A precision plug that holds the fiber end in a ferrule so it can be mated to another connector through an adapter and taken apart again. Good singlemode connections lose about 0.1 to 0.3 dB, and most cabling standards allow up to 0.75 dB per mated pair. Performance depends on core alignment, end-face polish, the physical contact of the two ends and, above all, cleanliness.
Connector loss on panel B is 0.9 dB, pull it, scope it, clean it and shoot it again before you call it bad.
Also heard as
- plug
Do not mix it up with
- Fusion splice: A splice is a permanent joint; a connector is designed to be unplugged and remated.
Related terms
Ferrule
The precision ceramic or metal cylinder in a connector that holds the fiber and lines it up with its mate.
End face
The polished tip of a connector ferrule and fiber, where light leaves one fiber and enters the next.
Barrel
Installer slang for a fiber adapter, the double-ended bulkhead part that joins two connectors.
Insertion loss
The optical power lost when a component or a whole link is placed in the light path, measured in dB.
LC
Lucent Connector: the small latching connector with a 1.25 mm ferrule used on most transceivers and data center panels.