Time

OTDR
Theory of Pulse
Operation

OTDR Data Link Distance

Range

Tier 1 & Tier 2 Testing

 Outline
• Link Certification
– What is measured?
– OLTS (Tier 1) and OTDR (Tier 2) tests
– Why do I need both an OLTS and OTDR?
• OTDR Theory
– Backscatter vs. (Fresnel) reflection
– Block diagram
– Converting time into distance
– Effect of pulse width
• OTDR Setup: Key parameters
• Analyzing an OTDR Trace
– Event insertion loss and reflection
– Link (end-to-end) insertion loss
– Need for launch and receive cables
 Insertion Loss and Reflectance
• Attenuation or Insertion Loss in dB of a link or event is
the difference between input and output power when both
powers are expressed in dBm.
– dBm is power expressed as “dB relative to 1 mW”
– “Insertion Loss” = “Attenuation” = “dB loss” = “Loss”
• Event reflectance in dB is the difference between reflected
power and input power at an “event,” such as a connection
or end-of-fiber, when both powers are expressed in dBm.
Example: Input Output
connection connection
Patch Patch
cord Link
cord

PIN = - 20 dBm POUT = - 23 dBm

Link Insertion Loss (Attenuation)

Calculation: Insertion Loss = PIN - POUT

= -20 dBm - (-23) dBm
= 3 dB
Example: Connection (mated pair)

PIN = - 20 dBm POUT = - 20.75 dBm

PREFL = - 40 dBm

Event Insertion Loss and Reflectance

Calculations: Insertion Loss = PIN - POUT
= -20 dBm - (-20.75) dBm
= 0.75 dB
Reflectance = PREFL - PIN
= -40 dBm - (-20) dBm
= -20 dB
Link Certification Tests and Test Equipment
(TIA/EIA TSB-140 Draft)
Tier 1 -- Required
Link Insertion Loss OLTS (certification test set or light
source and optical power meter)
Link Polarity OLTS or VFL (red laser)
Link Length Can be verified by inspection (of
cable markers) or measured using
a certification test set or OTDR
Tier 2 -- Going beyond the minimum
Link “baseline trace” OTDR
Connection or splice insertion loss OTDR

Connection or splice reflectivity OTDR

What is an Optical Loss Test Set (OLTS)?
Certification Test Sets (Pair) Light Optical Power
Source(s) Meter
Tx Rx Tx Rx
Tx Rx

Tx

LED
Laser
“Main” “Remote”

• Each unit has a Tx and Rx port. • One fiber at a time

• Tests two fibers at a time • No length measurement
• Pass/fail results • But just as accurate !
• Measures length
 Tier 1 Insertion Loss Test Procedure
Mandrel Connection
(only for LED sources) (two connectors mated
thru an adapter)
Tx cord Rx cord
Tx cord
PIN = -20 dBm

Rx Rx
Tx Tx
0 dB 0.4 dB

Light Source Light Source

OPM OPM

1) Set reference 2) Check test cords

Measure PIN and record it Allowed insertion loss
as the “0 dB power level. depends on connector type.
 Link
Horizontal Backbone
PIN = -20 dBm
Segment Segment POUT = -22 dBm

Rx
Tx

In this example: 2.0 dB

IL = -20 dBm - (- 22 dBm) = 2 dB

Optical Power
Light Source
3) Measure link insertion loss Meter
Measure POUT and calculate IL = PIN – POUT.

Tier 1 IL Test Procedure (cont.)

Power (dBm)
PIN

?
IL (dB)
POUT

Distance

An OLTS treats a fiber link as a “black box”.

It can measure only end-to-end loss.
TIER 1
(OLTS: Light Source and Power Meter)
Tier 2: OTDR (Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer)
But an OTDR operates more like “radar”:
It generates high-power pulses of light,
samples the returned light over time,
OTDR
Fiber

converts sample times into distances

(Distance = Speed x Time).
Power (dBm)
PIN

?
IL (dB)
POUT

Distance

TIER 1 (OLTS)

And finally creates and analyzes a

graph or “trace” of power vs. distance …
Relative
Power (dB) PIN Fiber
C1

C2
C3
S1 POUT

Distance
TIER 2 (OTDR)

… allowing it to “see” into the link to

measure individual connections, splices,
and sections of fiber.
Thus an OTDR can make event and fiber
measurements that an OLTS can’t:

Event Fiber Event reflectance

Loss Loss (calculated from “D”)
Slope

D
And can perform functions an OLTS can’t:
Loss
Baseline
Trace
OTDR Trace Connection
Report Connector Checking

Actual trace
Fault Expected trace
Location

Break
 But don’t throw away your OLTS !

• The OLTS is required by TIA/EIA-568-B for

measuring link insertion loss (Tier 1).
• It measures IL more accurately than an OTDR
(OTDRs tend to under-estimate loss of multimode links)
• And it does not require launch and receive
cables to measure link IL (more on this later).
BOTTOM LINE: It takes both an OLTS and
OTDR to make all Tier 1 and Tier 2 tests.
OTDR Theory and Specifications
Some useful details
There are two main sources of returned
light on an optical fiber link:
Backscatter
Reflection

OTDR
pulse Fiber Fiber

End of Fiber
Connection Fusion splice
 Backscatter
Rayleigh scattering occurs continuously
along optical fiber (at very small power
levels) as the result of microscopic
fluctuations of the fiber’s index of
refraction. Scattered photons that
are recaptured by the fiber and
travel back toward the OTDR
constitute backscatter.

OTDR
pulse Fiber Fiber

End of Fiber
Connection Fusion splice
 Reflection
Fresnel (“fra-nel”) reflections are caused by
major changes in group index of refraction that
occur at “reflective events” on fiber links such
as connections, mechanical splices, and the
end of the fiber. Fusion splices generally cause
such little change in group index of refraction
that they are considered “non-reflective” events.

OTDR
pulse Fiber Fiber

Connection Fusion splice End of Fiber

 Pulse
Fiber Under
Laser
Coupler Test

Clock

“E” “O”

P 

Processor, DSP ADC Sample APD

memory, (Digital Signal (Analog to and Hold (Detector)
display etc. Processor) Digital Converter) and Amplifier

OTDR Block Diagram

 Samples Time

Outbound
pulse time-
distance line

Pulse hits
fiber end

Distance
OTDR
Link under test
“Time – distance” view of OTDR operation
 By knowing the speed of light in fiber, the
OTDR converts sample times to distances:
Since OTDR sample times represent round-trip times:
Di = [Sample Time/2] x [Speed of Light in Fiber]
Di = [T i / 2] x [c / N]
Where:
c = speed of light in a vacuum (about 2.99 x 108 m/s)
N = group index of refraction for the fiber under test
For example, for T = 10 ns and assuming N = 1.5:
D = (10 x 10 –9)/2 x (3 x 10 8)/1.5
= (5 x 10 –9) x (2 x 10 8)
= 1 meter
An OTDR could therefore estimate distance in meters simply by
dividing sample times in nanoseconds by 10. In fact, OTDRs use
wavelength-specific values of N which results in greater accuracy.
Samples Time

Outbound
pulse time-
distance line

Pulse hits
fiber end

Distance
OTDR
Link under test
. . . or graphically:
 Relative And by averaging samples
Power (dB)
from 100s or 1000s of pulses . . .

“Very small”
pulse
Distance

Horiz. Backbone
OTDR
Total Link Length
OTDR Range
 Relative Creates a trace of power vs.
Power (dB)
distance

“Very small”
pulse
Distance

Horiz. Backbone
OTDR
OTDR Range
Total Link Length
 Time
Pulse with
“zero” length

Fiber link under test

An infinitesimal (zero length) pulse Distance

sweeps out a single time-distance line:
 Time
Pulse with
“zero” length
Sample

Fiber link under test

Point Distance
So traces created with such a pulse would
map each sample to a point on the fiber link.
 Time

But real-world pulses have finite length (L) Distance

and therefore sweep out a set of lines:
 Time

L
Sample

So rather than a
point each sample
maps to a segment
of width P on the
fiber link.
P

Segment Distance
 Time

A wider pulse has

more power!

Backscatter power
increases by 1.5 dB for
each doubling of pulse
width. (Fresnel reflection
power is not impacted by
pulse width.)

This increases the backscatter power Distance

captured by each sample:
 Time
L
Because the speed of light in
optical fiber is the same in
both directions, angles a and b
are equal. Thus P, the
Time
“effective OTDR pulse width”
(or simply pulse width), equals Distance

one half of the actual length of a b Slope = time/distance

the light pulse in the fiber, L. =1 / speed
This allows you to calculate P
in meters from the OTDR
setting of P in ns.

So…PW = ½ L: P=½L Distance

Relative So, for example, if an OTDR trace
Power (dB) looked like this using a very small
(infinitesimal) pulse …

“Very small”
pulse
0 100 200 300 400 (m)

90 m 210 m

OTDR
Link Length = 300 m
OTDR Range = 400 m
 Relative 20 m
It might
Power (dB) qualitatively
Backscatter is
“out of the noise”
look like this
using a 200
ns (20 m)
pulse:

200 ns pulse
(20 m effective
width)
0 100 200 300 400 (m)

90 m 210 m

OTDR
Link Length = 300 m
OTDR Range = 400 m
 Effective pulse width in meters: P(m)
The physical length of an OTDR pulse in optical fiber, L,
equals the speed of light in fiber times the duration of the
pulse, P (ns). The speed of light in fiber is c / N, where c is the
speed of light in a vacuum ( 3 x 108 m/s) and N is the fiber’s
group index of refraction ( 1.5). Therefore:
L = ( c / N ) x P(ns)
Assuming that N = 1.5 and c = 3 x 108 exactly*:
L = ( (3 x 108 m/s) / 1.5) x P x 10 -9 s
L (m) = P(ns) / 5
As shown earlier P = ½ L. Thus P (m) = [ P (ns) / 5 ] / 2 or:
P (m) = P (ns) / 10
 L (m) = P (ns) / 5
Or
Time
graphically
....

P(ns)

Distance
P (m) = P (ns) / 10
 This reveals an important OTDR setup rule:
P (m) = P (ns) / 10 *
Examples: P (ns) P (meters) Minimum pulse
width (PMIN)
10 1
20 2
100 10
1000 100 Maximum pulse
2 s 200 width (PMAX)
10 s 1,000
* To be exact, this relationship requires that N (fiber’s group index of refraction) equals 1.5 and
c (speed of light in a vacuum) equals 3 x 10 8 m/s exactly. However, because the GIR of most
telecom fiber types is within 1% of 1.5, and C = 2.99 x 10 8 m/s, it is a very good
approximation in most cases. In fact many OTDRs list available pulse width settings in both
ns and meters, side-by-side, as in the example above.
 Event and Attenuation Dead Zones
1.5 dB
Idealized trace
of a reflective
event at the
shortest pulse Real OTDR
width, PMIN. trace.

0.5 dB
PMIN
Event Dead Zone
Attenuation Dead Zone
 PMAX
Backscatter level at OTDR test port

Measurement Dynamic
Range Range
0.5 dB
Level at which
OTDR can accurately
measure 0.5 dB event
 6 dB

Noise floor – trace power

equals average OTDR
noise power or SNR = 1

Measurement Range  Dynamic Range - 6 dB (always specified at P MAX)

Determining Measurement Range (MR) in
km from Dynamic Range (DR) in dB
MR (dB)  DR (dB) – 6 dB
MR (km) = MR (dB) / [ fiber loss / km]
For example:
DR (dB) = 26 dB
MR (dB) = 26 dB – 6 dB = 20 dB
Fiber loss per km = 0.25 dB/km
MR (km) = 20 dB / [0.25 dB/km] = 80 km
OTDR Set up
The basics
 Key Parameters
• Wavelength (850, 1300, 1310, 1550 nm for premises
networks)
• Range (should be about 1.5 times link length)
• Pulse width
– Narrow pulses are best for resolving close events
but are limited to short links.
– Wide pulses are good for measuring long links.
• Number of averages – Traces are always averaged
over hundreds or thousands of pulses. The trade-off is
time vs. trace quality. After about 3 min, you get very
little additional improvement.
• The M600 sets Range and Pulse Width automatically
when AUTO SETUP is on.
Too short: less than Good: about 1.5x to Too long: much larger
link length 2x link length than link length
Link Link Link

Can’t see entire link – Good trace – can Trace is “squashed” into
unpredictable results see end of fiber. left side of display.
Range
Too narrow: About right: Too wide:

Link Link Link

Where is this
this event?

Trace “disappears” Events can be seen Can’t resolve events

into noise floor. and trace is smooth.
Pulse Width
 Too few: About right: Too many

Link Link Link

Trace is noisy – noise Trace is smooth. Trace is smooth but

floor is too high. waste of time.
Averages
Analyzing an OTDR Trace
 Backscatter portions of an OTDR trace show
power (in the fiber) vs. distance

Power
(dB)

Backscatter

Distance
 Q: Why then is the y-axis of an OTDR trace
labeled in “dB” rather than “dBm”?
Power
(dB)

Backscatter

Distance
 Answer: think of it as “dBx”
• Power is normally expressed in dBm or “dB relative to 1
mW”.
• The y-axis of an OTDR trace shows power in dB relative
to an internal reference level, “x”, which (unfortunately) is
not 1 mW.
• So while the y-axis cannot be labeled in “dBm” it does
represent power nonetheless.
• This means that between any two points A and B on
backscatter segments of an OTDR trace:

Insertion Loss (A to B) = Level A – Level B

 Two-point insertion loss: Connection
A B
Power
(dB)
Insertion loss

Distance
 Two-point insertion loss: Fiber section
Power A B
(dB)

Insertion loss

Distance
 Two-point insertion loss: Link
Power A B
(dB)

Insertion loss

Distance
 The Two Point Loss Method has two major
limitations when used with real-world traces
Real-world OTDR trace,
which includes effects
of reflectance, effective
pulse width, and noise.

Ideal trace
1) Two Point Loss Method adds fiber loss to
measured event loss.
A B
Fiber loss

Real event loss

Measured
event loss
Fiber loss
2) Two Point Loss Method is sensitive to
cursor location on noisy traces.
A B
A B

Measured
event loss ?
 Solution: LSA method(s)
(Least Squared Averaging)

A Active cursor is located

exactly at the location of an
event (start of event “spike”).
1
LSA segment cursors
2
3
LSA segment
cursors
4
LSA methods provide a better
estimate of actual event loss
A

Event loss LSA loss  Event loss

LSA methods also can measure
event reflectance
A

Reflectance is
D calculated from D, the
height of the “spike”
above backscatter,
P(m), and the fiber’s
backscatter coefficient.
“Single Event” or “Splice” LSA Method
(spices, connections, bends)
A • Locate active cursor (A or B)
at event location – it can touch
Near-right LSA
start of event spike.
cursor should
be after “tail”
• Adjust LSA line segments so
that they follow the slope of
the backscatter before and
after the event.
IL
• Be sure near-right LSA cursor
is after event tail.
• Be sure neither LSA segment
overlaps another event.
 “Multiple Event” LSA Method
Two (or more) events close together
• Place left cursor at the start
A B of the initial “spike”.
Near-right LSA • Place right cursor at start of
cursor should
be after “tail”
the last spike.
• Adjust LSA line segments so
that they follow the slope of
the backscatter before and
IL after the event.
• Be sure near-right LSA
cursor is after event tail and
neither LSA segment
overlaps another event.
“Start” LSA Method
(no launch cable) • Start method is used to
determine the loss of first fiber
section. But there is no way to
A measure IL or reflectance of a
start event.
Near-right LSA
cursor should
• Place active cursor at the start
be after “tail” of the fiber (D=0).
• Adjust the LSA segment so it
follows the slope of the first
Level fiber segment.
• Be sure near-right LSA cursor
is after event tail and neither
First fiber section LSA segment overlaps
0 another event.
“End” LSA Method
(no receive cable) • End method is required to
determine the loss of last fiber
A section. It can also measure
End of fiber end event reflectance. But
there is no way to measure IL
of an end event.
• Place active cursor at the start
of the fiber (D=0).
• Adjust the LSA segment so it
follows the slope of the last
fiber segment.
• Be sure LSA segment does
not overlap a previous event.
End-to-end link loss
Launch Receive • Add an event at start (1) and
Cable Link Cable end (2) of link. If launch and
receive cables are installed,
use single event method in
both cases.
Link IL
• If launch cable not used, use
Start Method at near-end of
link.
• If receive cable is not used,
use End method at far end.
• To see total link loss, view
event table -- cumulative loss
at last event will equal total
1 2 or “end-to-end” link loss.
 No launch or receive cable
• Without launch and receive
Link cables the OTDR cannot
measure the IL of the near-end
or far-end connections.
Fiber IL
• This is a problem in premises
links, which are typically short,
because these connections
represent a large portion of
total link loss.
• In this case you must add a
Start Event at the near end
and End Event at the far end.
1 2 (Or simply use the “Two-point”
method with cursors at either
Start event End event
end of the fiber.)
Launch
Cable Link Adding a launch
cable
Fiber + Near-
end IL

• Adding the launch cable

enables the OTDR to include
the loss of the near-end
connection in total link loss
calculations, and measure its
reflectance.
• In this case, add a Single
1 2
Event at the near-end and an
Single event End event
End Event at the far-end.
Launch Receive
Cable Link Cable Adding the receive
cable
Link IL

• Adding a receive cable

enables the OTDR to include
the loss of the far-end
connection in total link loss
calculations, and measure its
reflectance.
• In this case add a Single
1 2
Event at both the near- and
Single event Single event
far-ends.
Using an OTDR To Generate a Baseline Trace
• You must use a launch cable to measure the loss of the
near-end connection.
• You must use a receive cable to measure the loss of the
far-end connection.
• Both cables must use the same type fiber (50 m, 62.5 m,
or singlemode) as the link under test.
• All connectors must be kept clean and undamaged.
• For testing links under 2 km, the length of the launch and
receive cables should be about 100 m.
• Set wavelength, pulse width, distance range, number of
averages, etc. manually, or use automatic setup features of
your OTDR.
 Horizontal Backbone
Segment Segment
B A B A

A B A Splice B

Work Area Horizontal Main

Outlet Patch Panel Patch Panel

Receive
MM SM Cable
(Fiber box)

Launch
Cable
(Fiber Box)
OTDR Using an OTDR
To Generate a Baseline Trace
 Reading an OTDR Trace
Launch Horizontal Backbone Receive Link
Cable Segment Segment Cable
OTDR being
Splice tested
Patch Cord
Link Length
( 130 m)
A (1) Connection B
0 (Loss  0.4 dB)

(1) Connection
-1 (Loss  0.4 dB)
(2) Connections
(Loss  0.8 dB) Link Loss
Relative ( 2.1 dB)
Power -2 OTDR
(dB)
Splice screen
(Loss  0.1 dB)
-3 Trace
Launch Horiz. Backbone Rcv.
Cable Seg. Segment Cable

-4

0 50 100 150 200 250

Distance (m)
 Distance to fault
( 120 m)
A B
0

-1 Fault !

Baseline
-2 Trace
Relative
Power
(dB) -3
New Trace

-4

-5
0 50 100 150 200 250
Distance (m)

Using an OTDR to Fault Locate

Cleaning and Testing of Fiber
 North American Access Market
Access Market (FTTX) Cable Segments

Feeder Backbone + Distribution + Drop

FTTH = Fiber-to-the-Home FTTH - Feeder, Distribution and Drop

FTTB = Fiber-to-the-Business FTTB – Feeder, Distribution and Drop
FTTC/FTTN = Fiber-to-the-Curb/Fiber-to-the-Node FTTC/FTTN - Feeder and Distribution
FTTH PON Network
Special Components - Connectors

• APC connectors
needed to reduce
back reflection for
video delivery if using
analog video like
CATV
FTTx Safety Issues
• Fiber installation issues
– Laser Eye Safety
• High power from EDFAs
• Multiple equipment transmitting simultaneously
– High power
– Ensuring all systems are off
• Multiple subscribers means problems turning
equipment off
Cleaning tools of the trade

VFI 2 Cletop cleaner One-Click Cleaner

VS 300 VFS 2 w Probe OFI200

FCC2-Fiber Connector Cleaner
• Nonflammable/Air cargo
safe
• Environmentally safe
• Fast drying without
residue
• Dissolves light oils,
salts, grime and uncured
epoxies
• Up to 400+ cleanings
per container
CCT- Connector Cleaning Tips

• Used with FCC2

• Molded polymer
construction
• No fibers, binders,
adhesives or
outgassing to
contaminate
connectors
• Traps and holds liquid
and particles
contaminates
• Perfect bulkhead fit
Basic Visual/Continuity Check
Basic Light Test Continuity
1. Insert connector into a Visual
Fault Identifier (VFI).
2. Place a small bend in the
900
micron fiber behind the
connector.
3. A “red light” at the bend will
Visual Fault Identifier indicate that the connector is
AKA “VFI” passing light.
Demo a Sc to bare end fiber to show light escaping
 Basic Light Test Continuity

Visual Fault Identifier

AKA “VFI”
The Connector End-Face Inspection
• First step - Verify no energy
with power meter
• Inspect connector end-face
for dirt
• Clean Connector with CLE-
TOP or One-Click
– AT&T standards outline 3
dry cleans and 2 wet
cleans
• Once cleanliness at all
adapter points is verified use
meters to determine link is
good
The Connector End-Face
Single-Mode Connector

Scratch goes near the core!

Dirt particles

VS 300
 Click to edit Master title style
• Click to edit Master text styles
– Second level
Contact Information
• Third level
– Fourth level
www.afltele.com
» Fifth level

Noyes Fiber Systems Technical Help Line

800-321-5298 (USA)
603-528-7780