Influences of polishing on return loss of optical fiber connectors

Abstract

With Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ as polishing medium, under different polishing conditions, e.g. with different polishing pressure, polishing time and polishing fluid, the influences of polishing treatment on the return loss of optical fiber connectors were investigated. The return loss of optical fiber connectors is 32–38 dB before polishing. The results show that dry polishing (i.e. no polishing fluid) with Al₂O₃ has less influence on return loss of optical fiber connectors, while dry polishing with SiO₂ reduces return loss to about 20 dB because of the end-face of optical fiber contaminated. The wet polishing(i.e. using distilled water as polishing fluid) with Al₂O₃ or SiO₂ can increase return loss to 45–50 dB, but wet polishing with Al₂O₃ may produce optical fiber undercut depth of 80–140 nm. Wet polishing with SiO₂ should be preferentially selected for optical fiber connectors and polishing time should be controlled within 20–30 s.

Keywords

optical fiber connector / polishing / return loss / optical fiber undercut