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Solutions for Getting LC/PC for Return Loss More Than 60 dB?

QUESTION:

Is there a solution for getting LC/PC for return loss more than 60 dB? If it depends on final polishing film, is Ultimas final polishing film suitable? What kind of films will work? Is there a special polishing method?

 

ANSWER:

Unfortunately, there isn’t a special final film that produces 60 dB on UPC connectors. Our film is the most likely to get you there, but many other factors need to be considered including test leads on the RL meter.  However, I dare say getting 60 dB with a decent yield, may not be doable without considerable scrap. Also, ultra-low return loss degrades with multiple mates, so you need to get it under the first test. Consider that you may test -60.5 dB on the first test with ‘fresh’ test leads, but if the customer tests the next time with the best test leads, it may be -59 dB, then -57 dB, then finally settle somewhere below that.

Here are a few additional comments:

  • In terms of polishing process, there’s not much more that can be done with current state of lapping films.

  • To tweak out the last few dB’s, you need to focus on core alignment (highest concentricity ferrules and fibers, and most precise adapter split-sleeves) that can be found.

  • RL values are not a characteristic of the connector itself, but of the mated pair.   A RL limit of 60 dB in production will mean you’ll need to constantly replacing test leads. The end user will likely not be able to correlate results.

  • If end user truly needs 60’s, APC’s are the way to go.

 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT & RESOURCES:

 

Answered by AskFOC Technical Team April 24, 2017

 

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FOC FAQ Fiber Optic Center has a team of technical experts and marketing strategists with decades of years in the field. This team contributes to the fiber, cable and specialty industries coverage through news, alerts, reports and general media information.
About Fiber Optic Center, Inc.
Fiber Optic Center, Inc., (FOC), is an international leader in distributing fiber optic components, equipment and supplies and has been helping customers make the best cable assemblies in the world for over two decades. Several areas of specialization and expertise, in which they are the industry leader, make them the preferred choice for many of the world’s fiber professionals. In these key technology areas, FOC is "at least as technical as the manufacturer" about the products they sell. Striving to "make the business part easy," they offer outstanding and personal customer service, low or no minimum purchase order values, and from-stock delivery on industry-leading products and technology. FOC is the industry connection to the most innovative optical products, technologies and technical experts who integrate their manufacturing knowledge and vast experience into customers' worldwide operations. @FiberOpticCntr

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