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Understanding Fiber Polarity

1. What's Polarity？

In any installation, it is important to ensure that the optical transmitter at one end is
connected to the optical receiver at the other. This matching of the transmit signal (Tx) to
the receive equipment (Rx) at both ends of the fiber optic link is referred to as polarity.

2. Polarity Overview

Two types of fiber links are outlined in the TIA standard: serial duplex signals connections
and parallel signals connections. This paper discusses the impact of polarity as it pertains
to serial duplex signals and parallel signals.

2.1 Fiber Patch cords

Two types of duplex fiber patch cords are defined in the TIA standard: A-to-A type shown
in Figure 1 and A-to-B type shown in Figure 2.
Note: A-to-A patch cords are not commonly deployed and should be used only when
necessary as part of a polarity method (See ANSI/TIA-568-C.0).

A B

B A
A-to-A Patch Cord
Figure 1

A B

B A
A-to-B Patch Cord
Figure 2

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Datasheet
2.2 MTP/MPO Fiber Adapter

2.2.1 Type A adapters

There are two types of array adapters, Type A and Type B. Type A adapters shall mate
two array connectors with the connector keys key-up to key-down.

TYPE“A”ADAPTER
POS.1
CONFIGURATION MALE
W/PINS

POS.12

POS.1

KEY-UP TO
POS.12
KEY-DOWN

FEMALE
W/O PINS

2.2.2 Type B adapters

Type B adapters shall mate two array connectors with the connector keys key-up to key-
up (keys aligned).

MALE
TYPE“B”ADAPTER POS.1
W/PINS
CONFIGURATION

POS.12

POS.12

POS.1
KEY-UP TO
KEY-UP
FEMALE
W/O PINS

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Datasheet
2.3 12-fiber MTP/MPO array patch cord

There are three different 12-fiber MPO/MTP-to-MPO/MTP backbone cables defined in the
TIA standard. The three different cables: Type A, B and C are used for the three different
connectivity Methods A, B and C respectively.

Type A
“Straight Through”
1 Key-up to Key-Down 1
2 P1 to P1 2
. .
. .
. .
11 11
12 12
A: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
| | | | | | | | | | | |
B: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Type B
“Cross Over”

1
Key-up to Key-up
12
2 P1 to P12 11
. .
. .
. .
11 2
12 A: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1
| | | | | | | | | | | |
B: 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Type C
“Cross Pair”
1 Key-up to Key-Down 1
2 P1 to P2 2
. .
. .
. .
11 11
12 12
A: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
| | | | | | | | | | | |
B: 2 1 4 3 6 5 8 7 10 9 12 11

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2.4 24-fiber MTP/MPO array patch cord

There are three different 24-fiber MPO/MTP-to-MPO/MTP backbone cables defined in the
TIA standard (TIA-568.3-D). The three different cables: Type A, B and C are used for the
three different connectivity Methods A, B and C respectively.

Type A
Key-up to Key-Down
P1 to P13

A: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
| | | | | | | | | | | |
B: 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

A: 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
| | | | | | | | | | | |
B: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Type B
Key-up to Key-up
P1 to P24

A: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
| | | | | | | | | | | |
B: 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13

A: 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
| | | | | | | | | | | |
B: 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Type C
Key-up to Key-Down
P1 to P14

A: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
| | | | | | | | | | | |
B: 14 13 16 15 18 17 20 19 22 21 24 23

A: 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
| | | | | | | | | | | |
B: 2 1 4 3 6 5 8 7 10 9 12 11

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2.5 8-fiber MTP/MPO breakout patch cord

There are two different 8-fiber MPO/MTP breakout cables: Type A and Type B.

1
2
3
4

Position 1

Position 12
Type A
9
10
11
12

1
12
2
11

Position 1

Position 12
Type B
3
10
4
9

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2.6 12-fiber MTP/MPO breakout patch cord

There are two different 12-fiber MPO/MTP breakout cables: Type A and Type B.

1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
Position 1 5
6
6

Position 12 8
Type A
9
10
11
12

1
12
2
11

Position 1 3
10

4
Position 12
Type B 9
5
8
6
7

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2.7 20-fiber MTP/MPO breakout patch cord

There are three different 20-fiber MPO/MTP breakout cables: Type A, Type B and Type C.

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Position 1
10
11
14
15
Position 24 Type A 16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

2
11
3
10
4
9
5
8
Position 1 6
7
14
23
Position 24 Type B 15
22
16
21
17
20
18
19

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2
14
3
15
4
16
5
17
Position 1
6
18
7

Position 24 Type C 19
8
20
9
21
10
22
11

2.8 24-fiber MTP/MPO breakout patch cord 23

There are three different 24-fiber MPO/MTP breakout cables: Type A, Type B and Type C.

10
Position 1
11

12
13
14
Position 24
Type A 15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

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1
12
2
11
3
10
4
9
5
8
Position 1
6
7
13
24
Position 24 Type B 14
23
15
22
16
21
17
20
18
19

1
13
2
14
3
15
4
16
5
17
Position 1
6
18
7
19
Position 24
Type C 8
20
9
21
10
22
11
23
12
24

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2.8 MTP/MPO cassette modules
2.8.1 Base-8 series

Fiber Sequence Type A adapter

2.8.2 Base-12 series

There are four different 12/24 Fibers MTP/MPO cassette modules: Type A, AF(Pair Flipped),
B1 and B2.

Polarity
Type Inner Fiber Sequence Adapter

Type A
A Up-to-Down

Type A
AF Up-to-Down

Type B
B1 Up-to-Up

Type B
B2 Up-to-Up

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2.8.3 Base-24 series
There are two different 24 Fibers MTP/MPO cassette modules: Type A, and AF(Pair Flipped).

Polarity
Type Inner Fiber Sequence Adapter

A Type A
Up-to-Down

AF Type A
Up-to-Down

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3. Array polarity systems

All array connectivity methods have the same goal: to create an optical path from the
transmit port of one device to the receive port of another device. Different methods to
accomplish this goal may be implemented; however these different methods may not be
interoperable.
Any connectivity method requires a specific combination of components to maintain
polarity. Some of the components may be common to other connectivity methods. The
components associated with the three illustrated array polarity methods A, B and C are
given in below tables.

Table 1 – Summary of components used for duplex signals

Connectivity Array connector Array adapter

Duplex patch cord type
method cable Type Type
One A-to-B & one A-to-A
A A A
per duplex channel
B B B A-to-B

C C A A-to-B

Table 2 – Summary of components used for parallel signals

Connectivity Array connector Array adapter

Array patch cord type
method cable Type Type

A A A One Type A & one Type B

B B B Type B

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3. 1 Connectivity Method A
3.1.1 Connectivity Method A for duplex signals

Type A
Type A Type A

A-to-B Patch Cord A-to-A Patch Cord

Note: If you don't want an A-to-A patch cord used, a TypeAF MTP/MPO cassette is
needed, as shown below:

Type A
Type A Type AF

A-to-B Patch Cord A-to-B Patch Cord

3.1.2 Connectivity Method A for parallel signals

Type A Type A Type B

Type A Type A

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3.2 Connectivity Method B

3.2.1 Connectivity Method B for duplex signals

The Key Up to Key Up (method B) does not support Singlemode with standards compliant
connector endfaces.

Type A Type B Type A

A-to-B Patch Cord A-to-B Patch Cord

Note: The transmission of the signal is P1 in and P12 out.

Type B1 Type B Type B2

A-to-B Patch Cord A-to-B Patch Cord

Note: The transmission of the signal is P1 in and P1 out.

Base-8 MTP/MPO cassette used for 10G to 40G/100G migration with Method B.

Type B

A-to-B Patch Cord

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3.2.2 Connectivity Method B for parallel signals

Type B Type B Type B

Type B Type B

Type B

3.3 Connectivity Method C for duplex signals

Type A Type C Type A

A-to-B Patch Cord A-to-B Patch Cord

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4. Polarity systems of 24-Fiber
The 100G-SR10 (100 GbE over multimode) requires a total of 20 fibers, 10 transmit and 10
receive. Position assignment shown below is recommended by IEEE.

4.1 Connection of Type A 24-Fiber MTP/MPO patch cord

Type A

Type A
Type A Type AF

A-to-B Patch Cord A-to-B Patch Cord

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