JPH0783795A - Automatic measuring apparatus for optical component - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To measure insertion loss and return loss in the same measuring system by providing input and output head parts and receiving the output light of the output head part by a photodetector and providing a reflected light photodetector taking out the reflected light of an optical component through a coupler to receive the same. CONSTITUTION:The output light of a light source 1 is inputted to an optical component 2 through a coupler 8, a coupler 6, the input movable head 21-input fixed head 22-input branch part 25 of an input head part 3 and an input 8-core tape cord 27. The output light from the component 2 is outputted to an optical fiber 47 through output 8-core tape cord 29-output branch part 26-the fixed head 24 of an output head part 4-output movable head 23 to be inputted to an output photodetector 5 to measure light power. The insertion loss of the component 2 is detected on the basis of the measured value. The quantity of the reflected light of the component 2 is also measured by a reflected light photodetector 7 in the same way and return loss is detected on the basis of the measured value. By this constitution, insertion loss and return loss can be measured in the same measuring system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical component automatic measuring apparatus capable of automatically measuring optical characteristics of optical components such as optical couplers and optical splitters, such as insertion loss and return loss.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There have been various methods for measuring the optical characteristics of optical components such as optical couplers and splitters, and the following measuring methods have been the main methods.

.. A method in which an optical component to be measured is fusion-spliced to an optical fiber with a connector, and the connector is manually connected to a light source and a light receiver for measurement. ． A method in which an optical component to be measured is fusion-spliced to an optical fiber with a connector, the connector is connected to a plurality of light sources and a light receiver, and the output of the light source is turned ON / OFF to measure. ． As shown in FIG. 3, an optical component A to be measured is fusion-spliced to an optical fiber C having a connector B, the connector B is connected to a multi-channel light source D and a channel selector E, and the channel selector E is used. Switching the optical path,
Measure the optical power of each optical component A with the optical power meter F,
A method for automatically measuring the insertion loss of optical components. Incidentally, the channel selector E is a device that switches the optical path by reflecting (refracting) light with a mirror or the like and outputs the light to a necessary output port. Further, in this measuring method, the optical component A to be measured is
The temperature of the test tank that houses the
The programming was performed separately from the switching control of the light receiver and the like. ． The measurement of the return loss of the optical component A and the measurement of the insertion loss are separately performed by different measurement systems.

[0004]

The various measuring methods described above have the following problems. (A) Workability and work efficiency are poor in the above manual measurement method. (B) In the above-mentioned measurement method, when automatically measuring the optical characteristics of a plurality of optical components having a plurality of input / output ports, many light sources, optical receivers, and couplers are required, resulting in high cost and It took time. (C) Since it is necessary to change the respective measurement systems at the time of measuring the insertion loss and at the time of measuring the return loss, the measurement takes time. (D) Since programming of switching control such as connection between the connector and a plurality of light sources and light receivers and temperature control of the test tank are performed by different programming, the control is troublesome.

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to measure insertion loss and return loss with the same measurement system, and also to simplify the construction, to improve workability, and to use a plurality of optical components having a plurality of input / output ports. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical component automatic measuring device capable of efficiently measuring optical characteristics.

[0006]

As shown in FIG. 1, an optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 1 of the present invention can switch between a light source 1, an input side port of an optical component 2 to be inspected, and a plurality of core units. Input side head section 3, output side port of the same optical component 2 and output side head section 4 which can be switched in units of a plurality of cores, output optical receiver 5 for receiving output light from the same output side head section 4, optical component 2 It is provided with a coupler 6 for extracting the reflected light from and a reflected light receiver 7 for receiving the reflected light extracted by the coupler 6.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the optical component automatic measuring apparatus according to the first aspect uses the two-channel optical source capable of emitting light of different wavelengths as shown in FIG. However, a coupler 8 capable of switching and coupling two channels of light from the same light source 1 is inserted in the same light source 1.

The optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 3 of the present invention is the optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the output side movable head 23 and the output in the output side head portion 4 are as shown in FIG. The side fixed head 24 and the output side connecting end portion 9 of the output side movable head 23 are formed obliquely or have a refractive index matching.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical component automatic measuring apparatus according to the first aspect, the second aspect, or the third aspect, wherein the input side head section 3 and the output side head section 4 are switched. A computer 11 is provided for controlling ON / OFF of the light source, channel switching, temperature control of the test chamber 10 containing the optical component 2, and the like.

The optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 5 of the present invention is the optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 or 4, wherein the output side head portion 4 and the output optical receiver are provided. 5, a large core diameter fiber 47 having a core diameter larger than that of a single mode fiber is used.

[0011]

The operation of the automatic optical component measuring device according to the first aspect of the present invention is as follows. ． Since the input side head unit 3 and the output side head unit 4 of the optical component 2 can be switched in units of a plurality of cores and the output side head unit 4 of the optical component 2, respectively, two or more cores can be switched at a time. The insertion loss of can be measured. ． Since the coupler 6 is inserted between the light source 1 and the input-side head unit 3, the reflected light extracted by the coupler 6 is received by the reflected light receiver 7, whereby the return loss measurement can be performed.
The insertion loss measurement and the return loss measurement can be performed by the same measurement system, and the measurement time is shortened.

In the optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 2 of the present invention, the light source 1 is a two-channel type capable of emitting light of different wavelengths, and the same light source 1 receives the two-channel light from the same light source 1. Since the coupler 8 capable of switching coupling is inserted, the optical characteristics of light of two wavelengths can be sequentially measured only by switching coupling of light by the coupler 8.

In the optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 3 of the present invention, the output side movable head 2 in the output side head portion 4 is provided.
3 and the output side fixed head 24 are formed obliquely or have a refractive index matching, the reflected light from the output side port 13 of the optical component which the output side head unit 4 does not access can be cut. Further, in the optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 3, since the output side connection end portion 9 of the output side movable head 23 is formed obliquely or has a refractive index matching, the connection portion of the output side connection end portion 9 is You can also cut off the reflected light.

In the automatic measuring device for optical parts according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the same programming is used for the switching control of the input side head part 3 and the output side head part 4 and the temperature control of the test tank 10 containing the optical parts 2. Since it is performed by one computer 11, the control can be performed easily and quickly.

In the optical component automatic measuring apparatus according to claim 5 of the present invention, a large core diameter fiber 47 having a core diameter larger than that of the single mode fiber is provided between the output side head portion 4 and the output light receiver 5. Since it is used, the connection loss is small and the loss fluctuation is also small.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the automatic optical component measuring device of the present invention.
Shown in. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a light source, which is a two-channel light source capable of emitting light of two different wavelengths, for example, 1.31 μm and 1.55 μm. The light source 1 may be other than that.

Reference numeral 8 in FIG. 1 denotes a coupler, which is, for example, a WDM coupler whose one end is cut and whose cut end face 16 is subjected to antireflection treatment (AR: anti-return treatment). The coupler 8 is fusion-spliced to an optical fiber 15 and switches and couples 1.31 μm light and 1.55 μm 2-channel light emitted from the light source 1 of FIG. 1 into one optical fiber 15. is there.

Reference numeral 6 in FIG. 1 is also a coupler, and for this, for example, a WIC coupler (wavelength-independent coupler) whose one end is cut and the cut end face 17 is subjected to antireflection treatment (AR: anti-return treatment) is used. Has been done. This is fusion-spliced to the optical fiber 15 so that the light from the coupler 8 is passed through as it is and the reflected light from the optical component 2 is extracted to the optical fiber 18.

Reference numeral 20 in FIG. 1 denotes a 2 × N (320) switching core wire selecting device, which is provided with an input side head section 3 and an output side head section 4. The input side head unit 3 is composed of two input side movable heads 21 and a large number (eight in FIG. 1) of input side fixed heads (for example, ferrules) 22,
The two input-side movable heads 21 are always moved in pairs to be switched and connected to the input-side fixed head 22.

Further, the output side head portion 4 is composed of two output side movable heads 23 and a large number (eight in FIG. 1) of output side fixed heads (for example, ferrules) 24, and two output side heads. The movable heads 23 always move in pairs to be switched and connected to the output side fixed head 24.

The input side movable head 21 and the output side movable head 23 in FIG. 1 have two cores, but the number of cores may be three or more. By doing so, it is possible to collectively measure more incident ports 12 and emission ports 13 of the optical component 2.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 25 is an input side branch section in the switching core selection device 20, and 26 is an output side branch section. The input side branching section 25 branches one end of the input side tape cord 27 connected to the input side port 12 of the optical component 2 into eight core wires (SM fiber) 28, and each of the core wires 28 is the above-mentioned eight. One input side fixed head 22 can be connected.

The output side branch section 26 of FIG. 1 is an output side tape cord 29 connected to the output side port 13 of the optical component 2.
Is branched into eight core wires (SM fiber) 30 and each core wire 30 can be connected to the eight output side fixed ports 24.

In addition to the components described above, an input side reset port 31 and an output side reset port 32 are provided in the switching core selection device 20 of FIG.

Reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1 represents an optical component to be measured, which is housed in a temperature controllable test layer 10.
The optical component 2 is provided with eight input-side ports 12 and eight output-side ports 13, and each input-side port 12 has an 8-core optical fiber branching the other end of the input-side tape cord 27. However, to each output side port 13 is connected an 8-core core wire branched from the other end of the output side tape cord 29.

The output side movable head 23 and the output side fixed head 24 of FIG. 1 are formed obliquely. Specifically, Fig. 2
The diagonal SC connector shown in (a) is used. This is to polish the end face of the ferrule 41 passing through the optical fiber 40 obliquely, to insert the ferrule 41 into the split sleeve 42 so that they can be coupled to each other, and to connect the output side connecting end 9 of the output side movable head 23. The light reflected from (FIG. 1) can be cut.

Reference numeral 9 in FIG. 1 denotes an output side connecting end of the output side movable head 23, and this output side connecting end 9 is also obliquely polished. Specifically, it has a diagonal FC connector structure shown in FIG. This is done by polishing the end of the ferrule 41 passing through the optical fiber 40 at an angle.
1 is mounted in the FC connector 43, and the FC connector 4
3 can be attached to the optical coupler 45 in which the optical sensor 44 is housed. In this case, the output side connection end portion (slope) 9 of the ferrule 41 is the light receiving surface 46 of the optical coupler 45.
It is installed toward.

In FIG. 1, two diagonal SC connectors (for two channels) of FIG. 2A are prepared, and each is connected to one end of the two-core optical fiber (GI fiber) 47 of FIG. As the head 23, the oblique FC connector of FIG. 2B is connected to the other end of the same optical fiber 47.

Reference numeral 5 in FIG. 1 denotes an output optical receiver, which is
This is for receiving the output light from the output side connection end portion 9 of the output side head portion 4 and measuring the insertion loss of the optical component 2. In FIG. 1, a 2ch optical receiver is used as the output optical receiver 5 so that the insertion loss of two of them can be measured at the same time.

Reference numeral 7 in FIG. 1 is a reflected light receiver, which is
This is for receiving the reflected light from the optical component 2 taken out to the optical fiber 18 by the coupler 6 of FIG. 1 and measuring the return loss.

Reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1 denotes a computer, which switches between the input side head section 3 and the output side head section 4,
It is for performing various controls such as ON / OFF of the light source 1, channel switching, and the temperature of the test tank 7 accommodating the optical component 2.

[0032]

[Description of Operation] Next, the operation of the optical component automatic measuring apparatus of FIG. 1 will be described. ． Light is output from one of the 2ch light sources 1, and the light is input to the input side movable head 21 of the input side head unit 3 through the coupler 8-coupler 6. ． The light is input to the input side fixed head 22 of the input side head unit 3.
-Input side branching section 25-Input to the optical component 2 through the input side 8-core tape cord 27. ． Light incident on the optical component 2 is output from the optical component 2,
The output side 8-core tape cord 29-the output side branch portion 26-the output side fixed head 24 of the output side head portion 4-the output side movable head 23 is output to the optical fiber 47, and the output optical receiver 9 is output from the oblique output end 9. 5, the optical power is measured and the insertion loss of the optical component 2 is detected based on the measured value. ． The reflected light generated by inputting light into the optical component 2 passes through the input side 8-core tape cord 27-the input side branch portion 25-the input side fixed head 22-the input side movable head 21 to the coupler 6 shown in FIG. Then, the coupler 6 takes out the light into the optical fiber 18 and inputs it to the reflected light receiver 7. The reflected light receiver 7 measures the reflected light amount, and the return loss is detected based on the measured value.

In the measurement, the input side head portion 3
And switching of the output side head unit 4, ON / O of the light source 1
Various controls such as FF, channel switching, and temperature of the test tank 7 are controlled by a single computer via the GP-IB. Incidentally, the GP-IB is standardized as an interface for connecting the measuring instruments to each other and the measuring instrument to a computer.

[0034]

The optical component automatic measuring device according to the first aspect of the present invention has the following effects. ． Since the input side head unit 3 and the output side head unit 4 of the optical component 2 can be switched in units of a plurality of cores and the output side head unit 4 of the optical component 2, respectively, two or more cores can be switched at a time. The insertion loss of can be measured. In addition, the number of light sources 1, output light receivers 5 and the like can be reduced to reduce the cost, the measurement time can be shortened, and the measurement efficiency is good. ． Since the coupler 6 is inserted between the light source 1 and the input-side head unit 3, the reflected light extracted by the coupler 6 is received by the reflected light receiver 7, whereby the return loss measurement can be performed.
Since the insertion loss measurement and the return loss measurement can be performed by the same measurement system, the measurement efficiency is good and the measurement time is shortened.

In the optical component automatic measuring apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the optical characteristics of the two wavelengths of light can be sequentially measured only by switching and coupling the two channels of light of different wavelengths from the light source 1 by the coupler 8. Because it is possible, it becomes easy to measure.

In the optical component automatic measuring device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the output port 1 which is not accessed by the output head 4 among the reflected light from the output port 13 of the optical component 2.
The reflected light from 3 can be cut. Further, reflection from the output side connecting end portion 9 can also be cut.

In the optical component automatic measuring device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the same programming is used for the switching control of the input side head part 3 and the output side head part 4, the temperature control of the test tank 9 accommodating the optical parts 2, and the like. Since it is performed by one computer 10, the trouble of programming can be saved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of an optical component automatic measuring device of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an explanatory view showing an example of a diagonal FC connector in the optical component automatic measuring device of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is the same FC.
Explanatory drawing which shows the other example of a connector.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional optical component automatic measuring device using a channel selector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Light Source 2 Optical Component 3 Input Head 4 Output Head 5 Output Optical Receiver 6 Coupler 7 Reflected Light Receiver 8 Coupler 9 Connection End 10 Test Tank 11 Computer 47 Large Core Fiber

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Hideyo Kawazoe 2-6-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazunori Chida 1-6, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroaki Hanafusa 1-6, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A light source 1, an input-side port of an optical component 2 to be inspected, and an input-side head part 3 which can be switched in units of a plurality of cores.
An output side head unit 4 capable of switching to the output side port of the same optical component 2 in units of a plurality of cores, an output light receiver 5 for receiving output light from the same output side head unit 4, and a coupler for extracting reflected light from the optical component 2. 6. An automatic optical component measuring device comprising a reflected light receiver 7 for receiving the reflected light extracted by the coupler 6. 2. The optical component automatic measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source 1 is a two-channel light source capable of emitting light of different wavelengths, and the two light channels from the same light source 1 are switched and coupled to the same light source 1. An optical component automatic measuring device characterized in that a possible coupler 8 is inserted. 3. The optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the output side movable head 23 and the output side fixed head 24 in the output side head portion 4, and the output side connection end portion of the output side movable head 23. 9. An optical component automatic measuring device characterized in that 9 is formed obliquely or has a refractive index matching. 4. The optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the input side head part 3 and the output side head part 4 are switched, ON / OFF of the light source 1 or channel switching, An automatic optical component measuring device comprising a computer 11 for controlling temperature of a test tank 10 containing the optical component 2 and the like. 5. The optical component automatic measuring device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein a core diameter of a single mode fiber is between the output side head section 4 and the output optical receiver 5. An optical component automatic measuring device characterized by using a large core diameter fiber 47 larger than the core diameter.