DECEMBER 3, 2008 -- OptoTest (search for OptoTest) recently released the latest version of its OP1021 Launch Condition Analyzer, which includes a software package that allows users to verify their launch sources via encircled flux measurements to ensure their test setup is fully compliant with the latest standards (IEC, TIA, IEEE, etc.) The unit contains built in LED sources and is customizable with internal 50- and 62.5-micron fibers as well as customizable launch requirements, say company representatives.
The model also features a multiple wavelength function and the universal interface. Each OP1021 optical receiving assembly has a responsivity from 850 nm to 1650 nm and a total scanning range of 500 um. The interface is a universal 2.5-mm connection. According to the company, the user friendly software auto-aligns the optics to make the alignment and focusing process as easy as possible for the user.
From Optotest's custom software line, the OPL-LCA program displays measurements in a user-friendly graph. The step size is defined for both the nearfield and the farfield actuators, allowing the user to further control the scan resolution and scan duration. Data is exported directly into an Excel spreadsheet via USB for further data analysis. Also included are Encircled Flux calculations with the ability to load user-defined encircled flux templates for various launch condition specifications.
The decision to modify the design of the previous version of the OP1021 was dictated by recent changes in IEC standards for interpreting launch condition results of the nearfield scanner. This new requirement is designed to standardize the source launch condition for fiber, splices, and connectors. Where previously under-filled launch conditions could yield overly optimistic results and over-filled launch conditions would yield overly pessimistic results, the encircled flux measurement designates the upper and lower bounds of the measurement based on a specific distance from the core. The result is greater repeatability and consistency in the data acquired, yielding an end product that is comparable across the board, explains OptoTest. Consistent launch conditions for different source types (laser, led, OTDR) will yield consistent loss results for the same cable.
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