB to 20 dB, or even 50 dB. Some variable attenuators have a very fine resolution, such as 0.1dB or even 0.01dB.

Mainly used in the optical distribution frame, optical fiber network system, high-speed optical fiber transmission system, cable television (CATV) system, long-distance trunk line dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) system, optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM).

Among them, the fixed fiber optic attenuator has pigtail type, converter type, and converter type. It can make FC, SC, ST, LC, MU, and other interface types, which is convenient to use in daily wiring. Usually, a single optical attenuator has two interfaces, male and female, which can be male-female or female-female. The connector interface of the male head is generally used to be inserted on the receiver of the device or the adapter of the adapter panel, and the connector interface of the female head is used to connect the optical fiber jumper.

We can provide various types of fixed female and male fiber optic attenuators with stable performance and reliable quality, which can meet the customized requirements of ST, SC, FC, MU, LC various connector interface types and working wavelengths.

Among passive devices, fiber optic attenuators are widely used. The performance indicators to measure the optical attenuator mainly include attenuation, insertion loss, attenuation accuracy, return loss, and so on. The insertion loss of high-performance optical attenuators is low, and the return loss is usually above 40dB.