Development of quick-installation single-fiber connectors

摘要

Assembling SC connectors used at indoor fiber network nodes has been time-consuming due to the need for on-site fiber bonding and PC polishing at fiber ends. To help build a fast and economical optical subscriber network, Sumitomo Electric hasdeveloped quick-installation, single-fiber optical connectors, which have been supplied to NTT. The connector employs a mechanical clamp to secure the fiber and contains a pre-installed short fiber which is pre-polished and bonded along the ferrule andthe clamp, which prevents the need for fiber bonding or polishing during on-site assembly. The clamp allows the operator to secure or release the fiber simply by inserting or removing a wedge, resulting in a short assembly time. The assembly toolsdeveloped are compact and lightweight and require no electric power, making them less dependent on installation site restrictions. A prototype connector for use with SM fiber demonstrated an average connection loss of less than 0.3 dB and a return loss of more than 40 dB. It also displayed excellent resistance to temperature variations, vibration, and physical impacts.