How to Choose the Right Optical Power Meter?

Optical Power Meter is used to measure the absolute optical power or the relative loss of optical power through a section of fiber. In fiber optic systems, measuring optical power is fundamental, much like a multimeter in electronics. In fiber optic measurements, optical power meters are heavy duty commonly used meters. By measuring the absolute power of a transmitter or optical network, an optical power meter is able to evaluate the performance of the optical termination equipment. Used in combination with a stabilized light source, an optical power meter can measure connection loss, verify continuity, and help assess the quality of fiber optic link transmission.

To select the right optical power meter for a user's specific application, you should focus on the following points.

1. Select the optimal probe type and interface type.

2. Evaluate calibration accuracy and manufacturing calibration procedures to match your range of fiber and connector requirements.

3. Make sure that these models are compatible with your measurement range and display resolution.

4. with direct insertion loss measurement of dB function.

Different Interface of Optical Power Meter  

The unit of optical power is dbm, in the fiber optic transceivers or switches in the manual has its light and receive optical power, usually light less than Odbm, the receiving end can receive the minimum optical power is called sensitivity, can receive the maximum optical power minus the value of the sensitivity of the unit is db (dbm - dbm = db), known as the dynamic range. Luminous power minus received sensitivity is the allowable fiber attenuation value. The actual luminous power minus the actual received optical power is the fiber attenuation (db). The optimal value of optical power received at the receiving end is the maximum optical power that can be received - (dynamic range/2). As each type of optical transceiver and optical module dynamic range is not the same, so the specific fiber can allow the attenuation of how much depends on the actual situation, generally speaking, the allowable attenuation of 15-30db or so.

Some manuals will only light-emitting power and transmission distance of two parameters, sometimes it will be stated how much fiber per kilometer attenuation calculated transmission distance, mostly 0.5db/km, with the minimum transmission distance divided by 0.5, is the maximum optical power can be received. If the received optical power is higher than this value, the optical transceiver may be burned out. The maximum transmission distance divided by 0.5, is the sensitivity, if the received lower than the value of optical power, the link may not work.

Optical fiber connection has two ways, one is a fixed connection, one is an active connection, fixed connection is fusion splicing, is the use of special equipment through the discharge, the optical fiber will be melted so that the two sections of the optical fiber connected together, the advantage of attenuation is small, the disadvantage is the operation of the complexity and flexibility of the poor. Activity connection is through the connector, usually in the ODF to connect the pigtail, the advantage is the operation is simple and flexible, the disadvantage is that the attenuation is large, generally speaking, the attenuation of an activity connection is equivalent to one kilometer of fiber. Optical fiber attenuation can be estimated this way: including fixed and active connections, per kilometer of fiber attenuation 0.5db, if the activity of the connection is quite small, this value can be 0.4db, pure optical fiber does not include the activity of the connection can be reduced to 0.3db, the theoretical value of pure optical fiber is 0.2db/km; for the insurance of the meter in most cases to 0.5 for good.

Optical fiber testing TX and RX must be tested separately, in the case of single-fiber due to the use of only one fiber, so of course, only need to test once. Single-fiber implementation principle according to the production company is WDM, but I think the use of fiber optic coupler is more likely.

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