FLCSSCBUY-C Datasheet FLCSSCBUY-C | P1-P2

Optical Ge

Characteristics o

TECHNICAL REFERENCE

PANDUI

Connector

TR3

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Purpose

The purpose of this document is to familiarize the user with the optical index matching gel used in PANDUIT

PTICAM

Pre-Polished Cam Connectors. The optical gel acts as a medium for which the light can pass

between the two ends of the fiber. Optical gel has a refractive index very close to that of the fiber core making a

nearly seamless connection that results in minimal loss.

Background

There are several different ways to reduce reflection and insertion loss between fiber optic components. One of

the quickest and most reliable ways is to utilize an index matching fluid or index matching optical gel deployed

between cleaved ends of two optical fibers. Index matching fluids are prone to leakage, evaporation and

mechanical instability, and have been replaced in mechanical splices and pre-terminated connectors (such as

PTICAM

Connectors) by optical gels. Optical gel is a clear, stable, long shelf life material that has a wider

operating temperature range than matching fluids, and hence, has become the industry standard in these

applications. Optical gels have a typical shelf life of approximately 30 years.

Index of Refraction (IOR) or refractive index is defined as the ratio of light velocity in a vacuum to its velocity in a

given transmission medium (in this case the core of the fiber). The manufacturer of the glass within the fiber

optic cable defines the IOR for that specific glass (as a function of fiber design and manufacturing process). The

typical IOR for doped silica glasses (in typical multimode and singlemode fibers) is approximately 1.46. Optical

gel is engineered to match the refractive index of the fiber as closely as possible.

Fresnel reflection occurs as light is reflected from the cleaved or polished end of a fiber because of the

difference of refractive indices of air and glass. The optical gel acts as a matching medium between the two

cleaved or polished ends of the fiber minimizing the reflections and therefore minimizing the loss. Without the

gel (or with a gel that did not closely match the IOR of the fiber being mated), the reflections would be severe

(low return loss) and could cause significant loss of light (high insertion loss).

Figure 1 – Typical O

PTICAM

Connection Engine in the Fiber Interconnect Area

Clam

Plank

-Groove Plank

Optical Gel Area

Optical Ge

Characteristics o

PANDUI

Connector

TECHNICAL REFERENCE

TR3

www.panduit.com y 800-777-3300 y cs@panduit.com y Page 2 of 2

OPTICAM

Index Matching Gel Specifications

PANDUIT utilizes a ‘thixotropic’ optical coupling gel (a gel that has material characteristics that resist flow) in

PTICAM

Connectors. This product meets the very stringent requirements placed on such gels for use in the

outside plant environment (Telcordia GR-2919-CORE).

This is a non-curing gel with a very low viscosity and a refractive index that matches the core index of fibers that

are deployed in O

PTICAM

Connectors. The IOR of this gel is chosen such that core index matching occurs at

the operating wavelengths of interest (IOR for gels of this type is dependant on the wavelength). See Table 1

below.

Table 1 – Typical IOR Values at Different Wavelengths for Thixotropic Optical Gel

Operating Wavelength Typical Refractive Index

850nm 1.448

1310nm 1.439

1550nm 1.438

Characteristics of the Thixotropic Optical Gel are matched to the requirements of OPTICAM

Connector

applications. These characteristics are shown below in Table 2.

Table 2 – Typical Characteristic Values for Thixotropic Optical Gel

Typical Characteristics Typical Value

Color, Appearance Crystal clear

Optical Absorption (450 – 750nm) Less than 0.0003% per µm

Apparent Viscosity 11,000cP (centipoise)

Oil Separation (24 hrs at 100°C) 0.1%

Evaporation (24 hrs at 100°C) Less than 0.2%

Thermal Coefficient of Expansion 6.0 x 10

– 4

cm/cm/°C

The low viscosity of the gel provides some strain relief between the mated fiber endfaces as they are exposed to

different environmental extremes in the form of temperature changes and/or mechanical shock/vibration. This

gel is deployed at the end of the fiber stub in the connector (in the factory) and because of its thixotropic nature

and the design of the O

PTICAM

Connector, it will not migrate while sitting on the shelf (unterminated) or while

deployed in the field.

Summary

PANDUIT has chosen a thixotropic gel as the optical refractive index matching medium to be used in all OPTICAM

Pre-Polished Cam Connectors. This non-curing, low viscosity, high temperature, long shelf life gel variant has been

designed to meet PAND UIT high specification requirements for pre-terminated connectors. This material enables

PTICAM

Connectors to be deployed in a variety of environmental conditions within the premise and assures that the

product will exceed the standards expectations of TIA/EIA-568-B.3.

P1-P2

FLCSSCBUY-C

Mfr. #:

Buy FLCSSCBUY-C

Manufacturer:

Panduit

Description:

Fiber Optic Connectors Pre-Polished Keyed LC Simplex OptiCam OM

Lifecycle:

New from this manufacturer.

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