SM Angled MT Endface Quality

Mike HughesUS Conec, LtdMarch 26, 2007

1

SM APC MT Endface Quality: Project ScopeSM APC MT Endface Quality: Project Scope

• Evaluation of MT endface quality on APC MT connectors– Arizona Road Dust used for loose debris contaminant– Scratches caused by abrasive film

• SM, Low-loss MT’s used to minimize natural product variation. Maximum IL spec of .35dB.

Primary Goals: 1. Create SM MT acceptance tables for

inspection standards or confirm that existing single mode standards are applicable

2. Characterize particle migration

2

Why Study?Why Study?MT Ferrule MT Ferrule –– New Challenges for Endface Quality:New Challenges for Endface Quality:

• Industry need for SM Angled endface quality studies

• Industry need for MT endface quality studies

• Irregular appearance of glass filled polymeric ferrule makes contamination identification beyond fiber difficult

• Fibers protrude from ferrule surface typically 1-3 microns

• Potentially less contact force per fiber

• Fiber tip radius 2-3mm

Connector Spring Force

Connector Spring Force

3

Fiber Tip Height and Contact Force VariationFiber Tip Height and Contact Force VariationTypical Fiber Height and Contact Force Distribution

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Fiber #

Fibe

r Hei

ght (

mic

rons

)

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Con

tact

For

ce (N

ewto

ns)

Fiber HeightContact Force

*Tyco Electronics / US Conec Joint Analysis

4

Empirical Study Measurement ApparatusEmpirical Study Measurement Apparatus

Load Cell Monitor

Monitor

Microscope Camera

Transparent Rigid Plate (Sapphire Flat) Transparent

Glass Slide for Illumination

Light Source

X, Y, Z Stage

Optical Bench

X-Y Tilting Optical Flat Mount

MT Ferrule

Load Cell Monitor

Monitor

Microscope Camera

Transparent Rigid Plate (Sapphire Flat) Transparent

Glass Slide for Illumination

Light Source

X, Y, Z Stage

Optical Bench

X-Y Tilting Optical Flat Mount

MT Ferrule

*Tyco Electronics / US Conec Joint Analysis

5

Fiber Tip Height Variation Fiber Tip Height Variation –– Empirical StudyEmpirical Study

8F Contact: 2.05 N

10F Contact: 6.36 N

12F Contact: 10.01 N

Fiber Number

Prot

rusi

on (

mic

rons

)

121110987654321

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Rigid Plate F

8F Contact: 2.05 N

10F Contact: 6.36 N

12F Contact: 10.01 N

Fiber Number

Prot

rusi

on (

mic

rons

)

121110987654321

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Rigid Plate F

*Tyco Electronics / US Conec Joint Analysis

Outermost fibers are last to contact and have the lowest contact force

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Fiber Tip Contact ZoneFiber Tip Contact ZoneSpot size due to fiber tip Hertzian Deformation with a 2mm Fiber Tip Radius

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Fiber tip contact force

Spot

Siz

e (m

icro

ns)

*Tyco Electronics / US Conec Joint Analysis

Approximate Functioning Region for MT ferrules

Scaled fibers in contact

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Contamination Experiment StepsContamination Experiment Steps

1. IL & RL measured 10 times to establish baseline values on clean DUT and Reference Connector.

2. Clean images recorded for both DUT and Reference connector.3. Arizona Road Dust (ISO XYZ) used to contaminate DUT.4. Contaminated DUT image recorded.5. Contaminated DUT mated to Reference connector (clean

initially).6. IL & RL measured & recorded.7. DUT unmated from Reference connector.8. Contaminated DUT and Contaminated Reference connector

images recorded.9. Steps 5-8 repeated for a total of 5 mates10. IL Failures are values outside average +/- 3σ11. RL Failures are values outside average +/- 3σ and <55dB

8

Contamination Sample A: 51914Contamination Sample A: 51914--14 F2 (DUT)14 F2 (DUT)

IL: 0.02

RL: 72

IL: 0..19

RL: 57

IL: 0.60

RL: 52

IL: 0.15

RL: 53

IL: 0..57

RL: 53

PRE-MATE POST 1 POST 2

POST 3 POST 4 POST 5

IL - Ave: 0.08dB; Std Dev: 0.016dB; RL- Ave: 58dB; Std Dev: 9dB

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Contamination Sample A: 51913Contamination Sample A: 51913--51 F2 (Ref)51 F2 (Ref)

PRE-MATE POST 1 POST 2

POST 3 POST 4 POST 5

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Contamination Sample B: 51914Contamination Sample B: 51914--14 F9 (DUT)14 F9 (DUT)

PRE-MATE POST 1 POST 2

POST 3 POST 4 POST 1

IL - Ave: 0.06dB; Std Dev: 0.04dB; RL- Ave: 71dB; Std Dev: 1.3dBIL: 0.04

RL: 71

IL: 0.06

RL: 70

IL: 0.05

RL: 70

IL: 0.06

RL: 69

IL: 0.04

RL: 68

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Contamination Sample B: 51913Contamination Sample B: 51913--51 F9 (Ref)51 F9 (Ref)

PRE-MATE POST 1 POST 2

POST 3 POST 4 POST 5

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Typical Failure Distribution for NonTypical Failure Distribution for Non--Catastrophic DebrisCatastrophic DebrisIL by Channel

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

ch1 ch2 ch3 ch4 ch5 ch6 ch7 ch8 ch9 ch10 ch11 ch12

Channel Position

Inse

rtio

n Lo

ss (d

B)

dust1dust2dust3dust4dust 5R&R1R&R2R&R3R&R4R&R5R&R6R&R7R&R8R&R9

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Sample Occluded Area of Zone A over 5 CyclesSample Occluded Area of Zone A over 5 CyclesTotal DUT + REF % Occlusion in Zone A (25 microns)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 F11 F12

Fiber Position

Tota

l % o

f Occ

lude

d A

rea

51913-51 : 51914-14 Post mate 1

51913-51 : 51914-14 Post mate 2

51913-51 : 51914-14 Post mate 3

51913-51 : 51914-14 Post mate 4

51913-51 : 51914-14 Post mate 5

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Scratch Experiment StepsScratch Experiment Steps

1. IL & RL measured 10 times to establish baseline values on clean DUT and Reference Connector.

2. Clean images recorded for both DUT and Reference connector.

3. Abrasive polishing film used to scratch DUT.4. Damaged DUT image recorded.5. Damaged DUT mated to Reference connector.6. IL & RL measured & recorded.7. DUT unmated from Reference connector.8. Both DUT and Reference connectors cleaned.9. Steps 5-8 repeated for a total of 5 mates.10. IL Failures are values outside average +/- 3σ11. RL Failures are values outside average +/- 3σ and <55dB

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Scratch Magnitude Scratch Magnitude DependanceDependance on Appearanceon Appearance

1.3 μm wide X 40nm deep

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Scratch Image AnalysisScratch Image Analysis

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Scratch Sample AScratch Sample A

51903-51L to 51910-10R F5 IL (dB) RL (dB)average (10X) 0.114 72.6std deviation 0.021 0.5average + 3X std dev 0.176 71.1

0.124 72.4

clean

Scratched (5X)

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Scratch Sample BScratch Sample B

51903-51L to 51910-10R F6 IL (dB) RL (dB)average (10X) 0.085 72.6std deviation 0.014 0.6average + 3X std dev 0.126 70.6

0.102 73.0

clean

Scratched (5X)

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Scratch Sample CScratch Sample C

51903-51L to 51910-10R F4 IL (dB) RL (dB)average (10X) 0.092 71.9std deviation 0.015 1.1average + 3X std dev 0.136 68.5

0.120 65.6

clean

Scratched (5X)

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Scratch Sample DScratch Sample D

51903-51L to 51910-10R F6 IL (dB) RL (dB)average (10X) 0.085 72.6std deviation 0.014 0.6average + 3X std dev 0.126 70.6

0.102 73.0

clean

Scratched (5X)

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ConclusionsConclusions

• SM APC MT connectors are surprisingly tolerant of contamination and scratches for low power applications.

• Poorest performance tends to be on outermost channels with relatively minimal Zone A occluded area. This suggests loss of PC as a primary failure mode.

• Light “white” scratches have little or no effect on performance.

• Scratch width alone may be a poor indicator of scratch depth and ultimate impact on performance.

• Current single fiber UPC tables may be extreme for standard MT APC applications.

• Re-distribution of particles between contaminated matings appear random.

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Current Status & Future TasksCurrent Status & Future Tasks• Contamination data points (images + IL, RL performance

for each 5 matings) collected and uploaded to iNEMI FTP site for Arizona Road Dust Contamination.

• Scratched endface data collection in progress. Some data is available on iNEMI FTP site

• Occluded Area analysis, particle migration study started at Celestica (Dr. Berdinskikh; Aron Lau). Need to finalize image analysis.

• Need to propose tables for IEC 61300-3-35 Document and any future revision of IPC-8497.

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www.inemi.orgContact:

Mike HughesUS Conec, Ltd

mikehughes@usconec.com828 267-6334