What are the types of fibre optic connectors?

Fibre optic connectors are those cables whose essential function is to join one end of a fibre optic cable to another. This means the end from where the connection leaves, to the home, office or street where it is predetermined to be.

This is why many people who are thinking of installing fibre optics for work, are thinking about what types of fibre optic connectors are available. Around this question other questions arise, such as whether it is possible to choose any fibre optic connector, or if you need a specific one depending on your personal needs.

The question also arises as to what is the basis for this differentiation between types of connectors, and whether there are other distinctions that are useful to know. We are going to give you the answer today on the KeyFibre blog: the differentiation between the types of fibre optic connectors is based on their different characteristics. On the other hand, there are other distinctions, such as the different types of optical terminal polishing.

Interested in digging deeper into this topic to find out what exactly determines the difference between connector types? Then continue reading our article!

TYPES OF FIBRE OPTIC CONNECTORS

Generically we can say that there are four types of fibre optic connectors. This may change in certain circumstances where a very special and unusual connector is required, but almost everywhere these four are used, which we will discuss below.

These are the different cables that connect the fibre optics:

The FC connector

Its acronym comes from the term Ferrule Connector, which refers to the thread with vibration-resistant fastening. It was the first optical connector, and although it has always been held in high esteem, it has recently fallen into disuse compared to the LC and SC.

Due to its high resistance to movement, it is mostly used in fibre optic applications that are subject to permanent movement. These connectors are specifically for single-mode fibre types, which is another type of fibre optic fibre that we talked about in a previous blog post.

ST connector

The ST connector stands for “straight tip”, which literally means straight tip. Technically, it is very similar to the FC connector we talked about before, because it also has a threaded shape to be fixed to the place where it is needed.

However, it differs from the FC connector basically because it is used in multimode fibres, and because it is often used in the corporate environment, but also in the military.

The LC connector

There is also the LC connector, which stands for Little Connector. This is because it is logically more compact than the other types of fibre optic connectors, and it is also characterised by the fact that it is suitable for both multimode and singlemode fibres.

Although it may seem that because it is smaller and more practical it is somewhat more recent than the others, the truth is that it started to be used around the end of the 1990s. It is push and pull, i.e. easy to connect and disconnect.

And last but not least, the SC connector

The last of the options we have for connecting fibre optics is the SC connector, which stands for Square Connector.

This is the type that is most commonly used at the moment, for several reasons: firstly, it is made of a cheaper material, and it also has a quick-fit that makes the whole connectivity process much easier. In addition, it is possible to use it on single-mode and multimode fibres, which makes it even more versatile and practical.

WHAT TYPES OF OPTICAL TERMINAL POLISHING ARE THERE?

We can also talk about the types of optical terminal polishing that exist in order to establish another distinction. Polishing is basically the connector tip of the fibre optic connector, which is responsible for delivering the pulses of laser light to make the fibre optic work.

In this case, we can talk about three different types of polishing, which are as follows:

• PC-type polishing, which stands for physical contact. By terminating the tip flat, this avoids gaps between the connectors and thus enables a much faster and higher quality connection than would otherwise be possible. However, it is a type of polishing that is becoming less and less used, as other options have been found.
• UPC polishing, which is ultra physical contact, i.e. with more physical contact than the previous option. Somehow the shape of the tip means that there is less loss in terms of the quality of the connection.
• The latest and newest, APC polishing. APC stands for Acute Physical Contact. It is a diagonally shaped tip, like a felt-tip pen, which achieves a higher quality optical link. In addition, the manufacturing cost is also lower

Conclusions about the fiber optic connection

In short, it is interesting to know what variables may exist when choosing a type of fibre optic connector. Although we can say that advances have been dictating the use of some connectors and others, there are also certain circumstances that may make it better to choose one over another.

This is, for example, depending on the distance to be connected depending on the fibre optic and how far it reaches in your home, or building. These are matters which, of course, must be assessed by a specialised technician. But in case you suffer a breakdown, or need to replace a spare part, you can make the task of an electricity company or a fibre optic company much easier if you know these small details.

Thank you very much for reading us another day! If you have any doubts, or maybe you would like to know more about the types of fibre optic connectors, you can check our blog whenever you want, or contact us for more information.

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