Fiber Optic Expanded Beam Size 16 Termini

For most data and telecom fiber optic applications the physical contact (PC) concept is preferred for all indoor and even some outdoor applications. But when these connectors are subjected to a harsh environment, the performance of standard PC connectors has proven unreliable in many applications due to their sensitivity to contamination. The subject for this paper is the design of a small form factor expanded beam (EB) fiber optic contact pair suited for operation in a challenging environment. The contacts conform to the dimensional envelope of MIL-PRF-29504/4/5D and employ a separable lens unit design which provides the option for field-installable terminations. The EB concept typically exhibits a higher loss than the PC connection, but preliminary results of the new design indicate that the size 16 termini pair using 1.25mm lenses and ferrules yields a very good loss performance.