Classification of Fiber Optic Patch Cords

This article is designed specially for those who want to quickly while without going into details to understand the wide range of fiber patch cable types.

What is fiber optic patch cord?

Fiber optic patch cable, which is often referred to as fiber optic patch cord or fiber jumper, is the segment of fiber optic cable with optical connectors on both ends. It applies in two main areas: a computer work station – the output fiber optic patch panels or optical cross – rapredelitelny center. Optic patch cords are used only indoors.

The most common types of optical patch cords

Fiber optic patch cords can be divided into different types depending on the type of optical fiber structures such as optical connectors, polishing type and cable length.

Fiber type of fiber optic cable

Single-mode optical fiber patch cables (SM): A single mode fiber patch cord consists of a piece of fiber optic cable with a core diameter of 9/125 micron, terminated on both sides of single-mode optical connectors. Sheath-mode fiber optic cable usually has a yellow color.

Multimode fiber patch cables (MM): Multimode optical patch cord consists of a piece of multimode fiber optic cable with a core diameter of 62.5/125 microns or 50/125 microns connectorized on both sides with multimode connectors. The shell of a multimode fiber optic cable, usually has an orange color, and the connectors are gray.

10G multimode fiber optic patch cable (such as OM3, OM4): 10Gib multimode optical fiber patch cable 50/125 micron is specially designed and optimized for laser VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface

Emitting Laser – semiconductor vertical cavity lasers) is based on 10Gig Ethernet. They have backward compatibility with existing network equipment and provide the bandwidth three times larger than conventional optical fibers with a core diameter of 62.5/125nm. 10Gib is targeted at distances up to 300 meters using a wavelength of 850nm. The shell of such a cable is usually celadon.

Structure of the fiber cable:

Simplex optical cords: an optical fiber patch cable has a single fiber cable and one connector on each end.

Duplex optical cables: double optical patch cord has two fibers with two connectors on each end. Each fiber is marked with a marker to indicate polarity.

Ribbon optical cords: ribbon cable has one connector on one side, such as MTP (12 fibers) and other multiple fiber optic cables with connectors SC, LC, FC, etc.

Difference in the types of optical connectors:

Optical cable with identical connectors: the optical connectors on both ends of the optical fiber patch cable is the same.

Transient optical cables: fiber optic patch cord has different optical connectors on the ends of fiber optic patch cord, allowing connection of equipment with different optical adapters.

Difference in the type of polishing

Fiber optic connectors are designed and polished to different shapes. This is done in order to minimize back reflection. This is especially important when using a single-mode optical fiber. Back

reflection depending on polishing can have the following values: -30 dB, -40 dB, -50dB and -60dB.

PC (Physical Contact): Typical back reflection < – 40 dB for single-mode and multimode optical fibers.

UPC (Ultra Physical Contact): Typical back reflection < -50 dB for single-mode optical fiber. (usually connector SC, LC blue, and shanks to the FC and ST – Black)

APC (Angled Physical Contact), angular polishing: Typical back reflection < – 60dB for single-mode optical fiber. (Connector SC, LC and FC shank on ST and green)

Custom Fiber Optic Patch Cables from FiberStore

If the demand for more bandwidth is putting a constant strain on your local area network, fiber optics is the answer. Fiber optic patch cable offers the best mix of capacity, security and reliability, without the worry of electrical interface. Optical fiber patch cable is used in a number of applications both in the network place and the home for transferring data from point to point.

In some cases, you may have to use a special cord that may not be in stock in a company. The company may have to order it for you, which may take up to a few weeks to get, or not be able to get it for you at all. Here at FiberStore, we have the capacities of producing high quality fiber optic cords, without the extreme wait. In most cases, we can have your products out of the door in 2-3 days. If you either looking for a particular length of cord that we or someone else does not stock, a certain core or jacking size or even a different connector configuration we can built it.

The optical fiber patch cord is used at cross-connections to connect optical fiber links. They are also used as equipment or work area cords to connect telecommunication equipment to horizontal or backbone cabling. A patch cord can be regarded as a length of optical fiber cable with connectors on both ends. It uses the same connector type and optical fiber type as the optical fiber cabling that it is connected to. FiberStore offers a variety of fiber patch cable types, which is used for either cross-connection of interconnection to equipment shall have a termination configuration defined in clause 6.4 of ANSI/TIA-568-C.3 Clause 6.4 describes configurations for simplex, duplex, and array patch cords. The patch cord comply with the cable transmission performance requirements and physical cable specifications of clause 4.2 and 4.3.1 of ANSI/TIA-568-C.3 and the connectors and adapter requirements of clause 5.2 of ANSI/TIA-568-C.3.

A simplex patch cord is a single fiber cable with simplex connection terminations. A duplex patch cord is a two-fiber cable with duplex connectors. An array patch cord is a multifiber cable with array connectors on each end. FiberStore offer single mode patch cord and multimode fiber patch cable with a variety of connector types such as LC, FC, SC, ST, MU, MTRJ and E2000 Duplex fiber cable consist of two fiber cores and can be either multimode or single mode. Single mode fiber patch cord is primary used for application involving extensive distances, while multimode fiber is ideal for most common local fiber systems as the devices for multimode are far cheaper. The common core sizes of multimode fiber are OM1 62.5 micron and 50 micron in OM2 or 10 Gigabit Laser Optimized OM3.Duplex fiber cables consist of two fiber cores and can be either multimode or single mode. This due core system allows for the bi-directional transfer of data, as opposed to simplex fiber cables. Which typically only propagate data in one direction.

FiberStore designs, develops and manufactures high quality components and systems for the photonics industry at competitive prices. Whether you’re doing new installations or upgrading your existing infrastructure, FiberStore has the right fiber patch cables and assemblies you need, at an affordable price. Most of our products are available for immediate delivery.