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FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions for the AC3005 System

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Why should I chose the Norland AC3005 system for measuring multifiber connectors?
Polishing multifiber connectors such as MT and MiniMT is an extremely complex process. The Norland AC 3005 Automated Interferometer System simplifies this process by providing immediate feedback on the 3D geometry of the polished end face, including essential information on the fiber protrusion and endface angle. This detailed information provides vital quality control and quality assurance to guarantee you and your customer a consistent, high quality product with outstanding long term performance. The AC3005 is a proven system recommended by the leading suppliers of MT ferrules for controlling their process, including US Conec and NTT Advanced Technology. Hundreds of satisfied customers are using it every day. The advantage of the AC3005 is its ease of use, accuracy, and repeatability. Many novel features described below such as Optimized Optics for magnification and resolution, Multiple Image Overlay Software, patented True Angle Connector Mounts, Confirmed Accuracy on Angle Measurements, and NIST traceable standards make our system distinct. When you think of interferometric testing for fiber optics, our equipment is the standard to which all others are compared.
How does the 3005 get 3D information about the surface?
The 3005 uses a Michelson Interferometric Lens which reflects coherent light off the connector surface and combines it with light reflected off a reference mirror to form constructive and destructive interference patterns on the magnified image. These interference patterns or fringes form a contour map on the surface with the dark fringes showing steps of ˝ of a wavelength distance down the surface. A piezo is used to move the objective lens causing the interference fringes to move across the surface. By following the changes as the fringes shift across the surface, the 3005 is able to assign a height to every single point of the surface which gives it a complete 3D map. With this information any geometric measurement of the end face can be calculated.
What is the difference between red light and white light analysis?
The 3005 has the ability to analyze surfaces using either red light or white light. This gives the customer the maximum versatility for the system. Red light or Monochromatic Light is very fast and useful for measuring smooth, continuous surfaces. A single wavelength of light is more coherent and causes interference over a wider range so that fringes will appear over the entire area being analyzed. Red light analysis assumes that every fringe is ˝ a wavelength above or below the adjacent fringe. It is not able to analyze rough surfaces or surfaces with sudden changes in height.

Most multifiber connectors have a very rough surface and need to be analyzed with white light. White light or broadband analysis has lower coherence and provides an interference pattern with just a few fringes visible on the surface to be measured. With white light, the objective lens is moved so that the fringes shift or scan down from the top to the bottom of the surface - appearing and disappearing depending on the differences in height. After the scan is complete, the instrument is able to assign a height to every point even if it is a rough surface or shows step heights. White light will always give the “True View” of the surface.

How does the 3005 system handle wide connectors larger than the field of view?
With a field of view of 1560 microns, the 3005 is able to map the region of interest for a MiniMT ferrule in a single scan. For larger surfaces such as MT ferrules the system uses Multiple Image Overlay software which programs it to scan one section of the connector then automatically move to the next section. After the complete surface has been analyzed, the multiple sections are combined into a complete image of the connector. The 1560 micron field of view is optimal for providing detailed information on the individual fibers as well as the entire region of interest. This is extremely versatile as fiber counts expand to multiple rows, because the system is capable of measuring up to 6 rows high of fibers.
How does the system find the fibers on the connector?
The 3005 system is different from all other systems in that it can measure connectors with the fibers flat polished, protruded, recessed or missing from the connector. The system is programmed to find the fibers by employing a state-of-the-art fiber detection algorithm. By having the operator align on an initial feature such as the guide hole or the fibers on one side of the ferrule, the computer is able to locate the position of all the fibers across the entire connector, regardless of how well the fiber was initially centered in the template. No other manufacturer has this capability.
How does the system measure fiber protrusion?
With “IEC FIT” selected in the Setup Menu, the 3005 follows the IEC/TIA* fiber optic test procedure for multifiber end face measurements. Fiber protrusion is typically desired for most connectors to perform their best. Basically, it calculates the best fit plane for the defined Region of Interest using 20% of the highest points across the surface. The fiber protrusion is the perpendicular distance from this plane to the center of the individual fibers. See the appendix of our 3005 manual for more details on the IEC /TIA test procedure.

If “IEC FIT” is not selected in Setup then the best fit plane is calculated from all the points across the surface.

How does the system measure the angle of polish?
The IEC/TIA procedure requires that the angle of polish for the connector be measured in reference to the plane perpendicular to the average axis of the two guide holes. The 3005 uses our patented True Angle Connector Mounts which use integral guide pins for holding the connectors in alignment. The pins are held on a precision aperture plate at the bottom of the mount which allows for viewing of connector in the region of interest. Inserting the connector simply requires sliding it into the mount and onto the guide pins. No other system on the market today is as simple or easy to use. This is similar to the alignment of two connectors that are being mated in a bulkhead or in a termination. Aperture plates are also available with holes for connectors with pins so all ferrules and connectors both male and female, flat or angled can be measured
What needs to be calibrated in the system to assure accurate angle measurements?
Since the 3005 is a Michelson Interferometer, it uses a mirror located on the side of the objective lens as a reference. This mirror is adjusted once at the beginning of the session so that it is relatively parallel to the “ideal” end face which is the plane perpendicular to the guide holes/pins located in the connector. The final calibration is done with software in which a connector is measured in two positions, 180° apart. From these measurements, the computer calculates the “True Angle” at which the connector is being held and is able to use that information to accurately calculate the angle for every measurement with that mount. No other system offers this precision and accuracy.
Which mounts do I need to use to measure connectors?
If you are polishing MT or MiniMT ferrules, then you need to use our “True Angle” Ferrule Mounts with aperture plate and pins. If you are measuring assembled connectors, then you need the appropriate “True Angle” Connector Mount with aperture plate and pins. If the connector has guide pins installed, then the appropriate connector mount would be ordered with an aperture plate with holes. We also provide as a standard product an Edge Alignment Mount which aligns the ferrule by using the outside edges of the ferrule similar to the way that they are held in the polishing fixture. The entire ferrule endface is in view and the surface can be mapped from guide hole to guide hole. Since the ideal end face should be perpendicular to the guide hole axis, this method assumes that the outside edges are parallel to the guide holes. This method is ideal when it is desired to hold the ferrule in an extremely rigid fashion.
What standards are available to guarantee the performance of the 3005?
Norland Products understands that no system can give the customer confidence in its measurements without accurate standards. We provide a number of standards that assure the user of this accuracy. 0° MT Metal Reference Ferrule P/N A801129 – The MT metal reference is a duplicate of an MT connector made of stainless steel and the end face is polished to an accuracy of 0.01° perpendicular to the sides. This reference is used with the Edge Alignment Mount to set the mirror level (parallel) to the end face of the reference.

Magnification Calibration Standard - The magnification of the system should not change since the optics are fixed. It is still necessary to have a standard to confirm the correct performance of the system. The magnification calibration standard which is supplied with every system is an MT ferrule polished flat and to a mirror like surface. Using the magnification calibration scan mode in the setup, the NC3005 system maps the ferrule and locates the edges of the guide holes. It then calculates the center of the guide holes and calculates a magnification factor with the knowledge the distance between guide holes is 4600 microns.

0/8° NIST Traceable Angle Standard - This glass optical surface has a 0° and 8° surface to check the calibration of the variable tilt stage. This guarantees that when the variable tilt stage is set to 8°, it is accurate to within 0.01°.