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    Optical Return Loss and Allowable Amounts

    by:
    TEST: Ask FOC Ask FOC
    Published: June 29, 2015

    QUESTION: What is Optical Return Loss and what is an allowable amount?

     

    ANSWER:

    Optical return loss is the amount of light reflected back toward the source from a interconnect point. Excessive return loss can disrupt the source and degrade overall speed/performance of the system.  To know what is allowable system details are needed.  Having said that, typically return loss for SM is -50 dB to -55 dB, and for high speed MM OM3 systems it’s -30 dB to -35 dB.  Legacy OM1 MM systems typically don’t have a return loss limit.

     

    ADDITIONAL CONTENT & RESOURCES:

     

    SM6AskFOCIcon Answered by AskFOC Technical Team June 29, 2015

     

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    About the Author
    FOC FAQ Fiber Optic Center has a team of technical experts and marketing strategists with decades of years in the field. This team contributes to the fiber, cable and specialty industries coverage through news, alerts, reports and general media information.
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    About Fiber Optic Center, Inc.
    Fiber Optic Center, Inc., (FOC), is an international leader in distributing fiber optic components, equipment and supplies and has been helping customers make the best cable assemblies in the world for over two decades. Several areas of specialization and expertise, in which they are the industry leader, make them the preferred choice for many of the world’s fiber professionals. In these key technology areas, FOC is "at least as technical as the manufacturer" about the products they sell. Striving to "make the business part easy," they offer outstanding and personal customer service, low or no minimum purchase order values, and from-stock delivery on industry-leading products and technology. FOC is the industry connection to the most innovative optical products, technologies and technical experts who integrate their manufacturing knowledge and vast experience into customers' worldwide operations. @FiberOpticCntr

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