Fiber Optic Patch Cable PC, APC or UPCPosted by Bella Tse on December 3rd, 2019 To make better contact between the ends of the two fibers, the ferrule end faces of the fiber optic patch cable is usually polishing into different structures. Standard polishing methods are PC, APC, and UPC. PC/APC/UPC represents the front end structure of the ceramic ferrule. Different fiber end face finishes UPC (Ultra Physical Contact) is based on the PC to optimize the end face polishing and surface finish, the end face looks more dome-shaped. The end face of the UPC connector is not entirely flat, and there is a slight arc to achieve more accurate connecting. APC (Angled Physical Contact). The end face of APC is usually polishing into an 8-degree angle. The 8° angled bevel makes the fiber end face tighter and reflects light through its beveled angle to the cladding instead of returning directly to the source, providing better connection performance. Different physical appearance Insertion loss and return loss Return loss, also known as reflection loss, is a parameter representing the signal reflection performance. Usually expressed in negative dB value, the higher the value of the setting, the better. The end faces of APC connectors are beveled, so the return loss of APC connectors is usually better than UPC connectors. In general, the return loss of the PC fiber cable is -40dB. UPC return loss is higher relative to PC, generally at -55dB (or even higher). APC industry-standard return loss is -65dB. With the UPC connector, any reflected light is directly reflected back to the light source. The beveled end face of the APC connector allows the reflected light at an angle into the cladding instead of reflecting it directly to the light sources. This is the main factor that causes the return loss to differ. Applications HYC has 19 years of experience in research and development of essential passive components for optical communications, supplying all kinds of fiber connectors and fiber patch cords for various specifications. HYC Co., Ltd(HYC)is, a national Hi-tech optoelectronics company engaged in R&D, manufacture, and marketing of fiber optical products. Providing professional products and services for fiber connectivity, WDM, PLC splitter, MEMS optical switch, and high-density datacom cabling. HYC products and solutions widely applied in 4G/5G, Data Center and Cloud Computing industry, etc. Like it? Share it!More by this author |