Fiber optic connector

A device mounted to the end of a fiber optic cable, light source, or optical receiver, which mates to a similar device to couple light into and out of optical fibers.  Fiber optic connectors provide an impermanent connection between two fiber optic components, and can be removed and reconnected in a new configuration if desired.  Unlike an electrical connector, where contact of conductors is enough to pass the signal, an optical connection must be precision-aligned to permit the light to pass from one optical fiber to another with minimal loss.

Fiber optic connectors are joined to fiber optic cables by a process called termination.  The connector endfaces are then polished to lessen the amount of light lost at the interface between two connectors.  The polished connectors then undergo a series of tests that certify the optical performance of the connector.

Types of fiber optic connector include:

SC, ST, FC, LC, MU, MTRJ, D4, E2000, Biconic, MT, MTP™, MPO, SMC, SMA

See also: connector, fiber optic cable, termination, polishing, insertion loss, reflectance, interferometer, small form factor connector, UPC, APC, PC

See links to “Connector Styles”