A fiber optic connector is used at the end of an optical fiber to join optical fibers where a connect or disconnect capability is required. Since the fiber cable transmits pulses of light instead of electrical signals, it is important to choose a good fiber optic connector that aligns microscopic glass fibers perfectly in order to allow for communication. There are various kinds of fiber optic connectors in the market. Among them, SC, LC and MPO connectors are commonly used. This article will discuss these three kinds of fiber optic connectors respectively.
To start, it is important to have a knowledge of the ferrule in the connector. The ferrule is a thin structure (often cylindrical) holding the glass fiber (typically holding one strand of fiber). It has a hollowed-out center that forms a tight grip on the fiber. Ferrules are usually made from ceramic, metal, or high-quality plastic.
The SC connector is a snap-in connector with a 2.5mm ferrule that is widely used for its excellent performance. Sometimes, it is also called “square connector” as it has a push-pull coupling end face with the spring loaded ceramic ferrule. The SC connector is ideally suited for data communication and telecommunication applications including point to point and passive optical networking.
LC is a small form factor connector that uses a 1.25mm ferrule, which is half the size of the SC connector. Thus, it is considered to be the modern replacement of the SC connector as its price cuts down. Connected by a fiber cable with other types of connectors, the LC connector gains huge popularity in data communication and other high-density patch applications for the reason that its combination of small size and latch feature makes it ideal for densely populated racks/panels. For example, the LC to SC fiber cable is a popular fiber link connection between equipment during fiber cabling.
The MPO connector is larger than other connectors but for good reason–it can support up to 24 fibers in a single ferrule. Thus, it is extensively used in high density patch environments such as data centers at both single-mode and multi-mode wavelengths. Since the sequence of the fibers cannot be physically changed after termination, the MPO connector is often supplied with a fan-out assembly at the opposing end (such as LC, SC etc.), which is called MPO cable. Being an important part of the multi-fiber connection system, MPO cables are designed for the reliable and quick operations in Data Centers.
As the development of fiber optic technology, many companies and individuals have invented various fiber optic connectors that are with lower loss, lower cost and easier to terminate or solve some other perceived problems. Nowadays, there are about 100 kinds of fiber optic connectors in the market. The above mentioned are among the connectors represented the majority of the market.
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