The fiber optics connector is not as simple as a crimp-on copper connector; it is a multi-part technical connector with many pieces, designed to the specific purpose of the fiber optic line. There are certain inherent technical issues with the fiber optic connector that have to be addressed in any application.
Design of the Fiber Optic Connector
Fiber optic connectors come in a variety of forms based on the needs of the specific application. However, all of them have the same basic construction, varying only for thickness of cable and actual connection type.
The ferrule is a long, thin cylinder that holds the actual fiber optic cable. It differs from the cable jacket in that it doesn’t go the length of the cable, but is only near the fiber optic connector. It serves to align the fibers to facilitate the cable entering the connection in the right position.
The connector body is the end piece that most people think of as the fiber optic connector, when it is only a part of the complicated whole. The body can be made of multiple pieces, but it is all meant to help the ferrule hold the cable in place. Commonly, these are bonded in some way to strengthen members and jackets that help with strain relief, and help the body guide the ferrule through into the connection device.
The cable itself plays its own part in the connection, as it is connected to the connector body typically through the jacket that keeps it from kinking at the connection to the body and ferrule. The main purpose is to provide the point of entry for the fiber into the ferrule.
The coupling device is where the connection is actually made, and typically bares little resemblance to the usual electric connections. It can be little more than an alignment sleeve that lines up the polished ends of the fibers in such a way that an accurate transfer can be made. These don’t have to be strictly cable to cable. They can also be installed in fiber optic transmitters and receivers to connect the network up. In this application they can be known as through-bulkhead adapters.
Once all these parts are together the fiber optic connector is still a fragile piece. It can be damaged by everything, from impact to airborne dust particles. One of the main reasons for this fragility is in the ends of the fibers themselves. After cleaving, the fiber ends must be carefully cleaned and polished. It is during this polishing that they can be so easily damaged, as even microscopic damage can hinder data transmission, so care must always be taken.
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