System for testing optical fibers

US4212537A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Unied States Department of Energy · US

Inventors

• John Golob · Olathe, US
• Larry D. Looney · Los Alamos, US
• Peter B. Lyons · Los Alamos, US
• Melvin A. Nelson · Lompoc, US
• Terence J. Davies · Lompoc, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 24, 1978
• Grant date: Jul 15, 1980
• Expiry date: Oct 24, 1998

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04B10/071
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A system for measuring a combination of optical transmission properties of fiber optic waveguides. A polarized light pulse probe is injected into one end of the optical fiber. Reflections from discontinuities within the fiber are unpolarized whereas reflections of the probe pulse incident to its injection remain polarized. The polarized reflections are prevented from reaching a light detector whereas reflections from the discontinuities reaches the detector.