OPTICAL TIME DOMAIN

REFLECTOMETER(OTDR)
A Technical seminar
By
P.V.S.K.Bharadwaj
11131A04C7
ECE-3
GVPCOE(A)
Optical Time domain Reflectometer
 What is an OTDR?
It is a fiber optic tester
It allows complete characterization of the fiber
It provides information regarding local losses and reflective
elements
It is mainly used to find the place of fault in an optical fiber
 Principle of Operation
OTDR uses the effects of Rayleigh scattering and Fresnel
reflection
RAYLEIGH SCATTERING occurs when the light travelling down
the fiber encounters small material variations and
discontinuities in the refractive index
The light is scattered in all directions
FRESNEL REFLECTIONS occur when the light encounters
abrupt variations in the material properties that are caused by
a break or air gaps or Connectors
Fresnel reflection is 10,000 times greater than Rayleigh
scattering in terms of reflected power
 Back Scatter
As the light is scattered in all directions some of it happens to
return back along the fiber to the light source
The returned light is known as BLACK SCATTER
The OTDR sends short light pulses and continuously measure
the returned power level and hence deduces the losses
involved
Measuring Distance
 Measuring Distance
(Contd..)
Consider the Refractive index of the core n1=1.5
Then the speed of light in the core=V=c/n1=2x10^8 m/s
If the Reflected Light reaches the OTDR 1.4us later
Since the Light has travelled back and forth along the length
of the fiber(L)
2L=Vx delay time
2L=2x10^8 x1.4us=280m
Hence L=140m
Hence the OTDR uses the principle of RADAR .It sends a
optical pulse and then listens to the ECHO
Block diagram of OTDR
 Display
It can be either a CRT or an LCD
It displays the returned signal in a XY plot where the Range
across X axis and power level in dB along Y axis
Display when there is no signal
 Simple Measurement
3
4
q
3
4
 Ringing at Amplifier
The Fresnel reflection at the launch connecter causes a high
energy at the receiver amplifier which swings above and
below real levels
This phenomenon is known as Ringing
The Receiver takes a few microseconds to return back to the
normal state
During which the OTDR cannot determine any reflections .
Hence it is known as Dead Zone
We can avoid the dead zone by adding a patch chord of
100m which finishes the problem of dead zone before the
fiber under the test is reached
DEAD ZONE
Length and attenuation
 Attenuation coefficient Measurement
Length appears to be 400m
100 meters for patch chord to deal with dead zone
Hence length=300m=0.3km
Power level at 100m (at the end of patch chord)=-10.8dB
Power level at 400m (at the end)=-11.3dB
Attenuation coefficient=P/L=0.5/0.3=1.66dB/km
OTDR Display of a Typical System
 Fault localization
In case of fiber cut due to various reasons like rodents,
road repairs etc the position of the cut should be
identified
Since optical fibers are sent underground it is difficult
with manually digging all through and finding the cut
So we proceed with OTDR and find if the length of the
fiber obtained from test is same as that in the records
and to check if there is a cut and its location
Thank You