Optical Time Domain Reflectometer OTDR

Optical time domain reflectometers, OTDRs, use the same time domain reflectometry technology as electrical versions, but applied to optical fibres to locate breaks and issues with fibre systems.

Time domain reflectometer, TDR, includes:
TDR basics     Optical TDR    

An optical time domain reflectometer enables problems, faults and other issues to be located on optical fibres

Essentially an optical time domain reflectometer, OTDR is the equivalent of an electronic TDR, but for optical fibres.

The OTDR operates by generating and injecting a series of optical pulses into a fibre. It then receives and analyses the light that is scattered by Rayleigh backscatter or reflected back from points along the fibre.

The returned light can then be analysed to characterise the cable and identify and locate any problems, breaks or other issues that may exist.

The strength of the return pulses is measured and integrated as a function of time, and plotted as a function of fibre length.

Ian Poole   Written by Ian Poole .
  Experienced electronics engineer and author.



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