2024-03-18
As is well known, when installing fiber optic jumpers, it is crucial to ensure that the bending radius of the cable does not exceed its specified limit, as excessive bending can lead to optical leakage and signal loss. As shown in the diagram below, the greater the bending radius, the higher the signal loss. Therefore, such fiber jumpers are not ideal for high-density wiring areas in data centers.
To address the high-density wiring challenges in data centers, bend-insensitive fiber jumpers offer an ideal solution. They possess excellent resistance to bending while maintaining the same mechanical and optical performance as regular fiber jumpers.
What is the bending radius?
The bending radius refers to the maximum degree of bending at which the optical cable can maintain its normal operational performance. The smaller the bending radius, the better the cable's resistance to bending. Typically, the static bending radius of an optical cable is 10 times the outer diameter of the cable, while the dynamic bending radius is 20 times the outer diameter. In the market, the bending radius of regular fiber jumpers is generally around 30mm, whereas for bend-insensitive fiber jumpers, it is much smaller, typically only a few millimeters. Bend-insensitive fiber jumpers are mainly available in two types: bend-insensitive single-mode fiber jumpers and bend-insensitive multimode fiber jumpers.
Bend-insensitive single-mode fiber jumpers
Bend-insensitive single-mode fiber jumpers greatly improve their bending performance through optimized design. The ITU standard G.657 defines two different types of bend-insensitive single-mode fiber jumpers: G.657 A and G.657 B. These fiber jumpers can further be subdivided into G.657.A1, G.657.A2, G.657.B1, and G.657.B2. The minimum bending radius for G.657.A1 jumpers is 10mm, for G.657.A2 and G.657.B1 jumpers, it is 7.5mm, and for G.657.B2 jumpers, it can reach up to 5mm.
Compared to G.652 jumpers, G.657 bend-insensitive single-mode jumpers offer more flexibility in installation, allowing for various mounting configurations. As a result, they are widely used in today's data centers.
Bend-insensitive multimode fiber jumpers
The minimum bending radius of bend-insensitive multimode fiber jumpers is 7.5mm. They feature a special optical 'trench' design between the core and cladding, which allows for the retention of more light compared to traditional multimode fiber jumpers.
It is worth noting that the design intention of bend-insensitive multimode fiber jumpers was initially to meet the demands of FTTH applications. However, nowadays, these jumpers are increasingly being used in high-density wiring areas of data centers.
Bend insensitivity is crucial, especially for fiber-to-the-home installations, where bend-insensitive multimode fiber jumpers ensure normal transmission of optical signals even when the jumper is bent. They are suitable for indoor wiring, short-distance transmission, and are particularly advantageous in data center environments.
With the increasing popularity of high-density applications, bend-insensitive fiber jumpers are playing an increasingly important role.
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