OPTICAL TIME DOMAIN

REFLECTOMETER(OTDR)
A Technical seminar
By
P.V.S.K.Bharadwaj
11131A04C7
ECE-3
GVPCOE(A)

Optical Time domain

Reflectometer

What is an OTDR?
It is a fiber optic tester
It allows complete characterization of the fiber
It provides information regarding local losses and
reflective elements
It is mainly used to find the place of fault in an
optical fiber

Principle of Operation
OTDR uses the effects of Rayleigh scattering and
Fresnel reflection
RAYLEIGH SCATTERING occurs when the light
travelling down the fiber encounters small material
variations and discontinuities in the refractive index
The light is scattered in all directions
FRESNEL REFLECTIONS occur when the light
encounters abrupt variations in the material
properties that are caused by a break or air gaps or
Connectors
Fresnel reflection is 10,000 times greater than
Rayleigh scattering in terms of reflected power

Back Scatter
As the light is scattered in all directions some of it
happens to return back along the fiber to the light
source
The returned light is known as BLACK SCATTER
The OTDR sends short light pulses and
continuously measure the returned power level
and hence deduces the losses involved

Measuring Distance

Measuring Distance
(Contd..)
Consider the Refractive index of the core n1=1.5
Then the speed of light in the
core=V=c/n1=2x10^8 m/s
If the Reflected Light reaches the OTDR 1.4us later
Since the Light has travelled back and forth along
the length of the fiber(L)
2L=Vx delay time
2L=2x10^8 x1.4us=280m
Hence L=140m
Hence the OTDR uses the principle of RADAR .It
sends a optical pulse and then listens to the ECHO

Block diagram of OTDR

Display
It can be either a CRT or an LCD
It displays the returned signal in a XY plot where
the Range across X axis and power level in dB
along Y axis

Display when there is no

signal

Simple Measurement

34q34

Ringing at Amplifier
The Fresnel reflection at the launch connecter
causes a high energy at the receiver amplifier
which swings above and below real levels
This phenomenon is known as Ringing
The Receiver takes a few microseconds to return
back to the normal state
During which the OTDR cannot determine any
reflections . Hence it is known as Dead Zone
We can avoid the dead zone by adding a patch
chord of 100m which finishes the problem of dead
zone before the fiber under the test is reached

DEAD ZONE

Length and attenuation

Attenuation coefficient
Measurement
Length appears to be 400m
100 meters for patch chord to deal with dead
zone
Hence length=300m=0.3km
Power level at 100m (at the end of patch
chord)=-10.8dB
Power level at 400m (at the end)=-11.3dB
Attenuation
coefficient=P/L=0.5/0.3=1.66dB/km

OTDR Display of a Typical

System

Fault localization
In case of fiber cut due to various reasons like
rodents, road repairs etc the position of the
cut should be identified
Since optical fibers are sent underground it is
difficult with manually digging all through and
finding the cut
So we proceed with OTDR and find if the
length of the fiber obtained from test is same
as that in the records and to check if there is
a cut and its location

Thank You