KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

ENGINEERING

LAB REPORT

On

OTDR (JDSU MTS - 4000)

Submitted By:
Anmol Kumar Gupta (41008)

Submitted To:
Assistant Prof. Anup Thapa

1st Feb, 2024

 Table of Contents
1. THEORY ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Principle ........................................................................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Losses parameter: .......................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2.1 Rayleigh scattering and Backscattering. ................................................................................................ 1
1.2.2 Fresnel Reflection .................................................................................................................................. 2
1.2.3 Absorption ............................................................................................................................................. 2
1.3 Adjustable parameters: .................................................................................................................................. 2
1.3.1 Pulse width ............................................................................................................................................ 2
1.3.2 Dead Zones ............................................................................................................................................ 2
1.3.3 Distance Range ...................................................................................................................................... 3
2. JDSU MTS 4000 OTDR ............................................................................................................................... 3
2.1 The Parameters of JDSU-MP OTDR ............................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Required Apparatus ....................................................................................................................................... 5
2.3 Result:............................................................................................................................................................ 5
3. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................. 5
1. THEORY:
The OTDR (Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer) is an essential fiber optic instrument employed for the
characterization, troubleshooting, and maintenance of optical telecommunication networks. It operates by
conducting a test that involves transmitting and analyzing pulsed laser light as it travels through an optical fiber.
This measurement is unidirectional, with the light introduced at the extremity of a fiber optic cable link. By
utilizing data derived from the reflected or scattered light signature back to the point of origin, the OTDR
functions akin to an optical radar system. It furnishes users with detailed insights into the precise location and
overall condition of splices, connections, defects, and other noteworthy features within the optical network.

Figure 1: OTDR

1.1 Principle
The accuracy and utility of OTDR testing would not be possible without the science that preceded it.
Understanding the physics behind the instrument provides invaluable insight into the working principles of OTDR.
When Albert Einstein theorized that electrons could be stimulated to emit a particular waveform, the seed of
possibility that would eventually lead to the first operational laser in 1960 was born. While the applications
envisioned at that time probably did not include worldwide telecommunications using fiber optics, this technology
has now become synonymous with twenty-first century connectivity. Over the years, many breakthrough
discoveries have been leveraged in the development of OTDR testers.

1.2 Losses parameter:

1.2.1 Rayleigh scattering and Backscattering.
When light photons scatter off molecules in the air, the resulting light waves visible on the Earth are predominantly
at the blue end of the spectrum because blue light is scattered more efficiently than red. When light is injected into
a fiber some of the photons of light are scattered in random directions due to microscopic particles in the fiber,
this effect is Rayleigh scattering. In addition, some of the light is scattered back in the opposite direction of the
transmitted light, this is referred to as backscattering. The predictable nature of Rayleigh scattering has been
leveraged as a fundamental working principle in OTDR technology. The volume of source light energy
backscattered to the detector provides a reliable indication of attenuation and signal (or optical) loss in the optical
fiber link.

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1.2.2 Fresnel Reflection
The properties of light reflection, characterized by optical physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel, predated the
discoveries of Rayleigh, but were equally important to the development of OTDR working principles. Fresnel
discovered the reflection coefficient which is a ratio of the reflected light wave amplitude relative to the original
source wave. He found that the reflection coefficient could be predicted for the interface of two materials based
on the respective refractive indices of these components. Fresnel reflection occurs when light reflects off a
boundary of two optically transmissive materials, each having a different refractive index. This boundary can
occur at a joint (connector or mechanical splice), at a non-terminated fiber end, or at a break. Since many events
of interest in an optical fiber link, such as splices, breaks, connections and terminations, all represent specific
material intersections such as glass and air, the Fresnel reflection equations can be used to determine the type,
location and intensity of these events.

1.2.3 Absorption
Another physical property that is integral to fiber optic performance is the absorption of the fiber. As the name
implies, a small percentage of the original light intensity is absorbed by internal impurities over the length of the
fiber core. The greater the purity of the fiber, the less absorption will occur, meaning a higher quality material will
result in less signal (or optical) loss. Since the elements that induce absorption are inherently non-reflective, they
would not be detected through Fresnel reflection measurements. Instead, the effects of absorption are captured
through the backscatter effect, as the light returning to the source is absorbed proportionally to the incident light.

1.3 Adjustable parameters:

With the wide variety of applications for OTDR testing, setting parameters accurately for the task at hand will
ensure accurate measurements. Using an auto-test function may be sufficient for some tests, but manual setting of
parameters is still advisable given the variation in length, type, and complexity of optical fiber runs. Once the
correct parameters for testing a given fiber run have been established, these OTDR testing configurations can be
recalled from an instrument’s memory the next time the same or similar run is evaluated.

1.3.1 Pulse width

Setting the adjustable pulse width determines the duration of the pulse being emitted into the fiber link. A shorter
pulse width is usually selected for shorter cable lengths, since this will maximize resolution, while minimizing
energy output. Short pulse widths are especially useful for evaluating segments of cable that are closer to the
OTDR. Since these shorter pulse widths will also produce shorter dead zones, you will have a greater ability to
detect events close to a connection or splice. Longer pulse width settings may be called for when testing a longer
cable run, since more optical energy is required to produce sufficient backscatter at great distances from the OTDR.

1.3.2 Dead Zones

When the OTDR detector becomes saturated by a highly reflective interface in the fiber link, the recovery period
for the OTDR translates to a distance from the event, known as a dead zone, which is essentially a portion of the
cable for which no data will be available. Air gaps, bad splices, flat fiber end faces (connectors or the fiber end)
and other incidences producing high Fresnel reflection are the usual causes of dead zones.

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1.3.3 Distance Range
In general, more accurate measurements are usually produced by averaging multiple repetitions of the same test.
This same principle holds true with OTDR measurements. Longer averaging times, translating to more repetitions
of the same test, will produce a measurement with an improved signal-to-noise ratio, but take longer to capture.
For conditions where accuracy and noise are less critical, a “real-time measurement”, with no averaging function,
could be sufficient. However, for circumstances where distance and loss data must be as precise as possible, longer
averaging times might be justified.

2. JDSU MTS 4000 OTDR

The JDSU-MP OTDR module provides the optimum performance that fiber installers and service providers need

Figure 2: JDSU company OTDR

to test metro cable TV (CATV) and FTTH network with high-port count splitters. With various wavelength
combinations including filtered wavelengths for in-service testing, an improved dynamic range, and optimized
resolution and dead zones at short pulses, the MP module is the ideal OTDR to test any PON system with up to a
1x128 splitting ratio. Standard testing features are included.

• Automatic macroband detection

• Summary results table with pass/fail analysis.
• Bidirectional OTDR analysis
• Fast Report on-board report generation

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2.1 The Parameters of JDSU-MP OTDR

Table 1: Parameters of OTDR JDSU-MP

Category Information
Weight 0.35Kg
Dimension 128*134*40mm
Interchangeable optical connectors FC, SC, DIN, LC and ST
Laser safety class(21 CFR) Class1
Distance Units Kilometers, feet, and miles
Group index range 1.30000 to 1.700000 in 0.000001 steps
Number of data points Up to 256000 data points
Distance measurement Automatic or dual cursor
Display range 0.5 to 256 Km
Cursor range 1Cm
Sampling resolution 4Cm
Accuracy +-1m +-sampling resolution +-1.10-5*distance

Measurement types Automatic, manual, 2-point,5-point,and LSA

Display range 1.25dB to 55dB
Display resolution 0.001dB
Cursor resolution 0.001dB
Linearity +-0.03dB/dB
Threshold 0.01 to 5.95dB in 0.01dB steps
Reflection accuracy +-2dB
Display resolution 0.01dB
Threshold -11 to -99 dB in 1dB steps

CW source output power level -3.5dBm

Power level range 0 to -55dBm
Central wavelength 1310+-20nm
1490+-20nm
1550+-20nm
1625+-20nm
1650+-20nm
Pulse width 3ns to 20us
RMS dynamic range 43dB,41dB,41dB,41dB,40dB
Event dead zone 80cm
Attenuation dead zone 4m

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2.2 Required apparatus:
• JDSU MTS 4000 (OTDR)
• Optical fiber
• Light source

2.3 Result:

The figure below shows the graph between the power and distance in single mode optical fiber. The insertion
loss at point A is 1.678dB and the attenuation in power at point B after 511.43m distance covered is 10.330dB,
so the overall loss in fiber is 12.007dB as we can see in display. From this result we can conclude that the
power of light inside fiber decreases exponentially with distance.

Figure 3:Lab result

3. CONCLUSION
In summary, the JDSU MTS 4000 OTDR equipment serves the purpose of identifying losses in single-mode
optical fiber by transmitting light through it. Through our examination with this device, we have assessed the
dissipation of power over distance in scenarios where no connectors are utilized. Furthermore, it computes losses
attributed to splices, connectors, bends, and other factors, offering a comprehensive analysis of the power link
budget in optical fiber communications.