Olson Technology OTEB-CW-B - Manual (Page 13)

10
Back Reflection Prevention
CAUTION:
Back reflection into the amplifier or laser can degrade the device performance or
cause failure. The device is designed to accommodate normal back reflections ex-
hibited from use with fiber spans.
For outputs with standard fiber connectors, examples of normal back reflection are
as follows. Expected back reflection for FC/PC connectors is -14dB. Expected back
reflection for FC/APC is -40dB. Proper cleaning of the connectors is an essential
process for successful use of the device. We recommend following the attached
"Connector cleaning guide".
For bare fiber outputs, the expected back reflection with a flat cleave is -14dB. A
random break or crushed fiber may have any back reflection from -14dB and lower.
A good splice to a similar fiber has a back reflection around -60 dB. It is essential to
have a quality cleave and fusion splice by a trained individual to minimize the risk of
inducing excessive back reflection. Splicing the bare fiber output to a dissimilar fi-
ber can cause excessive back reflection and will void the warranty. Contact the
manufacturer if this process is required. If the bare fiber will be powered up without
being spliced to another fiber, make sure the surface of the fiber is of good quality
and clean. Check the quality of the cleave at a low output power using an infrared
visualizer and increase the output power.
Optical damage may result from failure to comply with the above instructions. Such
damage is not covered by the warranty.