Benefits of Fiber Optic Attenuators

Types of Fiber Attenuators

Optical attenuators can take many forms, but the two basic types of fiber optic attenuators are fixed and variable. In this article, we will focus on fixed types.

fixed attenuator

A further classification of fixed attenuators is

1. Optical fiber male and female attenuators

Fiber male and female attenuators

2. Online jumper

Jumper

The built-in attenuator measures approximately 1.25 inches. Many products have a male interface connector on one end and a female interface connector on the other end, but female-to-female interface connectors are also available. Fabrication of extended patterns is usually done using air gap attenuation or doped fiber attenuation.

What is an Air Gap Attenuator?

The air gap attenuator realizes the loss of optical power through two optical fibers separated by air. These attenuators can be fixed or variable, but the disadvantage is that they are susceptible to dust contamination and also to changes in temperature and humidity. Care must also be taken where they are used. For example, like the multi-channel analog systems used by CATV, the attenuator introduces second-order distortion that degrades system performance.

What is a Doped Fiber Attenuator?

As the name implies, doped fiber attenuators consist of a short length of optical fiber and a metal ion dopant that provides precise attenuation and the interface between the male and female connectors of the attenuator. Due to their manufacture, these types can be sensitive to wavelength.