The fiber-optic patch cord is a fiber-optic cable capped at either end with connectors that allow it to be rapidly and conveniently connected to CATV, an optical switch or other telecommunication equipment. Its thick layer of protection is used to connect the optical transmitter, receiver, and the terminal box.
The fiber optic patch cord is constructed from a core with a high refractive index, surrounded by a coating with a low refractive index, that is strengthened by aramid yarns and surrounded by a protective jacket. Transparency of the core permits transmission of optic signals with little loss over great distances. The coating's low refractive index reflects light back into the core, minimizing signal loss. The protective aramid yarns and outer jacket minimizes physical damage to the core and coating.
The optical fiber patch cords are used in outdoor or indoor for connection to CATV, FTTH, FTTA, Fiber optic telecommunication networks, PON & GPON networks and fiber optic testing.
| Color |
Meaning |
| Orange |
Multi-mode optical fiber |
| Aqua |
OM3 or OM4 10 G laser-optimized 50/125µm multi-mode optical fiber |
| Erika violet |
OM4 multi-mode optical fiber (some vendors) |
| Lime green |
OM5 10 G + wideband 50/125µm multi-mode optical fiber |
| Grey |
Outdated color code for multi-mode optical fiber |
| Yellow |
Single-mode optical fiber |
| Blue |
Sometimes used to designate polarization-maintaining optical fiber |
Key Performance Features
Low insertion loss
High return loss
Good repeatability
Good interchange
Excellent environmental adaptability
MT-RJ Connector Specifications & Features
Acronym for Mechanical Transfer Registered Jack (MT-RJ).
A Fiber optic Cable Connector popular with small form factor devices due to its small size.
The connector houses two fibers and mates with locating pins on the plug.
The MT-RJ uses an improved version of an industry standard RJ-45 type latch. This combination of a small form factor connector with the familiar RJ-45 latching mechanism ensures the MT-RJ connector to be the perfect choice for horizontal cabling needs to the desk-top.
Increased port density.
Duplex mini-MT ferrule.
RJ-45 latching mechanism: easy to use.
Applications & Network Systems
FTTx (FTTA, FTTB, FTTO, FTTH, …)
Telecommunication networks
Fiber optic networks
Use to make optical fiber jumper or pigtail
Indoor riser level and plenum level cable distribution
Interconnect between instruments, communication equipment
Premise Infrastructure: Backbone, Horizontal
Local Area Networks (LAN's)
Device Terminations
Telecom
Multimode & Optical Fiber Cable Basics
Multimode optical fiber is a type of optical fiber mostly used for communication over short distances, such as within a building or on a campus. Multi-mode links can be used for data rates up to 100 Gbit/s.
Multimode fiber has a fairly large core diameter that enables multiple light modes to be propagated and limits the maximum length of a transmission link because of modal dispersion.
The fiber optic cable, also known as an optical fiber cable, is an assembly similar to an electrical cable, but containing one or more optical fibers that are used to carry light.
The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for the environment where the cable is used.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
❓ What is a fiber-optic patch cord used for?
A fiber-optic patch cord is used to rapidly and conveniently connect optical transmitters, receivers, CATV, optical switches, and other telecommunication equipment. It acts as a critical link in telecommunication networks, FTTH, and fiber optic testing.
❓ How does the color coding of optical fiber cables work?
The outer jacket color indicates the type of fiber. For example, yellow represents single-mode fiber, orange is for standard multi-mode, aqua designates OM3/OM4 10G laser-optimized multi-mode, and lime green is used for OM5 wideband multi-mode.
❓ What are the key features of an MT-RJ connector?
The MT-RJ connector features a small form factor ideal for high density, houses two fibers, and utilizes a familiar RJ-45 style latching mechanism, making it perfect for horizontal cabling systems to the desktop.
❓ What is the difference between single-mode and multimode fiber?
Multimode fiber has a larger core diameter that supports multiple light modes, making it suitable for short-distance communications (like within a building) up to 100 Gbit/s. Single-mode fiber has a smaller core and is used for longer distances.
❓ What are the typical physical protection layers of a fiber patch cord?
It is constructed with a high refractive index core, a low refractive index coating to reflect light and prevent loss, strengthening aramid yarns for physical protection, and an outer protective jacket to prevent damage.
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