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Optical and Broadband Networks

Module P00336

Jorge Pinto
09097562

March, 2010
 Optical Time Domain Reflectometry [OTDR]
1. Introduction

Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) is the method that we will use to represent optical
fibres in this coursework. It is used to detect events like attenuation, fibre length, connectors,
splices, dead zone and more at any location along the fibre using an equipment connected just to
one end of the fibre operating like a one dimensional radar.
The OTDR send pulses of laser light and they propagate along the fibre, some of this is reflected
back (back scattered) down the fibre so in this way the Receiver will see the power returning from
all the point of the fibre system this phenomenon is intrinsic to the fibre and it is know by Rayleigh
scattering. The Fresnel reflection is other event to take into account, it will appear as a spike in the
power display and it occurred at the boundary of materials with different refractive indexes like
connectors, fibre ends.
Using the difference between the injected pulse and the reflected one we will be able to obtain the
distance. It will help to find out other distance such as round trip distance and knowing about the
pulse propagation velocity.

2. Experiments and results

This experiment has the object to acquired different OTDR traces related to every single exercise
describe on the coursework. These traces will be related with the different scenarios such as single
reel of fibre and 3 ports of the EDNET network box. TraceView software was use to analyses the
traces also two values of wavelengths were used in all the experiment. (1310 nm and 1550nm)
All results and conclusion that were reached in this exercise will be found out below.

2.1 Single reel of fibre

The first trace obtained by the OTDR belongs to a single reel of monomode fibre, which is shown
in Figure 1. The first peak is the result of the Fresnel reflection at the connection to the fibre. This
reflection will saturates the photodiode on the OTDR and make it goes blind, for this reason it will
not be able to record any back scattered signal for a short amount of time. The length related with
this period of time is called Dead Zone. This zone was roughly about 11m. It very important to
highlight the fact that if any event happens within theses 11 metres of the fibre the OTDR will not
be able to detected it.
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Figure 1. Trace for a single reel of fibre for a wavelength of 1550nm

The second peak that is found at the end of the fibre is due to the Fresnel reflection too. As
described on the coursework the length of the fibre was measure from the display and it was equal
to 1952 metres. The pulse width of the signal is ∆t = 50 ns. The resolution (metres) is given by:

∆d = (c / n) × ∆t = (3×108/1.4685) × 50×10-9 = 10 metres

Where “n” is the refractive index of the fibre. If different events occur with distance no more than
10 metres along the fibre, the OTDR will be unable to see any difference between them.
Now we have the length of the fibre (L) obtained from the software also we know the value of “n”
which is equal to the time that the pulse takes to travel from the end of the fibre back to the OTDR
and it is given by:
t = L / (c / n) = 1952 / (3×108/1.4685) = 9.55 µs

The slope of the curve between the two (2) Fresnel reflections (figure 1) gives the attenuation
coefficient. In a linear scale, we can say that the power along the fibre decreases exponentially, and
the fraction that is released back. On a logarithmic scale this negative coefficient is the slope of a
straight line. The value for 1550 nm was 0.24 dB/km. The experiment was repeated using a
wavelength of 1310nm with similar results with the difference on the resulting attenuation
coefficient. It was about 0.38 dB/km.
 2.2 Port 1 on the EDNET Network box
Using the same reel of fibre from the previous experiment it is connected to Port 1 on the EDNET
Network box. The trace obtained from the OptoSci box with a wavelength of 1550nm is shown in
figure 2. The peak correspondent to the dead zone is here again. The second peak as it said is due to
the Fresnel reflection at the connector on Port 1. Using the Zoom on the image, we can see a splice
related to the fusion between two fibres and one more peak associated to the Fresnel reflection at
the end of the fibre.

Figure 2. Trace for a single reel of fibre connected to Port 1 (1550nm)

From figure 2, the length of fibre measured from the trace inside Port 1 was around 492 metres
(395+97). The connector on Port 1 introduces a loss of 0.9 dB and the fusion splice introduces a
loss of 0.2 dB. I have arrived to the conclusion that after have seen all those values and finish with
the second experiment I could say that the EDNET box has two lengths of fibre connected by a
fusion splice at about 395 metres from Port’s 1 connector.

2.3 Port 2 on the EDNET Network box

For the third experiment the same reel of fibre was used to connect the OTDR to Port 2 on the EDNET
box. The trace obtained for a wavelength of 1550 nm is shown in figure 3.
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Figure 3. Trace for a single reel of fibre connected to Port 2 (1550nm)

Port 2 of the EDNET box contains lengths of fibre and a coupler with a split ratio K = 0.6 that is,
60% of the input power goes to the coupled arm while 40% goes to the transmitted arm. Also we
know that not all the power is split between the 2 arms; some of this power is lost within the
coupler (Excess Loss).
Looking at figure 3 we can see three (3) Fresnel reflections and a splice loss that occur just after the
1952 metres of the reel of fibre. As we have talked before the first peak is due to the connector on
port 2. The splice loss is related to the coupler inside the network box (as we know the coupler does
not produce Fresnel reflection peak). The second peak is due to the end of the fibre connected to the
coupler arm and the third peak is related with the end of the fibre connected to the other arm in the
coupler. Taking measurement of the distance I would say that the Port 2 is a 276 metres length of
fibre followed by a coupler where one of the coupled arms is connected to a 130 metres of fibre
whilst the other arm is connected to a 288 metres (130m+158m). The total loss measured from the
trace at the coupler is 1.57 dB. This loss is the sum of the losses due to the coupling coefficient ratio
K and the intrinsic excess loss (LE), given by:
TotalLoss = [10 log10(K 2 + (1 + K 2 )]/ 2 + EL

Now substituting the values, K = 0.6 and solving the Excess Loss yields we said that EL = 0.15 dB.
This loss is intrinsic
€ to the coupler and includes radiation, scattering, absorption and coupling to the
isolated port. Back to figure 3 in order to find out which one are the coupled arm and the
transmitted arm. After the Fresnel reflection due to the fibre end on the shortest arm (130 metres),
the back-scattered power is due to the longer arm (288 metres). The total measured loss at this point
was 4.4 dB. Considering K’ the split ratio at the coupler due to only the longest arm:
4.4dB = [10 log10( K '2)]/ 2 + 0.15dB

Calculating the K’ yields K’= 0.37 which is approximately (1 – K = 0.4) according with these
values we can say that the longest piece of fibre is connected to the transmitted arm and the shortest
€
piece of fibre is connected to the coupled arm (K=0.6). A diagram of the network connected to Port
2 is shown in figure 4.

Figure 4. Diagram of the network connected to port 2.

2.4 Port 3 on the EDNET Network box

For the third test the connector is changed to port 3 on the EDNET box. It contains a 1550/1310nm
wavelength demultiplexer, 2 couplers and 2 lengths of fibre. We will make use of the OTDR traces
displayed in figure 5 and figure 6 at 1550nm and 1310 respectively to identify each of the events
happens on the traces.
The traces obtained for both wavelengths are approximately the same until the W_DEMUX is
reached. It has happened at 275 metres roughly, from connector 3. The insertion loss from the
W_DEMUX is about 0.15dB.
The W_DEMUX output arm with 1310nm wavelength has just 87 metres of fibre (figure 6). At the
output with 1550nm there are 2 couplers. The first one is 202 metres away from the demultiplexer,
this coupler has two output arm the first one has just 111 metres of fibre whilst the second output
arm has other coupler (Coupler 2) connected about 367 metres away from itself (111m+256m).
Now on the Coupler 2 see that it has two-output arm too. The first one has 129 metres of fiber and
the second one has 286 metres (129m+157m) see figure 5.
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Figure 5. Trace for network connected to Port 3 (1550nm)

Figure 6. Trace for network connected to Port 3 (1310nm)

From coupler 1 we seen two output arms where, as we said before the Arm 1 has 111 metres of
fibre connected to it and the Arm 2 is the one, which contributes to the back-scattered signal. The
power loss measured in the coupler 1 is 1.15dB (see figure 5). Taking K1’ as the split ratio at Arm 2
assuming a excess loss (EL) equal 0.15dB and a lossless fibre:

1.15dB = [10 log10( K1'2)]/ 2 + 0.15dB

The K1’ yields is K1’= 0.8 (80%). For coupler 2 we found that K2’ yields is K2’=0.6 (60%). The
€
network connected to port 3 inside the box will be display on figure 7 and it was obtained from the
OTDR measurement.

Figure 7. Diagram from the inside network connected to Port 3

3. Conclusion
After this coursework I have understood the OTDR principles. How to take measurement of the
time that a pulse of light take to return due to Rayleigh scattering or how important is the Fresnel
reflection when we testing any network. Also I have to highlight all the events found on the traces
like fibre attenuation coefficient, insertion loss, splices, coupler etc. Also the last but not least I
would like to emphasis how different wavelengths generate different result on the measurement.
4. References
http://www.scribd.com/doc/27095980/Guide-to-Fiber-Optic-Measurements
Optical and broadband Networks Coursework handbook. Dr Peter Ball. 2009