Fiber Optics Standard Dictionary

1240 Pages·1997·36.776 MB·English

by  Martin H. Weik (auth.)

FIBER OPTICS
STANDARD
DICTIONARY
THIRD EDITION
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A service of
FIBER OPTICS
STANDARD
DICTIONARY
THIRD EDITION
H.
MARTIN WEIK
SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.v.
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EMAIL: [email protected]
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International Thomson Publishing (ITP).
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20,000 products. Through thomson.com Internet users can search catalogs, examine subject
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Cover Design: Said Sayrafiezadeh, Emdash Inc.
Copyright © 1997 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
Originally published by Chapman & Hali in 1997
Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 3rd edition 1997
Ali rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any
means-graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval
systems-without the written permission of the publisher.
I 23456789 10 XXX 0100 99 98 97
Library of Congress Cataioging-in-Publication nata
Weik, Martin H.
Fiber optics standard dictionary / Martin H. Weik. - 3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibiiographicai references.
ISBN 978-1-4613-7760-3 ISBN 978-1-4615-6023-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4615-6023-4
1. Optional communications - Dictionaries. 2. Fiber optics
Dictionaries. 1. Title.
TK5102.w45 1997
621.36'92-dc21 97-6013
CIP
British Library Cataloguing in Publication nata available
"Fiber Optics Standard Dictionary, 3rd edition," is intended to present technically accurate and authoritative information
from highly regarded sources. The publisher, editors, authors, advisors and contributors have made every reasonable effort
to ensure the accuracy of the information, but cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy of ali information or for the con
sequences of its use.
To my wife, Helen,
for the love and encouragement she has given me
during the preparation of this and prior editions
And God said, Let there be light;
And there was light. And God saw the light,
That it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1: 3-4
Now the whole Earth had one language and few words.
And the Lord said, "Behold, they are one people;
And they have all one language;
And this is only the beginning of what they will do;
And nothing that they propose to do
Will now be impossible for them."
Genesis 11: 1,6
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
John 1:1
Contents
Preface IX
Introduction xvii
Definitions 1
Appendices
A. Abbreviations and Acronyms 1127
B. Tables 1204
Table 1: Frequency Ranges and Designators
Table 2: Higher Frequency Ranges and Extension
Designators
Table 3: The Metric System of Units
Table 4: Prefixes Used with Metric Units
Table 5: Radiometric Terms
Table 6: T-Carrier Hierarchy for North America
Table 7: T -Carrier Hierarchy for Japan
Table 8: T -Carrier Hierarchy for Europe (CEPT)
Table 9: Near, Intermediate, and Far Field Characteristics
Table 10: T -Carrier Characteristics
C. Bibliography 1210
Preface
Fiber Optics Vocabulary Development
In 1979, the National Communications System published Technical InfonnationBulle
tin TB 79-1, Vocabulary for Fiber Optics and Lightwave Communications, written
by this author. Based on a draft prepared by this author, the National Communications
System published Federal Standard FED-STD-1037, Glossary of Telecommunications
Terms, in 1980 with no fiber optics tenns. In 1981, the first edition of this dictionary
was published under the title Fiber Optics and Lightwave Communications Standard
Dictionary. In 1982, the then National Bureau of Standards, now the National Institute
of Standards and Technology, published NBS Handbook 140, Optical Waveguide
Communications Glossary, which was also published by the General Services Admin
istration as PB82-166257 under the same title. Also in 1982, Dynamic Systems, Inc.,
published the Fiberoptic Sensor Technology Handbook, co-authored and edited by
this author, with an extensive Fiberoptic Sensors Glossary. In 1989, the handbook
was republished by Optical Technologies, Inc. It contained the same glossary. In
1984, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers published IEEE Standard
812-1984, Definitions of Terms Relating to Fiber Optics. In 1986, with the assistance
of this author, the National Communications System published FED-STD-1037A,
Glossary of Telecommunications Terms, with a few fiber optics tenns. In 1988, the
Electronics Industries Association issued EIA-440A, Fiber Optic Terminology, based
primarily on PB82-166257. The International Electrotechnical Commission then pub
lished IEC 731, Optical Communications, Terms and Definitions. In 1989, the second
edition of this dictionary was published. Also in 1989, the Department of Defense
published MIL-STD 2196(SH), Glossary: Fiber Optics. The original draft was pre
pared by this author while he was serving as a consultant to the Naval Sea Systems
Command's Fiber Optics Program Office. In 1991 the National Communications
System, again with the assistance of this author, published Federal Standard FED
STD-1037B, Glossary of Telecommunications Terms, with considerably more fiber
optics tenns than were in the FED-STD 1037 A of 1986. In 1996 the National Commu
nications System published Federal Standard FED-STD-1037C, Glossary ofTelecom
munications Terms, with a very much larger number of fiber optics tenns and defini
tions than were in FED-STD 1037B, particularly in the area of lightwave
communications. Hundreds of tenns and definitions were taken from or directly
based on the definitions in the second edition of this dictionary. This author actively
participated in all of these standards efforts aimed at producing fiber optics vocabula
ries, sometimes by being a member of the standards body responsible for the publica
tion, sometimes by chairing the committee responsible for the publication, and some
times by editing or submitting comments on drafts of the publications.
ix
Preface x
This Edition
This third edition of the Fiber Optics Standard Dictionary is based not only on these
publications, but also on the enonnous volume of scientific and technical literature
in the area of fiber optics published by technical societies, research institutions,
technical magazines, book publishers, and manufacturers of fiber optic systems and
components.
Limitations of Current Fiber Optics
Glossaries and Vocabularies
The Shortfall: Each of the aforementioned glossaries or vocabularies, and others, was
designed to (a) cover a specific fiber optic application area, such as communications,
sensing, or illumination, (b) reach or appeal to a specific audience, or (c) cover the
tenns used in a specific publication or series of publications. Thus, none of these
individual works constitutes a comprehensive coverage of the fields of optical systems,
fiber optics, lightwave communications, optical sensing, and illumination. Each was
prepared by a group of professional people representing a specific interest group.
Usually the definitions within a given standard, and among standards, were not always
consistent. Each standard had a different fonnat for the definitions. Each standard
had a specific purpose and was designed for a specific audience, such as scientists,
engineers, technicians, contractors, government employees, or corporate employees.
Very little attempt was made to correlate tenns and definitions among the various
standards. Thus, a truly comprehensive dictionary has a requirement to serve as an
umbrella that covers all related areas and interests even if it becomes necessary to
resort to multiple definitions of the same tenn. For example, to communications
systems operating personnel, an open circuit is a circuit available for use, i.e., an
available line. To systems installation and maintenance personnel, an open circuit is
one that has an optical or electrical discontinuity.
The Need: By their very nature, standards are devoted primarily to fundamental
principles and theory, rather than changing state-of-the-art and advanced technology,
the very areas in which persons in a field are currently engaged and have a need for a
current dictionary. Technical and scientific papers, technical specifications of products,
work statements for contracts, and technical books are being prepared that require
up-to-the-moment definitions. Proper tenns and definitions are needed now in order
that workers in the field can communicate effectively at all levels. The tenns that
technicians use to describe splicing and installing fiber optic cables are as important
as the tenns that engineers use that relate to how lightwaves propagate in the fiber
optic cables. When both technicians and engineers use the same language, cables
will be installed so they work properly. In addition, administrators, managers, and
supervisors must speak to both groups in a common language.
Overcoming the Shortfall and Meeting the Need: This comprehensive dictionary,
with precise, technically accurate, and clearly written definitions, along with examples,
illustrations, explanations, and cross references, (a) is designed to overcome all the
shortcomings of existing glossaries and vocabularies by meeting the needs of all
persons engaged in, or in anyway related to, the field of optical systems, particularly
fiber optic and lightwave communications systems, (b) is designed to be as consistent
as possible with the published standards, and (c) is designed to embrace not only all
the areas covered by the standards but also, with sufficient depth, the related areas
that optical systems must interface with.
xi Preface
Trends in Fiber Optic Technology
There is no doubt that in the areas of communications, control, data processing,
illumination, and sensing, the photon is rapidly replacing the electron. In the last five
years, huge advances have been made in optical systems component manufacturing
technology, particularly in fiber optics and lightwave communications components.
Phase-shift mask technology promises to improve the fabrication of optical integrated
circuits. Spin coating procedures are being used on prebaked wafers to produce
integrated circuits. Fiber optic pressure sensors have a resolution of lOPa (pascals)
over a pressure range of ±5 kPa (kilopascals). Advances in deep submicron technology
resulted in components of the order of 0.35 ~m (micron) to 0.5 ~m. Image compression
ratios between 5 and 20 have become commonplace for handling the medical images
encountered in tomographic, echocardiographic, and X-ray procedures. In laser pro
duction, spectral line-width· power products of 16 MHz· mW (megahertz· milli
watts) have been reached. The new quantum well laser has considerably reduced
tum-on time, allowing higher signaling rates. Fiber optic couplers use embedded
mirrors to couple light into and out of optical fibers. New laser-amplifier gates with
low insertion loss, high on-off extinction ratios, and low crosstalk levels are being
used to boost optical power. Great strides have been made in the development and
use of optical fiber amplifiers, eliminating the requirement to amplify signals by first
converting them to electronic signals. Advances in polarization multiplexing has
resulted in a 1-Tb • S-1 (terabit per second) data signaling rate transmitted through a
nonzero-dispersion shift optical fiber. A 200-km (kilometer) transoceanic repeater
span at a data signaling rate of 20 Gb • S-1 (gigabits per second) has been achieved
using soliton transmission. Quantum laser boxes of coherent islands of highly trained
epitaxy with a lateral size of 10 nm (nanometers) to 20 nm and heights of between
1 nm and 6 nm. Vertical cavity amplifying photonic switches are being operated at
a wavelength of 1.55 ~m (microns) with a 14-dB gain and a lO-ps (picosecond)
switching (transition or commutation) time. Fiber optic blood oximeters measure the
amount of oxygen in blood in situ and thus eliminate the need to extract blood
samples. Transenvironmental fiber optic feedthroughs are operating at a pressure
differential of 15,000 psi (pounds per square inch) and a temperature range of -40°
to 325°F. In 1993, Bell Laboratories, now a part of Lucent Technologies, produced
the world's fastest and smallest silicon transistor, a O.I-~m (micron) device that
operates at room temperature. In 1994, they transmitted 40 Gb· S-1 (gigabits per
second) over a single optical fiber. This is equivalent to 2.5 million simultaneous
phone calls or their equivalent of a mix of voice, data, and video signals. Bell
Laboratories have produced arrays of lasers such that 10,000 of the lasers could fit
on the head of a pin and each could handle a pulse repetition rate of 350 Gp . S-1
(gigapulses per second). They have produced lasers that can be tailored to emit light
at nearly any wavelength over a very wide wavelength spectrum, introducing practical
wavelength division multiplexing. The light-carrying capacity of optical fibers is
being doubled every year. The per unit cost of data transmission and storage is being
reduced at an exponential rate. Lucent Technologies has developed a dense wavelength
division multiplexer (DWDM) that is used at the receiving end of a fiber optic link
to sort and route lightwave signals carried on eight channels, i.e., wavelengths, on a
single optical fiber. Each channel carries 2.5 Gp • S-1 (gigabits per second), or a total
of 20 Gp • S-1 on the single optical fiber. This is equivalent to transmitting 5000
novels in one second. The DWDM, the first commercial application-specific integrated
optical circuit (O-ASIC) produced by Lucent Technologies, uses optical waveguides