This article describes the most common Fiber Optic Connector in the industry.What you can learn from this article as below:
Meaning of Fiber Optic Connector;
Difference between APC and UPC fiber connector;
Types of Fiber Optic Connector;
How to Choose the Fiber Optic Connector you need;
the Meaning of "SC / PC".
What’s the Meaning of Fiber Optic Connector?
Fiber Optical Connector are general-purpose passive components. For the same type of optical fiber connector, they can generally be used in any combination and can be used repeatedly. The additional loss introduced by this is generally within the range of less than 0.2dB.
According to the cross-section of the optical fiber, the Optical fiber connectors can be divided into PC, APC and UPC. According to the structure, the fiber optical connector can be divided into SC, LC, FC, ST, MU, E2000, LX-5, SMA, D4 MT-RJ, MPO/MTO, FDDI, BFOC, DIN47256, Biconic, OPTI-JAKC, VF-45, LX-5.Click here to find more types connectors.
PC,APC and UPC Fiber Connector, What’s the Differences?
First of all, fiber cross sections includes PC, APC and UPC. Let’s understand the difference between PC, APC and UPC.
The cross sections of PC and UPC are flat, and the cross section of APC has an 8 degree bevel.
PC refers to physical contact), and UPC refers to ultra physical contact. Because the end faces of PC and UPC are flat, the mixed connection of PC and UPC will not cause permanent physical damage to the connector.
APC is completely different. Its end face has an 8-degree bevel, and the APC connector can only be connected to the APC. The method of connecting APC to PC: through the optical fiber jumper converted from PC to APC
What Are the Types of Fiber Optic Connectors?
Next, we introduce, connector types by structure
1.FC Connector
FC means Ferrule Fiber Optic Connector, with a metal connector, generally used on the ODF side
2.SC connector
SC Fiber Optic Connector has square connector, rectangular shell, made of engineering plastics, has the advantages of low price, simple operation, small insertion loss fluctuation, high compressive strength, high temperature resistance, and not easy to oxidize.
3.ST Connector
Commonly used in optical fiber distribution frames, the shell is round, and the fixing method is a screw buckle.
For 10Base-F connections, the connector is usually ST type, and for 100Base-FX, the connector is mostly SC type. The core of the ST connector is exposed, and the core of the SC connector is inside the connector.
4.LC Connector
The size of this connector is half the size of SC, FC, etc., which is 1.25mm. This can increase the density of optical fiber connectors in the optical fiber distribution frame.
5.MT-RJ Connector
Optical fiber on the end face of MT-RJ fiber connector (0.75mm apart)
6. MPO/MTP Connector
MPO/MTP fiber connector supports more than 2 cores of optical fibers in one connector.Currently, 12-core MPO/MTP connectors are commonly used. MTP fiber optic connectors are an upgraded version of MPO connectors, with better transmission performance and lower loss , higher fineness. MPO/MTP connectors cannot be field connection.
7.BFOC Connector
The appearance of BFOC fiber connector is very similar to the ST connector, and the buckle method is exactly the same, but the core is slightly shorter than the ST fiber connector. It is generally used in industrial Ethernet network equipment
8.DIN47256 Connector
The structure and size of this connector are the same as the FC fiber connector, with PC end face. Compared with the FC connector, the structure is more complicated, and the mechanical precision is higher, so the loss value is smaller.
9.FDDI Connector (Fiber Distributed Data Interface Connector)
FDDI fiber connector is mainly used in duplex fiber optic systems.
10.MU Connector
The MU fiber connector is developed on the basis of the SC type connector and is the smallest single-core fiber optic connector in the world. The connector uses a 1.25mm diameter sleeve. With the wide application of WDM technology, the demand for MU connectors will also grow rapidly.
11.Biconic Connector
Consists of two conical barrel plugs and a biconical plastic sleeve assembly. currently obsolete
12.SMA Connector
SMA fiber connector are generally used in test equipment, data network, medical equipment, etc. SMA fiber connectors’ ferrules have two different materials, ceramic and metal.
13.D4 Connector
The D4 fiber optic connector’s loss is small, and the pin diameter is 2.0mm. The body of the D4 connector is nickel-plated brass material and is available in a variety of colors.
14.E2000 Connector
E2000 fiber optic connector is easy to install and mainly used for single-mode optical fiber, with a dust cover. The material of shell is plastic.
15.OPTI-JAKC Connector
OPTI-JACK Fiber Optic Connector is a SF(Small Form Factor) fiber optic connector.
16.VF-45 Connector
VF-45 Fiber Optic Connector is also called SG connector, which can be used for connection without ferrule.
17. LX-5 Connector
The LX-5 is a SFF (Small Form Factor) Fiber Optic Connector, designed to meet the needs of the cable television industry.
Choosing the Right Types of Fiber Optic Connector
Step 1: Know the Cable Single-Mode or Multimode
Fiber Optic Connector are generally divided into Single-Mode and Multimode. Single-Mode fiber connector allows one mode of light to propagate simultaneously, providing the longest transmission distance. Multimode fiber connector allows multiple light modes to propagate through fiber, supporting very short distances but reducing cabling costs.
Fiber Optic Connector can be identified by different color codes. Single-Mode Connectors typically have blue or green covers, while OM1/OM2 multimode connectors have beige covers, OM3 has aqua covers, and OM4 has magenta covers.
Step 2: Know the APC vs UPC vs PC Polish Type
Fiber Optic Connector is available in PC, APC and UPC polish. Different polish offers performance and cost difference. Check them with your supplier before ordering.
Step 3: Know the Connector that Device require
Lastly, look at the types of connections your electronics require. And based on that type determines the type of termination required.
SC/PC, What’s the Meaning of the SC / PC?
In the label indicating the pigtail connector, we often see "FC/PC", "SC/PC", etc., and their meanings are as follows:
The part in front of "/" indicates the connector model of the pigtail
The back of "/" indicates the cross-section process of the optical fiber connector
"SC" indicates that the type of pigtail connector is SC connector, "PC" indicates the cross-section process of optical fiber connector
Reference
https://www.baudcom.com.cn/blog/upc-or-apc-which-one-to-choose
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_fiber_connector