OFS has introduced LaserWave FLEX Multimode Fiber, a bend-optimized 50 micron OM4/OM3 multimode fiber designed for use in data center, high performance computing, and enterprise LAN applications. The reduced bending loss exhibited by the fiber at a bend radius as low as 7.5 mm brings outstanding bend performance to OFS’ industry-leading LaserWave 550/300 Fibers. The new fiber offers extremely low bending loss at both 850 nm and 1300 nm. It also has a maximum attenuation of 2.2 dB/km at the popular 850 nm operating window, the lowest loss for bend-optimized fibers on the market.
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Multimode fiber, used primarily in local area networks, data centers and high performance computing, can be as susceptible to bending loss as single-mode fiber. As multimode fiber moves deeper into the network, installations are becoming larger and fiber density is increasing. Jumper management becomes an issue, and maintaining proper bend radii throughout the installation becomes more difficult. LaserWave FLEX Bend-Optimized Fiber can withstand a tighter bend than standard fiber, allowing clear transmission of data even with two loops as small as 7.5 mm radius (compared to a 37.5 mm radius on standard multimode fiber).
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OFS’ AllWave FLEX ZWP Single-Mode Fiber is the only Zero Water Peak G.652D fiber to offer outstanding bend performance for Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH), enterprise networks, or any application where small bend diameters may be encountered. Zero Water Peak fibers eliminate the loss caused by the water peak normally found in the E band. This allows transmission in this previously unusable portion of the spectrum and supports bandwidth growth while further lowering signal loss.
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Optical fibers would not be practical if they needed to be kept perfectly straight to guide light. However, deviations from a straight path ("bends") can cause light to scatter from the core of the optical fiber. Bends fall into two categories: macrobends are bends that are large enough to be seen by the human eye, and microbends are microscopic deviations along the fiber axis. An example of a macrobend is the routing of a fiber in a splice tray, or a jumper in a patch panel; a microbend could be caused by the cable jacket squeezing the fiber as it contracts at very low temperatures, or cinching a cable tie too tight around a cable bundle. Both types of bends can result in increased attenuation that can degrade system performance. OFS bend-optimized fibers excel in both types of bend performance, enabling smaller enclosures and novel cable designs.

... OFS will be a sponsor and presenter of a free webcast from Pennwell Publishing on “Cabling Comparisons: Unshielded Copper, Shielded Copper, Multimode Fiber.” The webcast is scheduled for April 1 beginning at 1:00 EDT. OFS’ John Kamino, multimode fiber product manager, will discuss the latest developments in multimode fiber-optic cabling, including the finalization of the OM4 specifications.
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... David Mazzarese, OFS global manager of optical fiber technical marketing, has been elected vice chair of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Engineering Subcommittee on Optical Systems (TR 42.11), which addresses both multimode and single-mode systems including parameters for both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint transmission.