
QUESTION:
Which connector has the longest history?
ANSWER:
The first connector to be accepted as a widely used standard in the early days of the fiber optic industry, in the late 1970s, was designed by Amphenol in CT as a variation of their coaxial electrical connect known as subminiature assembly, or SMA. In those days, fiber was multimode and the clad diameters were 125 um and up, to 230 and 1000 um. For the smallest sizes, Amphenol developed a unique and patented design that used four tightly machined metal rods in a larger hole in the connector ferrule. The rods were uniformly round enough to place the fiber in the center of the connector and allow for acceptable insertion losses of 1.25 - 2 dB per km at 850 nm.
READ THE FULL BLOG ARTICLE HERE: What is an SMA connector and why do we care?
ADDITIONAL CONTENT & RESOURCES:
- Category Resource: FOC Interconnect Page
- Find More Information in this Blog: The 101 on Connector Types

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