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- 38999
- The 38999 is a cylindrical fiber optic connector for military applications. The 38999 is often used as an abbreviation for MIL-DTL-38999 Series I, II, III and IV Hermetic Connectors.
Learn more about 38999... - AB Switch
Learn more about AB Switch...- Aberration
- Deviation from what is normal, correct, or natural. In optics, aberrations may be defects in a lens system that cause its image to deviate from the rules of paraxial imagery.
Learn more about Aberration... - Aberration Sensor
- An optical instrument with knife-edge scanning technology that can detect and measure abberations in an optical system.
Learn more about Aberration Sensor... - Abrasion Mark
- Any scratch, dig, or mark on an optical surface caused by friction in polishing, mishandling, or environmental factors.
Learn more about Abrasion Mark... - Abrasive
- A material such as silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, silica, cerium oxide, emery or rouge that is used to figure, shape, or finish optical elements. Abrasives differ from polishing materials mainly in particle size.
Learn more about Abrasive... - Absorb
- To transform radiant energy into a different form, usually with a resultant rise in
temperature.
Learn more about Absorb... - Absorbance
- The ability of a medium to absorb radiation depending on temperature and
wavelength. Expressed as the negative common logarithm of the transmittance.
Learn more about Absorbance... - Absorptance
- Ratio of the absorbed radiant or luminous flux to the incident flux.
Learn more about Absorptance... - Absorption
- That portion of fiber optic attenuation resulting from the conversion of optical power to heat.
Learn more about Absorption... - Absorption Coefficient
- The absorption coefficient ? is a property of a material. It defines the extent to which a material absorbs energy, for example that of sound waves or electromagnetic radiation. Wallace Sabine was a pioneer of this concept in acoustics and defined the unit of the Sabine. A Sabine is defined as a fraction of acoustic power absorbed by a 1m square of open window. In SI units, absorption coefficient is measured in inverse metres, and is represented by the Greek letter ?.
In chemistry and biological sciences, the absorption coefficient is a measure of the solubility of a gas in a liquid measured as the volume of the gas (taken under standard conditions) that saturates a unit volume of the liquid.
Learn more about Absorption Coefficient... - Accelerated Aging
- The operation of a sample population of the lasers for an extended period of time under harsher conditions then those specified. These conditions are believed to accelerate degradation processes. Care must be taken not to introduce degradation processes that would not be relevant under operation within specified conditions.
Learn more about Accelerated Aging... - Acceptance Angle
- The maximum angle within which light will be accepted by an element, such as a detector or waveguide. In the latter, it is quantified as half the vertex angle of the cone within which optical power may be coupled into bound modes of a fiber. Also called acceptance cone.
Learn more about Acceptance Angle... - Acceptance Cone
- In fiber optics, the cone within which optical power may be coupled into the bound modes of an optical fiber. Note: The acceptance cone is derived by rotating the acceptance angle about the fiber axis.
Learn more about Acceptance Cone... - Acceptance Pattern
- A curve expressing an optical fiber's total transmitted power as a function of its launch angle at the input.
Learn more about Acceptance Pattern... - Access Network
- Part of the telecommunication network that connects to individual and corporate users.
Learn more about Access Network... - Active Area
- The area of a detector with greatest response.
Learn more about Active Area... - Active Branching Device
- A device which converts an optical input into two or more optical outputs with gain or generation.
Learn more about Active Branching Device... - Active Device
- A device that requires a source of energy for its operation and has an output that is a function of present and past input signals. Examples include controlled power supplies, transistors, LEDs, amplifiers, and transmitters.
Learn more about Active Device... - Active Medium
- A medium in which lasing will take place, rather than absorption, at a given
wavelength.
Learn more about Active Medium... - Active Port Diameter
- On a light source or detector, the diameter of the area in which light can be coupled to or from an
optical fiber.
Learn more about Active Port Diameter... - Active Star
- An active device that connects two or more fiber optic link segments. Optical signals received on the
input fiber of any input/output port pairs are converted to electrical signals. These are relayed to the
outputs of all other input/output port pairs, and converted to optical signals which are transmitted on
the output fibers. Collisions are detected and enforced by the Active Star. An Active Star may have two
types of ports: (1) Asynchronous Ports capable of receiving FOIRL compatible signals, and (2)
Synchronous Ports that transmit and receive only those optical signals synchronized to the 10BASE-F
synchronous Active Idle signal. Synchronous ports must be used to connect Active Stars.
Learn more about Active Star... - Adapter
- A device for coupling two connectors.
Learn more about Adapter... - Adapter Sleeve
- A mechanical fixture within an adapter body that aligns and holds two terminated fiber connectors. Adapter sleeve material is typically phosphor bronze, ceramic or polymer.
Learn more about Adapter Sleeve... - Adapters
- An adapter is a mechanical device designed to align fiber-optic connectors. It contains the split sleeve, also known as the interconnect sleeve, that holds the two ferrules together. Adapters can help mate or connect a variety of fiber optic cables together.
Learn more about Adapters... - ADC
Learn more about ADC...- Add Drop Multiplexing
- A multiplexing function offered in connection with SONET that allows lower level signals to be added or dropped from a high-speed optical carrier in a wire center. The connection to the add/drop multiplexer is via a channel to a central office port at a specific digital speed (DS3, DS1, etc.)
Learn more about Add Drop Multiplexing... - Adjustable Attenuator
- An attenuator in which the level of attenuation is varied with an internal adjustment. Also known as
Variable Attenuator.
Learn more about Adjustable Attenuator... - ADM
- Abbreviation for add-drop multiplexer.A device which adds or drops signals from a communications network.
Learn more about ADM... - ADSL
- Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. Most common form of DSL where the data rate being transmitted to the subscriber is high than the data rate transmitted from the subscriber.
Learn more about ADSL ... - AEA
- American Electronics Association
Learn more about AEA... - Aerial Plant
- Cable that is suspended in the air on telephone or electric utility poles.
Learn more about Aerial Plant... - AFCEA
- An acronym for Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.
Learn more about AFCEA... - AGC
- Abbreviation for automatic gain control. A process or means by which gain is automatically adjusted in a specified manner as a function of input level or another specified parameter.
Learn more about AGC... - Aging
- The operation of a sample population of the lasers for an extended period of time under specified conditions.
Learn more about Aging... - Algorithm
- A procedure for solving a mathematical problem, as of finding the greatest common divisor, in a finite
number of steps that frequently involves repetition of an operation.
Learn more about Algorithm... - Aligned Bundle
- An assembly of fibers in which the coordinates of each fiber are the same at the two ends of the bundle. Also called coherent bundle.
Learn more about Aligned Bundle... - All Dieletric Cable
- Cable made entirely of dielectric (insulating) materials without any metal conductors, armor, or strength members.
Learn more about All Dieletric Cable... - All Silica Fiber
- Also known as all-glass fiber. A fiber with both a silica core and a silica cladding, regardless of the presence of a polymer overcoat or buffer.
Learn more about All Silica Fiber... - Alpha
- A positive number that indicates the core refractive index shape and ranges from one to infinity.
Learn more about Alpha... - Alternate Buffer
- In a data communications device, the section of memory set aside for the transmission or receipt of data after the primary buffer is full. This helps the device control the flow of data so transmission is not interrupted because there's no place to put the incoming or outgoing data.
Learn more about Alternate Buffer... - Ambient Temperature
- The average or mean temperature of the surrounding air, which comes in contact with the equipment and instruments under test.
Learn more about Ambient Temperature... - Amp
- An abbreviation for ampere.
Learn more about Amp... - Amplification
- The growth of the radiation field in the laser resonator cavity. As the light wave bounces back and forth between the cavity mirrors, it is amp stimulated emission on each pass through the active medium.
Learn more about Amplification... - Amplified Spontaneous Emission
- A background noise mechanism common to all types of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs). It contributes to the noise figure of the EDFA which causes loss of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Learn more about Amplified Spontaneous Emission... - Amplifier
- A device that enlarges and strengthens a signal's output without significantly distorting its original waveshape. There are amplifiers for acoustical, optical and electronic signals.
Learn more about Amplifier... - Amplitude
- The maximum value of the electromagnetic wave, measured from the mean to the extreme; in other words, the height of the wave.
Learn more about Amplitude... - Amplitude Modulation
- A transmission technique in which the amplitude of the carrier varies in accordance with the signal.
Learn more about Amplitude Modulation... - Analog
- Signals that are continually changing, as opposed to being digitally encoded.
Learn more about Analog... - Analog Signal
- An electrical signal that varies continuously over an infinite range of voltage or current values, as
opposed to a digital signal, which varies discretely between two values, usually one and zero. It is easiest to think of analog signals as sine waves or various sizes. Compare with Digital Signal.
Learn more about Analog Signal... - Analog to Digital Converter
- A device that converts an analog signal, that is, a signal in the form of a continuously variable voltage or current, to a digital signal, in the form of bits.
Learn more about Analog to Digital Converter... - Angle of Deviation
- In optics, the net angular deflection experienced by a light ray after one or more refractions or reflections.
Learn more about Angle of Deviation... - Angle of Incidence
- The angle between an incident ray and the normal to a reflecting or refracting surface.
Learn more about Angle of Incidence... - Angle of Refraction
- The angle formed between a refracted ray and the normal to the surface. This angle lies in a common
plane with the angle of incidence.
Learn more about Angle of Refraction... - Angled Physical Contact
- A style of fiber optic connector with a 5°-15° angle on the connector tip for the minimum possible backreflection.
Learn more about Angled Physical Contact... - Angstrom
- A unit of length in optical measurements where
1Å = 10-10 meters, or 10-4 micrometers, or = 10-1 nanometers.
The angstrom has been used historically in the field of optics, but it is not as SI (Système Internationale or International System) unit. Rarely used in fiber optics; nanometers is preferred.
Learn more about Angstrom... - Angular Misalignment
- Loss at a connector due to fiber end face angles being misaligned.
Learn more about Angular Misalignment... - Angular Misalignment Loss
- The optical power loss caused by angular deviation from the optimum alignment of source to optical
fiber, fiber-to-fiber, or fiber-to-detector. See also: Extrinsic Joint Loss; Intrinsic Joint Loss; Lateral Offset Loss.
Learn more about Angular Misalignment Loss... - Angular Tilt
- The angle formed by the axes of two fibers to be joined. Angular tilt causes an extrinsic loss that
depends upon the joining hardware and method.
Learn more about Angular Tilt... - Anode
- An electrical element in laser excitation, which attracts electrons from a cathode.
Learn more about Anode... - ANSI
- An acronym for American National Standards Institute.
Learn more about ANSI... - Anti Reflection Coatings
- Used on the backs of laser output mirrors to suppress unwanted multiple reflections, which reduce power.
Learn more about Anti Reflection Coatings... - APC
- Abbreviation for angled physical contact. A style of fiber optic connector with a 5°-15° angle on the connector tip for the minimum possible backreflection.
Learn more about APC... - APC Angled Physical Contact
- An abbreviation for angled physical contact.
Learn more about APC Angled Physical Contact... - APD
- Abbreviation for Avalanche Photodiode. A photodiode that exhibits internal amplification of photocurrent through avalanche multiplication of carriers in the junction region.
Learn more about APD... - Aperature
- Area of a fiber core which will accept light entry, also known as light acceptance.
Learn more about Aperature... - Apertometer
- An instrument designed to measure the numerical aperture of an objective.
Learn more about Apertometer... - APF
- An abbreviation for All Plastic Fiber.
Learn more about APF... - APOMA
- An acronym for American Precision Optics Manufacturers Association.
Learn more about APOMA... - AR Coating
- Antireflection coating. A thin, dielectric or metallic film applied to an optical surface to reduce its reflectance and thereby increase its transmittance.
Learn more about AR Coating... - Aramid Yarn
- An ingredient in optical fiber cable that provides support, protection and tensile strength. Also referred to as Kevlar- a brand of aramid yarn.
Learn more about Aramid Yarn... - Architecture
- The manner in which hardware or software is structured. Architecture typically describes how the system or program is constructed, how its components fit together; also refers to the protocols and interfaces modules or components of the system. Network architecture defines the functions and
description of data formats and procedures used for communication between nodes or workstations.
Learn more about Architecture... - Armadillo Cable Assembly
- A ruggedized duplex fiber optic cable assembly featuring rigid plastic connector shell and integrated strain relief boot.
Learn more about Armadillo Cable Assembly... - Armadillo Loopback
- A ruggedized fiber optic test adapter designed to loop a signal from the Tx side of a port to the Rx side, simulating a complete connection.
Learn more about Armadillo Loopback... - Armor
- Of a communications cable, a component intended to protect the critical internal components, e.g., buffer tubes or fibers, or electrical conductors, from damage from external mechanical attack, e.g., rodent attack or abrasion.
Learn more about Armor... - Arrayed Waveguide Grating
- An array of curved planar waveguides that separates many optical channels at once. Also called Waveguide Array. A device, built with silicon planar lightwave circuits (PLC), that allows multiple wavelengths to be combined and separated in a dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) system.
Learn more about Arrayed Waveguide Grating... - ASCII
- Abbreviation for American standard code for information interchange. An encoding scheme used to interface between data processing systems, data communication systems, and associated equipment.
Learn more about ASCII... - ASE
- A background noise mechanism common to all types of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs). It contributes to the noise figure of the EDFA which causes loss of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Learn more about ASE... - ASI
- An acronym for American Standards Institute.
Learn more about ASI... - ASIC
- Abbreviation for application-specific integrated circuit. A custom-designed integrated circuit.
Learn more about ASIC... - ASTM
- Abbreviation for American Society for Testing and Materials. An organization that provides a forum for the development and publication of voluntary consensus standards for materials, products, systems, and services that serve as a basis for manufacturing, procurement, and regulatory activities.
Learn more about ASTM... - Async
- A mode of data transmission wherein the occurrence of each character is not related to a fixed time
frame of reference. Compare with synchronous transmission.
Learn more about Async... - Asynchronous
- Data that is transmitted without an associated clock signal. The time spacing between data characters or blocks may be of arbitrary duration. Opposite of synchronous.
Learn more about Asynchronous... - Asynchronous Transfer Mode ATM
- A method of data multiplexing that can provide large, instantaneous bandwidths for busy traffic while permitting slow traffic to use that bandwidth between bursts. Very short, fixed-length packets or cells are used to transmit information. Its basic cell is 53 bytes long.
Learn more about Asynchronous Transfer Mode ATM... - ATC
- An abbreviation for Automatic Temperature
Compensation. Temperature compensation using APC circuit.
Learn more about ATC... - ATDM
- An abbreviation for asynchronous time division multiplexing.
Learn more about ATDM... - ATE
- Abbreviation for automatic test equipment. Test equipment computer programmed to perform a number of test measurements on a device without the need for changing the test setup.
Learn more about ATE... - ATM
- An abbreviation for asynchronous transfer mode.
Learn more about ATM... - Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer
- An instrument used to analyze the sharp resonance line of a sample that, in a flame, emits an atomic
vapor. It consists essentially of a light source, a combustion system, a monochromator, a
photomultiplier and an electronic readout system.
Learn more about Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer... - Attenuation
- The reduction in optical power as it passes along a fiber, usually expressed in decibels (dB). See optical loss.
Learn more about Attenuation... - Attenuation Coefficient
- Characteristic of the attenuation of an optical fiber per unit length, in dB/km.
Learn more about Attenuation Coefficient... - Attenuation Constant
- The real part of the axial propagation constant for a particular mode. The attenuation coefficient for the mode power is twice the attenuation constant.
Learn more about Attenuation Constant... - Attenuation Limited Operation
- The condition in a fiber optic link when operation is limited by the power of the received signal (rather than by bandwidth or distortion).
Learn more about Attenuation Limited Operation... - Attenuation Limited Power
- In fiber optics, the limitation on performance imposed by the amplitude of a received signal rather than distortion.
Learn more about Attenuation Limited Power... - Attenuation Meter
- A device used to measure power loss in fiber optic connectors, cables, or systems.
Learn more about Attenuation Meter... - Attenuator
- A device that reduces signal power in a fiber optic link by inducing loss.
Learn more about Attenuator... - Automatic Gain Control
- A method of producing an essentially constant output signal from an electronic circuit despite variations in the strength of the input signal.
Learn more about Automatic Gain Control... - Automatic Power Control Circuit
- A circuit that controls the operation of a laser diode to ensure constant power. The output power of a laser diode decreases as ambient temperature rises and
vice versa.
Learn more about Automatic Power Control Circuit... - Automatic Temperature Compensation
- Temperature compensation using APC circuit.
Learn more about Automatic Temperature Compensation... - Avalanche Photodiode
- A photodiode that exhibits internal amplification of photocurrent through avalanche multiplication of carriers in the junction region.
Learn more about Avalanche Photodiode... - Average Power
- The average over time of a modulated signal. The average power (often simply called "power" when the context makes it clear) is the average amount of work done or energy transferred per unit time. Fiber optic power meters are instruments that measure the average power of a continuous light beam. They are used to test signal power in fiber optic networks.
Learn more about Average Power... - Average Wavelength
- The average of the two wavelengths for which the peak optical power has dropped to half.
Learn more about Average Wavelength... - AWG
- Abbreviation for American Wire Gauge. Based on a circular mil system. 1 mil equals .001 inch. Used to determine the size of conductors.
Learn more about AWG... - AWG
- Abbreviation for Arrayed Waveguide Grating. An array of curved planar waveguides that separates many optical channels at once. Also called Waveguide Array. A device, built with silicon planar lightwave circuits (PLC), that allows multiple wavelengths to be combined and separated in a dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) system.
Learn more about AWG... - Axial Misalignment Loss
- The optical power loss caused by two fiber axes that are parallel but not on the same central axis.
Learn more about Axial Misalignment Loss... - Axial Propagation Constant
- In an optical fiber, the propagation constant evaluated along the optical axis of the fiber in the direction of transmission. Note: The real part of the axial propagation constant is the attenuation constant. The imaginary part is the phase constant.
Learn more about Axial Propagation Constant... - Axial Ray
- A light ray that travels along the optical fiber's axis.
Learn more about Axial Ray... - AXIS
- A straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body and indicating its center; a line so positioned that various portions of an object are located symmetrically in relation to the line. See also optical axis.
Learn more about AXIS... - B Constant
- Thermistor constant used in temperature sensor when ATC is operating.
Learn more about B Constant... - Back Reflection Optical Return Loss
- Light reflected from the cleaved or polished end of a fiber caused by the difference of refractive indices of air and glass. Typically 4% of the incident light. Expressed in dB relative to incident power. See also narcissus.
Learn more about Back Reflection Optical Return Loss... - Backbone
- A transmission network that carries high speed telecommunications between locations. This is normally the main portion of a telecommunication network, with branches going to individual buildings. In a local area network, this is usually the link between routers, switches, and bridges.
Learn more about Backbone... - Backbone Cabling
- The inter-building and intra-building cable connections between entrance facilities, equipment rooms and telecommunications closets. Backbone cabling consists of the transmission media, main and intermediate cross-connects and terminations at these locations.
Learn more about Backbone Cabling... - Backbone System
- A transmission network that carries high-speed telecommunications between regions (e.g., a nationwide long-distance telephone system). Sometimes used to describe the part of a local area network that carries signals between branching points.
Learn more about Backbone System... - Backreflection (BR)
- In cases where light is launched into an optical fiber, backreflection refers to the light that is returned to the launch point.
Learn more about Backreflection (BR)... - Backscattering
- The scattering of light in a fiber back toward the source, used to make OTDR measurements.
Learn more about Backscattering... - Balanced
- Signaling code with an equal number of high and low states.
Learn more about Balanced... - Bandpass
- The range of frequencies that will pass through a filter or other device. Synonymous with passband.
Learn more about Bandpass... - Bandpass Filter
- A filter with a transmission that is high for a particular band of frequencies, but that falls to low values above and below this band.
Learn more about Bandpass Filter... - Bandwidth
- The information carrying capacity of the system. In analog systems, this is also the highest frequency that can be carried.
Learn more about Bandwidth... - Bandwidth BW
- The range of signal frequencies or bit rate within which a fiber optic component, link or network will operate.
Learn more about Bandwidth BW... - Bandwidth Distance Product
- Of an optical fiber, under specified launching and cabling conditions, at a specified wavelength, a figure of merit equal to the product of the fiber's length and the 3-dB bandwidth of the optical signal.
Learn more about Bandwidth Distance Product... - Bandwidth Limited Operation
- In fiber optics, the limitation on performance imposed by the system bandwidth rather than the amplitude of the signal.
Learn more about Bandwidth Limited Operation... - Baseband
- The simplest method of transmission on a local area network. The entire bandwidth of the cable is used to transmit a single unmodulated digital signal. Baseband transmission is capable of accommodating multiple signals through time division multiplexing. The alternative to baseband transmission is broadband.
Learn more about Baseband... - Baud
- The number of signal level transitions per second in digital data. The term is often confused with bits per second. Telecommunications specialists prefer to use "bits-per-second" to provide an accurate description.
Learn more about Baud... - Baud Rate
- Measurement of data transmission speed, expressed in bits per second or bps.
Learn more about Baud Rate... - Bayonet Coupling
- A quick coupling device for plug and receptacle connection, designed to lock a connector into an
adapter or receptacle. An example is an ST® connector.
Learn more about Bayonet Coupling... - BB I
- Abbreviation for broadband interactive services. The delivery of all types of interactive video, data and voice services over a broadband communications network.
Learn more about BB I... - Beacon Token Process
- A process defined by SMT used to locate ring failures. When a station notes such a failure, it enters the beacon process and begins to continuously transmit "beacon frames". The location will continue to transmit unless it receives a beacon from a station "upstream", in which case it will stop sending its own beacon and repeat the beacon from the upstream station. Soon, only one station, the station immediately "downstream" from the failure, will be beaconing. When a beaconing station receives its own beacon, it indicates that the ring has been restored and that station will stop beaconing and issue a claim.
Learn more about Beacon Token Process... - Beam Diameter
- The distance between two diametrically opposed points at which the irradiance is a specified fraction of the beam's peak irradiance; most commonly applied to beams that are circular or nearly circular in cross section. Synonym: Beamwidth.
Learn more about Beam Diameter... - Beam Divergence
- The increase in beam diameter with increase of distance from the source.
Learn more about Beam Divergence... - Beamsplitter
- An optical device for dividing for dividing a beam into two or more separate beams. A simple beamsplitter may be a very thin sheet of glass inserted in the beam at an angle to divert a portion of the beam in a different direction. A more sophisticated type consists of two right-angle prisms cemented together at their hypotenuse faces. The cemented face of one prism is coated, before cementing, with a metallic or dielectric layer having the desired reflecting properties, both in percentage of reflection and desired color.
Learn more about Beamsplitter... - Bel (B)
- The logarithm to the base 10 of a power ratio, expressed as B = log10(P1/P2), where P1 and P2 are distinct powers.The decibel, equal to one-tenth bel, is a more commonly used unit.
Learn more about Bel (B)... - Bend Loss
- 1. A form of increased attenuation in a fiber that results from bending a fiber around a restrictive
curvature (a macrobend) or from minute distortions in the fiber (microbends). 2. A form of increased
attenuation caused by allowing high order modes to radiate from the walls of a fiber optic cable. There are 2 common types of bend losses. The first type results when the fiber optic cable is curved through a restrictive radius or curvature. The second type is generally referred to as microbends. It is caused by small distortions of the fiber optic cable imposed by externally induced perturbations as, for example, slip shod cabling techniques.
Learn more about Bend Loss... - Bend Radius
- The radius of curvature that an optical fiber can bend without sustaining damage.
Learn more about Bend Radius... - Bending of Light
- The action occurring when light passes through an optical interface at other than normal incidence, i.e., refraction.
Learn more about Bending of Light... - BER Bit Error Rate
- Bit Error Rate. The number of bit errors that occur within the space of one second. This measurement is one of the prime considerations in determining signal quality. The higher the data transmission rate the greater the standard. A DS-1 signal is considered acceptable with a BER of 10-6, but an OC-3 signal requires a BER of no more than 10-12.
In telecommunication transmission, the bit error rate (BER) is the percentage of bits that have errors relative to the total number of bits received in a transmission, usually expressed as ten to a negative power. For example, a transmission might have a BER of 10 to the minus 6, meaning that, out of 1,000,000 bits transmitted, one bit was in error. The BER is an indication of how often data has to be retransmitted because of an error. Too high a BER may indicate that a slower data rate would actually improve overall transmission time for a given amount of transmitted data since the BER might be reduced, lowering the number of packets that had to be resent.
A BERT (bit error rate test or tester) is a procedure or device that measures the BER for a given transmission.
Learn more about BER Bit Error Rate... - BER Floor
- A limiting of the bit-error ratio (BER) in a digital fiber optic system as a function of received power due to the presence of signal degradation mechanisms or noise.
Learn more about BER Floor... - Bias
- (1) To influence to a single direction; (2) Voltage that is applied to a solid-state
device.
Learn more about Bias... - Biconic
- A connector type which has a taper sleeve which would be fixed to the fiber optic cable. When this plug was inserted into its receptacle the tapered end was a means for locating the fiber optic cable in the proper position. With this connector cap, fit over the ferrules, rest against guided rings and screw onto the threaded sleeve to secure the connection. This was one of the earliest connectors used in fiber optic systems but is in little use at present.
Learn more about Biconic... - Biconic Connector
- A type of fiber optic connector consisting of two cone-shaped ferrules aligned by a mating sleeve.
Learn more about Biconic Connector... - BIDI
- Abbreviation for bidirectional transceiver, a device that sends information in one direction and receives information from the opposite direction.
Learn more about BIDI... - Bidirectional
- The ability for light to transmit in both directions through a fiber.
Learn more about Bidirectional... - Bifurcated Fiber
- A branched fiber optic lightguide that performs both receiving and transmitting functions.
Learn more about Bifurcated Fiber... - Binary
- A numbering system that allows only two values, zero and one, '0' and '1'. Binary is the way most
computers store information, in combination of ones and zeros. Voltage on. Voltage off. See also: Bit.
Learn more about Binary... - Birefringence
- The separation of a light beam, as it penetrates a doubly refracting object, into two diverging beams, commonly known as ordinary and extraordinary beams.
Learn more about Birefringence... - Birefringent
- Having a refractive index that differs for light of different polarizations.
Learn more about Birefringent... - BISDN
- An abbreviation for broadband integrated services digital network.
Learn more about BISDN... - Bit
- An electrical or optical pulse that carries information.
Learn more about Bit... - Bit Depth
- The number of levels that a pixel might have, such as 256 with an 8-bit depth or 1,024 with a 10-bit depth.
Learn more about Bit Depth... - Bit Error Rate (BER)
- In digital applications it is the ratio of bits received in error to bits sent. BERs of 10-9 (one error bit to a billion sent) are common.
Learn more about Bit Error Rate (BER)... - Bit Period (T)
- The amount of time required to transmit a logical one or a logical zero.
Learn more about Bit Period (T)... - Bit Rate
- 1. The number of bits of data transmitted over a phone line per second. You can usually figure how
many characters per second you will be transmitting, in synchronous communications, if you divide the bit rate by ten. The total bits transmitted will depend on re-transmissions, which depends on the noise of the line, etc. 2. The number of bits of data transmitted per second over a communications link. This usually represented as BPS (bps) with KBPS (Kbps) standing for kilo bits per second (1000 BPS) and MBPS standing for mega bits per second (million BPS) and GBPS standing for giga bits per second
(billion BPS) etc.
Learn more about Bit Rate... - BITE
- Abbreviation for built-in test equipment.Features designed into a piece of equipment that allow on-line diagnosis of failures and operating status.
Learn more about BITE... - Block
- A collection of transmitted information which is seen as a discrete entity. Usually has its own address, control, routing and error checking information. See also packet and packet switching.
Learn more about Block... - Blocking
- A connection can't be made. A call can't be completed. These are many reasons for blocking.
Sometimes not enough equipment. Sometimes not sufficient lines, or sufficient room on the lines.
Learn more about Blocking... - BNC
- Popular coax bayonet style connector, often used for baseband video.
Learn more about BNC... - Bound Mode
- In an optical fiber, a mode that (a) has a field intensity that decays monotonically in the transverse direction everywhere external to the core and (b) does not lose power to radiation.
Learn more about Bound Mode... - BPON
- An abbreviation for broadband on passive optical network.
Learn more about BPON... - Bps
- Bits per second. Term used by telecommunication engineers to describe bandwidth. Bytes per second is the term used by software engineers to describe bandwidth.
Learn more about Bps... - Bragg Grating
- A filter that separates light into many colors via Bragg's law. Generally refers to a fiber Bragg grating used in optical communications to separate wavelengths.
Learn more about Bragg Grating... - Bragg Scattering
- Scattering of light caused by a change in refractive index, as used in Fiber Bragg Gratings and Distributed Bragg Reflectors.
Learn more about Bragg Scattering... - Braid
- An essential part of many fiber-optic cable designs, consisting of a layer of woven yarn. Note: In the case of single-fiber loose-buffered or two-fiber "zip-cord" loose-buffered fiber-optic cables, the braid is situated between the buffer tube and jacket. In the case of cables having multiple buffer tubes, the braid is usually situated between the inner jacket and outer jacket.
Learn more about Braid... - Break Out
- To separate the individual fibers or buffer tubes of a fiber-optic cable for the purpose of splicing or installing optical connectors.
Learn more about Break Out... - Break Out Kit
- Used to build up the outer diameter of fiber cable for connecting.
Learn more about Break Out Kit... - Breakout Cable
- A type of fiber optic cable containing several fibers, each with its own jacket and all of them surrounded by one common jacket. Breakout cables are designed for convenient installation of fiber optic connectors but tend to have high transmission losses due to bends in the fibers.
Learn more about Breakout Cable... - Bridge
- A MAC-level store-and-forward network node. Bridges are used to interconnect LAN segments, thus
creating extended LANs. They filter (drop) or forward frames to other LAN segments based on the
frame destination and source address.
Learn more about Bridge... - Brightness
- The visual sensation of the luminous power of a light beam, as opposed to scientifically measured power of the beam.
Learn more about Brightness... - Broadband
- Indicating a capability to deal with a relatively wide spectral bandwidth; high-speed data transmission in which a single cable can carry a large amount of data at once.
Learn more about Broadband... - Broadband LAN
- LAN which uses FDM (frequency division multiplexing) to divide a single physical channel into a number of smaller independent frequency channels. The different channels created by FDM can be used to transfer different forms of information - voice, data, and video.
Learn more about Broadband LAN... - Broadcast Transmission
- Sending the same signal to many different places, like a television broadcasting station. Broadcast transmission can be over optical fibers if the same signal is delivered to many subscribers.
Learn more about Broadcast Transmission... - Buffer
- A protective coating applied directly on the fiber.
Learn more about Buffer... - Buffer Coating
- A protective layer, such as an acrylic polymer, applied over the fiber cladding for protective purposes.
Learn more about Buffer Coating... - Buffer Tube
- A hard plastic tube, having an inside diameter several times that of a fiber, that holds one or more fibers.
Learn more about Buffer Tube... - Buffered Fiber
- Fiber optic cable protected with an additional material, usually hytrel or nylon, to provide ease in handling, connectorization and increased tensile strength.
Learn more about Buffered Fiber... - Buffering
- It is used in two contexts: First, it refers to a protective material extruded directly on the fiber optic cable coating to protect it from the environment. Secondly, it refers to extruding a tube around the coated fiber optic cable to allow isolation of the fiber from stresses.
Learn more about Buffering... - Building Entrance
- Terminal cable entrance point where typically a trunk cable between buildings is terminated and fiber is then distributed through the building.
Learn more about Building Entrance... - Bundle
- A group of optical fibers or electrical conductors, such as wires and coaxial cables, usually in a single jacket. Note: Multiple bundles of optical fibers or electrical conductors may be placed in the same cable.
Learn more about Bundle... - Bundle of Fibers
- A rigid or flexible group of fibers assembled in a unit. Coherent fiber bundles have fibers arranged in the same way on each end and can transmit images.
Learn more about Bundle of Fibers... - Burn In
- The operation of a laser diode or other component prior to its use in its intended application, as a means of testing and stabilizing it.
Learn more about Burn In... - Bus
- Wiring or cables that carry signals around inside a computer, or between computers and other devices.
Learn more about Bus... - Bus Network
- A network topology in which all terminals are attached to a transmission medium serving as a bus. All other terminals receive all signals transmitted from a terminal connected to the bus.
Learn more about Bus Network... - Butt Splice
- A joining of two fibers without optical connectors arranged end-to-end by means of a coupling. Fusion splicing is an example.
Learn more about Butt Splice... - Bypass
- The ability of a station to isolate itself optically from a network while maintaining the continuity of the cable plant.
Learn more about Bypass... - Bypass
- The ability of a saturation to isolate itself optically from a network while maintaining the continuity of the cable plant.
Learn more about Bypass... - Bypass Switch
- An FDDI station option that ensures ring integrity. The bypass switch has a default state when power is lost. When a power failure occurs, optical connections are made within the DAS that reconnect the incoming primary ring fiber with the primary ring fiber. Similar connections are made on the secondary ring. This allows network operation to continue without the need for reconfiguration, which can still be employed for emergency situations.
Learn more about Bypass Switch... - Byte
- A unit of 8 bits.
Learn more about Byte... - C Band
- A range of wavelengths from 1530 to 1565 nm. In this region, erbium-doped amplifiers (EDFAs) have highest gain. See EDFA and optical bands.
Learn more about C Band... - Cable
- One or more fibers enclosed in protective coverings and strength members.
Learn more about Cable... - Cable Assembly
- An optical fiber cable that has connectors installed on one or both ends.
Learn more about Cable Assembly... - Cable Bend Radius
- Cable bend radius during installation infers that the cable is experiencing a tensile load. Free bend
infers a lower allowable bend radius since it is at a condition of no load.
Learn more about Cable Bend Radius... - Cable Jacket
- The outermost protective covering applied over the internal cable elements (i.e., core, cladding, buffer,
and strength member).
Learn more about Cable Jacket... - Cable Plant
- The cable plant consists of all the optical elements. For example, fiber, connectors, splices, etc.
between a transmitter and a receiver.
Learn more about Cable Plant... - Cable Television
- Communications system that distributes broadcast and non-broadcast signals as well as a multiplicity of satellite signals, original programming and other signals by means of a coaxial cable and/or optical fiber.
Learn more about Cable Television... - Caching
- An access-driven form of replication. Data is replicated and stored locally as it is referenced; only an initial reference to a piece of data requires access to the master copy. Updates merely invalidate the cached items.
Learn more about Caching... - Campus Bridge
- Brings a new dimension to internetworking, the ability to link LAN segments to 30 kilometers or more
via single mode fiber optic cable.
Learn more about Campus Bridge... - Carrier Frequency
- The electromagnetic wave frequency selected to transmit information. Optical carrier frequency is from
the infrared, visible or ultraviolet spectrum areas (1012 Hz and above).
Learn more about Carrier Frequency... - Carrier Sense Multiple Access With Collision Detection
- 1. A technique used to control the transmission channel of a local area network to ensure that there is
no conflict between terminals that wish to transmit. 2. A technique employed in Ethernet based LANs
to control the transmission channel. It assures that there is no conflict between terminals that wish to
transmit.
Learn more about Carrier Sense Multiple Access With Collision Detection... - Carrier Signal
- A continuous waveform (usually electrical) whose properties are capable of being modualted or
impressed with a second information carrying signal. The carrier itself conveys no information until
altered in some fashion, such as having its amplitude changed (amplitude modulation), its frequency
changed (frequency modulation), or its phase changed (phased modulation). These changes convey
the information.
Learn more about Carrier Signal... - Carrier to Noise Ratio
- The ratio, in decibels, of the level of the carrier to that of the noise in a receiver's IF bandwidth before any nonlinear process such as amplitude limiting and detection takes places.
Learn more about Carrier to Noise Ratio... - Catastrophic Failure
- A failure in which the device characteristics change suddenly, generally in less
than a second.
Learn more about Catastrophic Failure... - Catastrophic Optical Damage
- Catastrophic optical damage occurs when the semiconductor in the emission region is melted and recrystallized.
Learn more about Catastrophic Optical Damage... - Category 5e
- Category 5 (CAT5) cable is a popular twisted pair copper cable. It is used for Ethernet cable applications. Category 5e (CAT5e) can support short-run Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps) networking, unlike CAT5 which supports Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps).
Learn more about Category 5e... - Cathode
- A negatively charged electrical element providing electrons for an electrical
discharge.
Learn more about Cathode... - CATV
- An abbreviation for Community Antenna Television or cable TV.
Learn more about CATV... - CCIR
- Abbreviation for Consultative Committee on Radio.
Learn more about CCIR... - CCITT
- Abbreviation for Comite Consulatif International de Telegraphic et Telephonic. An international
communications standards. Based in Geneva, Switzerland. Concerned with devising and proposing
recommendations for international telecommunications.
Learn more about CCITT... - CCTV
- Abbreviation for closed-circuit television.An arrangement in which programs are directly transmitted to specific users and not broadcast to the public.
Learn more about CCTV... - CDMA
- Abbreviation for code-division multiple access. A coding scheme in which multiple channels are independently coded for transmission over a single wideband channel using an individual modulation scheme for each channel.
Learn more about CDMA... - Cell
- A fixed-length data packet transmitted in certain digital systems such as ATM.
Learn more about Cell... - Center Wavelength (Laser)
- 1. The nominal value central operating wavelength defined by a peak mode measurement where the
effective optical power resides. 2. The wavelength of an optical source that might be considered its
middle. One measure of this is the average of the two wavelengths corresponding to the Full Width
Half Maximum-FWHM.
Learn more about Center Wavelength (Laser)... - Center Wavelength (LED)
- 1. The average of the two wavelengths measured at the half amplitude points of the power spectrum.
2. The wavelength of an optical source that might be considered its middle. One measure of this is the
average of the two wavelengths corresponding to the Full Width Half Maximum-FWHM.
Learn more about Center Wavelength (LED)... - Central Member
- The center component of a cable. It serves as an antibuckling element to resist temperature-induced
stresses. Sometimes serves as a strength element. The central member is composed of steel,
fiberglass, or glass-reinforced plastic.
Learn more about Central Member... - Central Office
- 1. The place where communications common carriers terminate customer lines and locate switching
equipment that interconnects those lines. 2. The places where communications common carriers
terminate customer lines and locate switching equipment that interconnects those lines. It is the lowest
hierarchical level of a TELCO backbone network. It is from the Central office level that local loops go
out to end-user customer premises equipment.
Learn more about Central Office... - Centro Symmetrical Reflective Optics
- An optical technique in which a concave mirror is used to control coupling of light from one fiber optic cable to another.
Learn more about Centro Symmetrical Reflective Optics... - Channel
- 1. A communications path or the signal sent over a channel. Through multiplexing several channels,
voice channels can be transmitted over an optical channel. 2. A communications path derived from a
specific transmission medium, as for example fiber optic cables. The channel supports the end-to-end
communications of an information source and destination. Besides the transmission medium a
channel needs to have a transmitter/receiver (transceiver) and a modulator/demodulator (modem). By
multiplexing, several channels can share the same specific transmission medium. Channel is
synonymous with link. The term channel is usually employed within the context of multiplexing but not
always.
Learn more about Channel... - Channel Capacity
- Maximum number of channels that a cable system can carry simultaneously.
Learn more about Channel Capacity... - Channel Coding
- Data encoding and error correction techniques used to protect the integrity of data. Typically used in channels with high bit error rates such as terrestrial and satellite broadcast and videotape recording.
Learn more about Channel Coding... - Channel Density
- The number of channels per unit bandwidth handled by a single optical fiber.
Learn more about Channel Density... - Channel Markers
- A/B Markers easily identify the TX and RX connector on each end of a fiber optic cable assembly. These channel markers assure that the proper connections are made between the transmitting and receiving ports of a transceiver.
Learn more about Channel Markers... - Channel Spacing
- The amount of bandwidth allocated per channel.
Learn more about Channel Spacing... - Chirp
- In laser diodes, the shift of the laser's center wavelength during single pulse durations due to laser instability.
Learn more about Chirp... - Chirped Pulse
- A pulse in which the wavelength changes during the duration of the pulse.
Learn more about Chirped Pulse... - Chromatic Bandwidth
- The inverse of the Chromatic Dispersion.
Learn more about Chromatic Bandwidth... - Chromatic Dispersion
- The temporal spreading of a pulse in an optical waveguide caused by the wavelength dependence of the velocities of light.
Learn more about Chromatic Dispersion... - Circuit
- Originally a physical connection that transmits electricity or signals. Now also a communication channel that guarantees a fixed transmission capacity.
Learn more about Circuit... - Circuit Switching
- Making temporary physical or virtual connections between two points, which guarantees a fixed transmission capacity.
Learn more about Circuit Switching... - Circulator
- Passive three-port devices that couple light from Port 1 to 2 and Port 2 to 3 and have high isolation in other directions.
Learn more about Circulator... - Cladding
- The low-refractive-index material that surrounds the core of an optical fiber to contain core light while protecting against surface contaminant scattering. In all glass fibers, the cladding is glass. In plastic-clad silica fibers, the plastic cladding may also serve as the coating.
Learn more about Cladding... - Cladding Diameter
- In the cross section of a realizable optical fiber, ideally circular, but in practice assumed to a first approximation to be elliptical, the average of the diameters of the smallest circle that can be circumscribed about the cladding, and the largest circle that can be inscribed within the cladding.
Learn more about Cladding Diameter... - Cladding Glass
- The glass that is found around the glass core of a fiber, and that has a lower refractive index that the fiber.
Learn more about Cladding Glass... - Cladding Mode
- An undesired mode that is confined to the cladding of an optical fiber by virtue of the fact that the cladding has a higher refractive index than the surrounding medium, i.e., air or primary polymer overcoat.
Learn more about Cladding Mode... - Cladding Mode Stripper
- A mechanism or device, especially a coating with a refractive index equal to or slightly greater that that of an optical fiber's cladding, that removes modes propagating through the cladding by allowing them to radiate out of the fiber.
Learn more about Cladding Mode Stripper... - Cladding Ray
- A ray that is reflected into the core of an optical fiber from the outer surface of the cladding.
Learn more about Cladding Ray... - Cleave
- The process of scoring and breaking the optical fiber end in order to terminate a connector. Also known as cleaving.
Learn more about Cleave... - Cleaving
- The process of separating an optical fiber by a controlled fracture of the glass, for the purpose of
obtaining a fiber end, which is flat, smooth, and perpendicular to the fiber axis.
Learn more about Cleaving... - CLEO
- An acronym for Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics.
Learn more about CLEO... - Clock
- 1. An electronic component that emits consistent signals, like a metronome, that paces a computer's
operations. 2. An oscillator-generated signal that provides a timing reference for a transmission link. A
clock provides signals used in a transmission system to control the timing of certain functions, such as
the duration of signal elements or the sampling rate. It also generates periodic, accurately spaced
signals used for such purposes as timing, regulation of the operations of a processor, or generation of
interrupts. A clock has two functions: to generate periodic signals for synchronization on a
transmission facility, and to provide a time base for the sampling of signal elements. In computers, a
clock synchronizes certain procedures, such as communication with other devices.
Learn more about Clock... - CMOS
- Abbreviation for complementary metal oxide semiconductor. A family of IC's.Particularly useful for low-speed or low-power applications.
Learn more about CMOS... - CMTS
- Abbreviation for cable modem termination system.
Learn more about CMTS... - CNR
- Abbreviation for Carrier-to-Noise Ratio. The ratio, in decibels, of the level of the carrier to that of the noise in a receiver's IF bandwidth before any nonlinear process such as amplitude limiting and detection takes places.
Learn more about CNR... - Coated Optics
- Optical elements having refracting or reflecting surfaces that have been coated with one or more layers of dielectric or metallic material. These layers serve to reduce or increase reflection and to protect the surfaces from fumes or abrasion. Magnesium fluoride, silicon oxide, and zinc sulphide are a few of the most commonly used coatings.
Learn more about Coated Optics... - Coating
- A material put on a fiber during the drawing process to protect it from the environment.
Learn more about Coating... - Coax
- An abbreviation for coaxial cable.
Learn more about Coax... - Code
- A specific way of using symbols and rules to represent information.
Learn more about Code... - Coder
- Digital information transformed into pulses of electricity, digitized as ones and zeros with no errors.
Learn more about Coder... - Coherence
- A term describing light as waves which are in phase in both time and space.
Monochromaticity and low divergence are two properties of coherent light.
Learn more about Coherence... - Coherence Length
- That length over which energy in two separate waves remains constant. With respect to a laser, the greatest distance between two arms of an interferometric system for which suficient interferometric effects can be obtained.
Learn more about Coherence Length... - Coherent Bundle
- See aligned bundle.
Learn more about Coherent Bundle... - Coherent Bundle of Fibers
- Fibers packaged together in a bundle so they retain a fixed arrangement at the two ends and can transmit an image.
Learn more about Coherent Bundle of Fibers... - Coherent Communications
- In fiber optics, a communication system where the output of a local laser oscillator is mixed optically with a received signal, and the difference frequency is detected and amplified.
Learn more about Coherent Communications... - Coherent Light
- This is light of which all parameters are predictable and correlated at any point into time or space,
particularly over an area perpendicular to the direction of propagation or over time at a particular point
in space. Simply, coherent light usually refers to the phenomenon relating to the existence of a
correlation between the phases of the corresponding components of two light waves or to the values of
the phase of a given component at two instants in time or two points in space. Coherent light does not
occur naturally in the Universe. It can only be generated in a laser.
Learn more about Coherent Light... - Coherent Radiation
- Radiation composed of wave trains vibrating in phase with each other. Simply expressed: parallel rays of light.
Learn more about Coherent Radiation... - Collimation
- 1. The process of aligning the optical axes of optical systems to the reference mechanical axes or surfaces of an instrument. 2. The adjustment of two or more optical axes with respect to each other.
Learn more about Collimation... - Collimator
- An optical instrument consisting of a well-corrected objective lens with an illuminated slit or reticle at its focal plane. Collimators are used in lens testing to determine focal lengths, and in other metrological applications where a distant object at a known location is required.
Highly reflective and yet extremely low in secondary reflection, these devices are critical for interferometric applications. Fiber collimators are fundamental sub-components and building blocks for optical communications and broadband networks, and are widely used to covert a divergent output laser beam from a fiber or waveguide into an expanding beam of parallel light. With collimators, fiber optical components for signal transmission, switching and management can be furnished.
Learn more about Collimator... - Collision
- The result of two work stations trying to use a shared transmission medium (cable) simultaneously
(overlapping). The electrical signals, which carry the information they are sending, bump into each
other (a collision). This ruins both signals (interference) meaning they both have to retransmit their
information. In most systems, a built in delay will make sure the collision does not occur again. The
whole process takes fractions of a second. Collisions in LANs make no sound.
Learn more about Collision... - Collision Detection
- The process of detecting that simultaneous (and therefor damaging) transmission has taken place on
a shared medium. Typically, each transmitting workstation that detects the collision will wait some
period of time and try again. Collision detection is an essential part of the CSMA/CD access method.
Workstations can tell that a collision has taken place if, having sent data, they do not receive an
acknowledgment from the receiving station.
Learn more about Collision Detection... - Collision Detector
- An optoelectronic circuit that monitors the signals received via the fiber optic cable from the passive
Codestar and sends a "collision presence" signal to the host when more than one data signal is
detected coming for the Codestar.
Learn more about Collision Detector... - Color Subcarrier
- The 3.58 MHz signal which carriers color information in a TV signal.
Learn more about Color Subcarrier... - Combiner
- A passive device in which optical power from several input fibers is collected at a common point.
Learn more about Combiner... - Common Carrier
- An organization licensed by some public regulatory authority, e.g. the FCC, to provide a specific set of
services for a specific set of rates. Common means the carrier is obligated to carry for everyone.
Carrier means they convey something - freight, data, etc. - for their customers. Examples are GTE
Sprint, Yellow Freight, AT&T Communications, MCI, American Airlines.
Learn more about Common Carrier... - Communications Application Compiler
- A piece of software that translates instructions written in a high-level language into a lower-level
language so that the processor can understand them.
Learn more about Communications Application Compiler... - Communicator Bandwidth
- The maximum rate at which temporally disjunct optical signals can be produced or detected.
Learn more about Communicator Bandwidth... - Compatibility
- The ability of a computer system to accept and process data prepared by another similar system
without having to adapt it.
Learn more about Compatibility... - Compatibility Interfaces
- The MDI coaxial cable interface and the AUI branch cable interface, the two points at which hardware
compatibility is defined to allow connection of independently designed and manufactured components
to the baseband transmission system.
Learn more about Compatibility Interfaces... - Compilation
- The translation of programs written in a language understandable to programmers into instructions
understandable to the computer.
Learn more about Compilation... - Composite Cable
- A cable containing both fiber and copper conductors. Also known as hybrid cable.
Learn more about Composite Cable... - Composite Second Order
- An important distortion measure of analog CATV systems.It is mainly caused by second order distortion in the transmission system.
Learn more about Composite Second Order... - Composite Sync
- A signal consisting of horizontal sync pulses, vertical sync pulses, and equalizing pulses only, with a no-signal reference level.
Learn more about Composite Sync... - Composite Triple Beat
- An important distortion measure of analog CATV systems.It is mainly caused by second order distortion in the transmission system.
Learn more about Composite Triple Beat... - Composite Video
- A signal which consists of the luminance (black and white), chrominance (color), blanking pulses, sync pulses, and color burst.
Learn more about Composite Video... - Compression
- The use of any of several techniques to reduce the number of bits needed to represent information in
data transmission or storage. This saves storage space on magnetic storage devices such as hard
disk, tape drives and floppy disks. It also saves transmission time.
Learn more about Compression... - Compression Utilities
- Applications that squeeze data into smaller files by coding them into special formats or algorithms that
take less space.
Learn more about Compression Utilities... - COMSAT
- An abbreviation for communications satellite.
Learn more about COMSAT... - Concatenation
- The process of connecting pieces of fiber together.
Learn more about Concatenation... - Concentrator
- A multi-port repeater.
Learn more about Concentrator... - Concentricity
- In a wire or cable, the measurement of the location of the center of the conductor with respect to the
geometric center of the circular insulation.
Learn more about Concentricity... - Concentricity Error
- In an optical fiber, the distance between the center of the two concentric circles that specify the cladding diameter and the center of the two concentric circles that specify the core diameter.
Learn more about Concentricity Error... - Conduit
- Pipe or tubing through which cables can be pulled or housed.
Learn more about Conduit... - Connect Time
- The time a circuit is in use. Connect time typically refers to circuit-switched systems, such as telephone
lines.
Learn more about Connect Time... - Connecting Hardware
- A device, used to terminate an optical fiber cable with connectors and adapters, that provides an administration point for cross-connecting between cabling segments or interconnecting to electronic equipment.
Learn more about Connecting Hardware... - Connection Management
- Manages a station's PHY layer components and their interconnections in order to achieve logical
connection to the ring. CMT also manages the configurations of MAC and PHY entities within a station. Additionally, CMT includes the detection and isolation of faults at the PHY layer plus monitoring and link quality.
Learn more about Connection Management... - Connector
- Hardware installed on fiber cable ends to provide cable attachment to a transmitter, receiver or other cable. Usually a device that can be connected and disconnected repeatedly.
Learn more about Connector... - Connector Body
- Main portion of a connector to which other components are attached.
Learn more about Connector Body... - Connector Induced Fiber Loss
- That part of the Conductor Insertion Loss, expressed in dB, due to impurities or structural changes to
the fiber optic cable by termination or handling with the connector.
Learn more about Connector Induced Fiber Loss... - Connector Insertion Loss
- 1. Total optical power loss caused by insertion of an optical component such as a connector, splice, or couple into a previously continuous path. 2. The loss in the power of a signal that results from inserting a passive component into a previously continuous path. Examples of such passive devices are connectors, inline star couplers and splices.
Learn more about Connector Insertion Loss... - Connector Loss
- Energy loss encountered at connectors in optical fiber transmission systems. The major contributors are mutual core displacement and fiber axis tilt. It is observed in both permanent splices and optical connectors.
Learn more about Connector Loss... - Connector Panel
- The rear surface of a computer or peripheral device, which includes the connectors for peripheral
devices or for the computer. Also called Back Panel.
Learn more about Connector Panel... - Connector Panel Module
- A module designed for use with patch panels; it contains either 6, 8 or 12 connectorized fibers that are spliced to backbone cable fibers.
Learn more about Connector Panel Module ... - Connector Plug
- A device used to terminate an optical conductor cable.
Learn more about Connector Plug... - Connector Receptacle
- The fixed or stationary half of a connection that is mounted on a panel/bulkhead. Receptacles mate
with plugs.
Learn more about Connector Receptacle... - Connector Return Loss
- The amount of power reflected from the connector to connector interface. Return loss values are
expressed as dB. A typical specification could range from -15 to -60 dB, where, in most cases, -60 is
more desirable.
Learn more about Connector Return Loss... - Connector Time
- The time a circuit is in use. Connect time typically refers to circuit-switched systems, such as telephone lines.
Learn more about Connector Time... - Connector Variation
- The maximum value in dB of the difference in insertion loss between mating optical connectors. Also known as Optical Connector Variation.
Learn more about Connector Variation... - Constructive Interference
- Any interference that increases amplitude of the resultant signal. For example, when the wave forms are in phase, they can create a resultant wave equal to the sum of multiple light waves.
Learn more about Constructive Interference... - Contention
- A way to determine how separate workstations can access a cable (shared transmission medium). In
this case, each workstation tries to access the network at will. If the network is busy, they must wait and try again. Think of it as "first come, first served"...A "dispute" between two or more devices over the use of a common channel at the same time.
Learn more about Contention... - Continuous Wave Laser
- A laser that emits radiation continuously rather than in short bursts, as in a pulsed laser. Abbreviated CW.
Learn more about Continuous Wave Laser... - Controller
- A device which acts as the electrical and logical interface between a host system and a local area
network. Often it is a plug-in addition to the equipment and involves software as well as hardware. In standard Ethernet, the controller is attached to the network bus by way of a transceiver. For Thin-net, the controller and transceiver are usually combined. A device between the host and terminals that relays information between them. It administers their communication. Controllers may be housed in the host or on a file server. Typically one controller will be connected to several terminals.
Learn more about Controller... - Convergence
- The bending of light rays toward each other, as by a convex or positive lens.
Learn more about Convergence... - Converter
- Device that is attached between the television set and the cable system that can increase the number of channels available on the TV set, enabling it to accommodate the multiplicity of channels offered by cable TV.
Learn more about Converter... - Cooled Lasers
- Lasers mounted with thermoelectric coolers to stabilize the wavelength and
energy by keeping the laser operating temperature stable.
Learn more about Cooled Lasers... - Cooler
- Is a semiconductor heat pump which ulilizes the Peltier effect. The TEC operates as follows: For ambient temperature greater than 250C a forward bias
voltage pumps heat from the submount to the package body. For ambient temperature
less than 250C a forward bias voltage pumps heat from the package
body to the submount.
Learn more about Cooler... - Copper
- Industry slang for metal wire, either twisted-pair or coaxial cable.
Learn more about Copper... - Copper vs Fiber
- In general, fiber has many advantages over copper. In copper networks, loss increases with signal frequency- High data rates increase power loss and therefore decrease transmission distances. In fiber optic networks, loss does not change with signal frequency.
Learn more about Copper vs Fiber... - Core
- The light-conducting center of an optical fiber, defined by the region of high refractive index.
Learn more about Core... - Core Area
- The part of the cross-sectional area of an optical fiber within which the refractive index is everywhere greater than that of the innermost homogeneous cladding, by a specified fraction of the difference between the maximum refractive index of the core and the refractive index of the innermost cladding.
Learn more about Core Area... - Core Diameter
- In the cross section of a realizable optical fiber, ideally circular, but assumed to a first approximation to be elliptical, the average of the diameters of the smallest circle that can be circumscribed about the core-cladding boundary, and the largest circle that can be inscribed within the core-cladding boundary.
Learn more about Core Diameter... - Core Eccentricity
- A measure of the displacement of the center of the core relative to the cladding center.
Learn more about Core Eccentricity... - Core Ellipticity
- A measure of the departure of the core from roundness.
Learn more about Core Ellipticity... - COTS
- An abbreviation for commercial off the shelf.
Learn more about COTS... - Counter Rotating
- An arrangement whereby two signal paths, one in each direction, exist in a ring topology.
Learn more about Counter Rotating... - Coupled Modes
- In fiber optics, a mode that shares energy among one or more other modes, all of which propagate together. Note: The distribution of energy among the coupled modes changes with propagation distance.
Learn more about Coupled Modes... - Coupler
- An optical device used to distribute optical power among two or more ports or for coupling optical power between a waveguide and a source or detector, and thus sometimes interchangeable with a connector.
Learn more about Coupler... - Coupling
- The transfer of light going into and coming out of a fiber. This term is not to be confused with a coupler device.
Learn more about Coupling... - Coupling Efficiency
- The fraction of available output from a radiant source that is coupled and transmitted by an optical fiber.
Learn more about Coupling Efficiency... - Coupling Loss
- The power loss suffered when coupling light from one optical device to another. There are intrinsic
losses (non-ideal fiber parameters) and extrinsic losses (mechanical effects).
Learn more about Coupling Loss... - Coupling Ratio
- The percentage of light transferred to a receiving output port with respect to the total power of all
output ports.
Learn more about Coupling Ratio... - CPE
- Customer Premises Equipment.
Learn more about CPE... - Crimp Sleeve
- A crimped metal cylinder that holds the connector to the cable through the cable's strength member.
Learn more about Crimp Sleeve... - Critical Angle
- The least angle of incidence at which total internal reflection takes place. The angle of incidence in a denser medium, at an interface between the denser and less dense medium, at which the light is refracted along the interface. When the critical angle is exceeded, the light is totally reflected back into the denser medium. The critical angle varies with the indices of refraction of the two media with the relationship: sinIc = n´/n where Ic is the critical angle; n´ the refractive index of the less dense medium; and n the refractive index of the denser medium.
Learn more about Critical Angle... - Cross Connect
- Connections between terminal blocks on the two sides of a distribution frame or between terminals on a terminal block (also called straps). Also called cross-connection or jumper.
Learn more about Cross Connect... - Cross gain Modulation
- A technique used in a wavelength converters where gain saturation effects in an active optical device, such as a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), allow the conversion of the optical wavelength. Better at shorter wavelengths (e.g., 780 nm or 850 nm).
Learn more about Cross gain Modulation... - Cross phase Modulation
- A fiber nonlinearity caused by the nonlinear index of refraction of glass. The index of refraction varies with optical power level which causes different optical signals to interact.
Learn more about Cross phase Modulation... - Crosstalk
- 1. The phenomenon of light leakage or information transfer from a waveguide to one adjacent. 2. The
pickup in one particular fiber optic cable of unwanted light from another fiber optic cable.
Learn more about Crosstalk... - CRT
- Abbreviation for cathode ray tube.
Learn more about CRT... - CSMA/CD
- Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection.
Learn more about CSMA/CD... - CSO
- Abbreviation for Composite Second Order. An important distortion measure of analog CATV systems.It is mainly caused by second order distortion in the transmission system.
Learn more about CSO... - CSR
- Centro symmetrical reflective optics.
Learn more about CSR... - CTB
- Abbreviation for Composite Triple Beat. An important distortion measure of analog CATV systems.It is mainly caused by second order distortion in the transmission system.
Learn more about CTB... - CTS
- Abbreviation for clear to send. In a communications network, a signal from a remote receiver to a transmitter that is ready to receive a transmission.
Learn more about CTS... - Customer Premises Equipment
- Terminal, associated equipment, and inside wiring located at a subscriber's premises and connected with a carrier's communication channel(s) at the demarcation point (demarc), a point established in a building or complex to separate customer equipment from telephone company equipment.CPE does not include over-voltage protection equipment and pay telephones.
Learn more about Customer Premises Equipment... - Cut-Back Measurements
- Measurement of optical loss made by cutting a fiber to compare loss of a short segment with loss of a longer one.
Learn more about Cut-Back Measurements... - Cutback
- A method for measuring the attenuation or bandwidth of a fiber optic cable by first measuring the full
length and then cutting back and measuring, again, the fiber optic cable at a shorter length.
Learn more about Cutback... - Cutback Method
- A technique for measuring the loss of bare fiber by measuring the optical power transmitted through a long length then cutting back to the source and measuring the initial coupled power.
Learn more about Cutback Method... - Cutback Technique
- A destructive technique for determining certain optical fiber transmission characteristics, such as attenuation and bandwidth, by (a) performing the desired measurements on a long length of the fiber under test, (b) cutting the fiber under test at a point near the launching end, (c) repeating the measurements on the short length of fiber, and (d) subtracting the results obtained on the short length to determine the results for the residual long length.
Learn more about Cutback Technique... - Cutoff Mode
- The highest order mode that will propagate in a given waveguide at a given frequency.
Learn more about Cutoff Mode... - Cutoff Wavelength
- The wavelength beyond which singlemode fiber only supports one mode of propagation.
Learn more about Cutoff Wavelength... - CWDM
- An abbreviation for coarse wavelength division multiplexing.
Learn more about CWDM... - Cycles per Second
- The frequency of a wave, or number of oscillations it makes per seconds. One cycle per second equals one hertz.
Learn more about Cycles per Second... - Dark Current
- 1. The external current that under specified biasing conditions, flows in a photodetector when there is no incident radiation. 2. The thermally induced current that exists in a photodiode in the absence of incident optical power.
Learn more about Dark Current... - Dark Fiber
- Unused fiber; fiber that has been installed but is reserved for future use. Carrying no light.
Learn more about Dark Fiber... - Data
- The basic elements of information that can be processed or produced by a computer. A
representation of facts, concepts, or instructions in a formalized manner suitable for communication,
interpretation, or processing; any representations, such as characters, to which meaning may be assigned.
Learn more about Data... - Data Bus
- A system incorporated into fiber optic data communications characterized by several spatially
distributed terminals that are served with the same multiplexed signal.
Learn more about Data Bus... - Data Communications
- The movement of encoded information by an electrical transmission system. The transmission of data
from one point to another.
Learn more about Data Communications... - Data Compression
- Storing of digital data with techniques that consume less memory space than basic methods.
Learn more about Data Compression... - Data Dependent Jitter
- Also called data dependent distortion. Jitter related to the transmitted symbol sequence. DDJ is caused by the limited bandwidth characteristics, non-ideal individual pulse responses, and imperfections in the optical channel components.
Learn more about Data Dependent Jitter... - Data Frame
- Consists of the Destination Address, Source Address, Length Field, LLC Data, Pad and Check Frame
Sequence.
Learn more about Data Frame... - Data Link
- 1. The communication network between nodes of a data transmission system. 2. Transmitter with
Modulator, Transmission medium and Demodulator with Receiver that transmits data between two
points. When the Transmission medium is a fiber optic cable the data link is a fiber optic data link.
Learn more about Data Link... - Data Link Layer
- Layer 2 of the OSI reference model. This layer takes data from the network layer and passes it on to the physical layer. The data link layer is responsible for transmitting and receiving Ethernet frames, 48-bit addressing, etc. It includes both the media access control (MAC) protocol and logical link control (LLC) layers.
Learn more about Data Link Layer... - Data Rate
- 1. The maximum number of bits of information which can be transmitted per second, as in a data
transmission link; typically expressed as megabits per second (Mb/s). 2. Also Data Transmission Rate.
The number of bits of information sent per second in a data communications transmission system. It is
generally expressed in Bits Per Second, BPS. This may or may not be equal to the Baud rate.
Learn more about Data Rate... - Database
- Data stored in computer-readable form, and usually indexed or sorted in a logical order. Users can use
the index or logical arrangement to find the item of data they need. Used to store names, addresses,
order entry data and so on. A typical data base is inventory. Data bases in a central file server are one
of the most common LAN applications.
Learn more about Database... - Datagram
- A particular type of information encapsulation at the network layer of the adapter protocol. No explicit
acknowledgment of the information is sent by the receiver. Instead, transmission relies on the "best
effort" of the link layer...A packet that includes a complete destination address specification (provided
by the user, not the network) along with whatever data it carriers. It is a oneway construct much like a
telegram ...A transmission method in which sections of a message are transmitted in scattered order
and the correct order is reestablished by the receiving workstation. Used on packet-switching
networks.
Learn more about Datagram... - dBC
- Abbreviation for decibel relative to a carrier level.
Learn more about dBC... - dBμ
- Decibel referenced to a microwatt.
Learn more about dBμ... - DBM
- (dBm) A power level compared with 1 milliwatt.
Learn more about DBM... - dBmV
- An abbreviation for decibel millivolt. The level at any point in a system expressed in dB's above or
below a 1 millivolts (dBmV). Zero dBmV is equal to 1 millivolt across 75 ohms. The level at any point in
a system expressed in dBs above or below a 1 millivolt/75 ohm standard is said to be the level in
decibel millivolts or dBmV.
Learn more about dBmV... - DBR
- Reflection of light caused by periodic changes in refractive index in a stack of layers of different composition or-equivalently-by a corrugation at the boundary between two semiconductor layers. The period and the refractive index select one wavelength.
Learn more about DBR... - DCE
- Abbreviation for data circuit-terminating equipment. 1) In a data station, the equipment that performs functions such as signal conversion and coding, at the network end of the line between the data terminal equipment (DTE) and the line, and may be a separate or an integral part of the DTE or of intermediate equipment. 2) The interfacing equipment that may be required to couple the data terminal equipment (DTE) into a transmission circuit or channel and from a transmission circuit of a channel into the DTE.
Learn more about DCE... - Decibel DB
- A decibel (dB) is a unit of measure of light transmission. It is a logarithmic unit used to compare two power levels.
Learn more about Decibel DB... - Decoding
- Validity checking of received transmission characters and generation of valid data bytes and special
codes from those characters.
Learn more about Decoding... - Deeply Depressed Cladding Fiber
- An optical fiber construction, usually a single-mode fiber, that has an outer cladding of approximately the same refractive index as the core, and an inner cladding of very low (depressed) refractive index material between them.
Learn more about Deeply Depressed Cladding Fiber... - Delay Line
- A device used to delay transmission of a signal for functions such as memory loops, sequential processing or built-in testing. The delay can be achieved by coiling long lengths of coaxial cable or optical fiber.
Learn more about Delay Line... - Delta
- Greatest relative difference in refractive index of core and cladding.
Learn more about Delta... - Demultiplex
- Separation of channels which has been multiplexed in order to share a common transmission medium.
With respect to a fiber optic cable medium it is the process of separating optical channels.
Learn more about Demultiplex... - Demultiplexer
- A device that separates a multiplexed signal into its original components; the inverse of a multiplexer.
Learn more about Demultiplexer... - Demultiplexing
- Separating two or more signals that have been combined into one signal.
Learn more about Demultiplexing... - Demux
- An abbreviation for demultiplexer.
Learn more about Demux... - Dense Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (DWDM)
- Transmitting signals at multiple wavelengths through the same fiber with close spacing. Channel spacing usually is 200GHz or less in frequency units, corresponding to 1.6nm in wavelength units at 1550nm. The transmission of many of closely spaced wavelengths in the 1550 nm region over a single optical fiber. Wavelength spacings are usually 100 GHz or 200 GHz which corresponds to 0.8 nm or 1.6 nm. DWDM bands include the C-Band, the S-Band, and the L-Band.
Learn more about Dense Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (DWDM)... - Destination
- Receiver of data; data sink.
Learn more about Destination... - Destination Address
- That part of a message which indicates for whom the message is intended. Usually a collection of
characters or bits. Just like putting a destination address on an envelope.
Learn more about Destination Address... - Destructive Interference
- Any interference that decreases the desired signal. For example, two light waves that are equal in amplitude and frequency, and out of phase by 180°, will negate one another.
Learn more about Destructive Interference... - Detector
- A photodiode that converts optical signals to electrical signals.
Learn more about Detector... - DFB
- Feedback arising from reflection distributed through a structure.
Learn more about DFB... - Diameter Mismatch Loss
- The loss of power at a joint that occurs when the transmitting half has a diameter greater than the
diameter of the receiving half. The loss occurs when coupling light from a source to a fiber optic cable,
from a fiber optic cable to another fiber optic cable or from a fiber optic cable to a detector.
Learn more about Diameter Mismatch Loss... - Dichroic Filter
- An optical filter that transmits light selectively according to wavelength.
Learn more about Dichroic Filter... - Dielectric
- A material such as a glass fiber, which is not metallic and is not conductive.
Learn more about Dielectric... - Dielectric Filter
- An optical fiber that selectively transmits one wavelength and reflects others based on interference effects inside the structure. Also called interference filter.
Learn more about Dielectric Filter... - Dielectric Waveguide
- A wavegui
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