LAB MANUAL

Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

DC Characteristics of Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Photodiode and Phototransistor

LABORATORY MANUAL: TESTER LPS04

0. Introduction
0.1 Tester LPS04
0.2 Optoelectronic Components
0.3 AC Performances and Communication Applications
0.4 ST Connectorised FO LEDs, PIN Diodes and Phototransistors
0.5 Data Sheets on FO Components/ Cables/ Power meter Module
1. Experimental Set-up for Tester LSP04
1.1 Transmitter Section
1.2 Receiver Section
1.3 Optical Fiber Cable
2. Procedure for Measurements with Tester LPS04
3. Analysis of Recorded DC Measurements
3.1 Forward Voltage of Light Emitting Diodes.
3.2 Coupled Optical Power Pc and Conversion Efficiency of FO LEDs
3.3 DC Characteristics of FO PIN Diode and FO PT
Annexure I: SMA Connectorised Basic Optical Fiber Cables and Components
Annexure II: FO Module for Optical Power Measurements, Model PHM-R/STD

TELENET SYSTEMS,
203, Mehtab Arcade,
TARNAKA,
Secunderabad 500017
Email: info@telenet-systems.com
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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

0. Introduction
0.1 Tester LPS04
Tester LPS04 described here is an optimized set-up to conduct a comprehensive
study of all DC parameters of a set of fiber optic sources and detectors commonly
used in optical fiber communication systems. The studies cover fiber optic
components that have standard SMA connectors to couple with SMA-SMA
connectorised PMMA (plastic) optical fiber (POF) cables.
Tester LPS04 provides for study of fiber optic LEDs (660nm and 850nm), a PIN
photodiode and a phototransistor. It has a built-in optical power meter and the
associated power supplies. Apart from LPS04, the accessories required are (a)
SMA-SMA connectorised 1-metre PMMA cable and (b) 31/2-digit digital multi-meters
0.2 Optoelectronic Components
Optoelectronic components relating to optical fiber communication are described at
length in the prescribed text books and references. The actual devices employed in
LPS04 are sourced from reputed international manufacturers such as Siemens,
Optek, Osram etc. These affordable entry-level components have been in use
commercially for over 20 years now. The specific components are:
# SMA Connectorised FO LED at 660nm Wavelength, FO LED (660)
# SMA Connectorised FO LED at 850nm Wavelength, FO LED (850)
# SMA Connectorised FO PIN Photodiode, FO PIN
# SMA Connectorised FO Phototransistor, FOPT
We also source SMA connectorised FO Laser Diodes operating at 650nm suitable
for POF cables. These devices are however configured with additional circuitry for
intensity modulation (IM) experiments.
0.3 AC Performances and Communication Applications
It may be noted that the scope of Tester LPS04 is limited to DC studies only. AC
performances and communication applications of these components are covered in
other Testers in the same series. Optoelectronic components from the same family
are employed in the design and realization of the communication circuitry. These are
described in Testers ALS04 and EPS04 in the series
0.4 ST Connectorised FO LEDs, PIN Diodes and Phototransistors
We source a full range of ST connectorised FO LEDs (660nm and 850nm), FO PIN
diodes and FO phototransistors. These devices work with ST connectorised glass
multimode graded index and single mode optical fiber cables. It must be mentioned
that the glass fiber losses are very high at 660nm.
0.5 Data Sheets on FO Components/ Cables/ Power meter Module
These are included in Annexure I and Annexure II of this laboratory manual for ready
reference and use. It may be noted that actual results may vary from those shown in
the data sheets due to (a) component tolerance (b) wear and tear (c) accumulation
of dirt at the terminals.

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

1. Experimental Set-up for Tester LSP04

The Experimental set-up for LPS04 comprises 2 parts (a) transmitter section and (b)
the receiver section. The two sections are linked by the optical fiber cable. These are
explained in greater length below.

1.1 Transmitter Section This section has two SMA terminated fiber optic LEDs with
wavelengths 660nm and 850nm. The LEDs, designated as, FOLED (660nm) and
FOLED (850) are driven by identical linear current drivers that are controlled by the
SET If potentiometer. The LED forward current, If, is given by Vref/ 50. If is settable
in the range 0 to 25 mA. Vref is measured with a DMM. The voltage drop between
the anode and the cathode of the forward biased FOLEDs are measured across the
terminals marked VLED (660nm) and VLED (850nm). It may be mentioned that the
optical output from FOLED (850) will not be visible. The section is powered by a
separate 9 Vdc power pack. The regulated supply is 6Vdc.
1.2 Receiver Section This section has three SMA-terminated optoelectronic devices
(a) fiber optic PIN photodiode, FO PIN, (b) fiber optic phototransistor, FO PT and (c)
optical power meter marked Pw. The photocurrent, of the reverse biased FO PIN
diode resulting from light incident on its active photosensitive surface is measured by
recording the voltage, VPIN, across Rin1. Rin1 is fixed at 10Kohms in our
experiments. Likewise, the photocurrent of the FO phototransistor is measured by
recording the voltage VPT across Rin2. Rin2 is fixed at 100 ohms.
1.2.1 Power Measurement The optical port, Pw, facilitates measurement of optical
power decibels, dBm (referred to 1mw). The voltage (in mV) at the electrical
terminals Pw divided by 10, directly gives Pw in dBm
As an example, -100 mV measured across Pw is equivalent to -10.0 dBm of optical
power. This when converted to a linear value corresponds to 0.1 mw or 100 uW of
optical power. It is to be noted that the optical power meter has been calibrated at
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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

660nm. The power meter readings for other wavelengths will have to be corrected
manually, as described later.

1.3 Optical Fiber Cable The LEDs are connected to the receiver side through a 1metre PMMA cable terminated with SMA connectors. The loss in the cable has to
be taken into account to compute the optical power output at the LED ports. It is to
be noted that optical fiber loss varies with wavelength. Corrections for spectral
sensitivity are to be applied to obtain Pc are covered later.
All optical connections may please be done with extreme care as improper use
can damage the cable as well the devices, permanently.
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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

Procedure for Measurements with Tester LPS04

LPS04 is set up as shown in the schematics. Measurements will be done using 2 or

3 DMMs. The readings will be recorded in a single table, Table 2.1. For the purpose
of analysis this more tables will be constructed from this table.
Step1 Power the system up. Connect a DMM across VRef in the range 2000mV.
Adjust SET If knob and set VRef to 500mV. This corresponds to an If of 10 mA in the
FO LEDs. Connect one end of the FO cable to the FO LED 660 port.
Step2 Record the Vf for FO LED (660)

Step3 Connect the other end of the FO cable to the Pw Port. Note the power meter
reading, Pw. Please note that Pw in dBm= Pw (mV)/10
Step4 Next, shift the OF cable from Pw to the FO PIN port and record VPIN
Step5 Now shift the OF cable from FO PIN to the FO PT port and record VPT.
Step6 Repeat Step2 to Step6 other values of If ranging from 1mA to 30 mA.
Step7 Repeat the above steps for FO LED 850
Table 2.1 Readings Recorded
No
VRref
FO LED 660
Sl
mV
Vf
Pw
VPIN
mV
dBm
mV
1
10
2
20

VPT
mV

Vf
mV

FO LED 850
Pw
VPIN
dBm
mV

VPT
mV

2400
3000
If readings may be selected to cover the full range of the FO LEDs It may be noted
that Pw increases by 3db when If is doubled in the linear range. It also may be noted
that Pw increases by 10 dB when If increases by 10 times in the linear region.

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

3 Analysis of Recorded DC Measurements

New tables are created from Table 2.1 to study all the DC parameters of the
optoelectronic devices under consideration.
3.1 Forward Voltage of FO Light Emitting Diodes.
From a quick look at Table 3.1.1, it is observed that Vf of FO light emitting diodes
increases with the forward current If. This is as expected. It is also observed that Vf
is different for different wavelengths. This is also as expected.
Vf assumes significance in that the overall power conversion efficiency of an LED is
inversely proportional to it. The overall power conversion efficiency of an FO LED is
given by pc Pc/Pe where Pc is the optical power in mw coupled to the optical fiber
and Pe is the electrical power across the device. In the present context Pe = Vf X If.
Detailed discussions on this aspect is covered later.
In realization of practical electronic LED drive circuits, Vf is a parameter that needs
close attention. With use of low voltage power supplies in modern circuits, V f itself
may be close to the system power supply. Display of Vf in some communication
systems, facilitates monitoring of optical power output from an FO LED
Table 3.1.1 Vf as a function of If
If=VREF/50
FO LED 660
(mA)
Vf (mV)
Pe= (Vf*If)
(mW)
1.0

FO LED 850
Vf (mV)
Pe= (Vf*If)
(mW)

32.0
Inference Plot 3.1.1 represents a typical Vf If curve from one of our standard Tester
LPS04. As will be observed from the graph, Vf increases gradually but non-linearly
with If. The band gap for FO LED 660 is higher than that of FO LED 850. This is
reflected in the Vf of the LEDs. By monitoring Vf of a LED used in a communication
circuit, it is possible to indirectly determine its optical power output from this plot.

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

3.2 Coupled Optical Power Pc and Conversion Efficiency of FO LEDs

The optical power coupled into the cable Pc, at the FO LED port, for a given If is an
important parameter in designing communication systems. Most FO LEDs have a
region where the coupled optical power Pc is linearly related to the forward current If.
Analog optical transmission systems employ this region for distortion free
transmission of analog signals, using linear intensity modulation (IM) techniques.
Two wavelengths, namely, 660nm and 850nm have been selected for our studies.
660nm is a standard operating wavelength for PMMA FO cables, with losses in the
region 0.15 to 0.2 db per metre. 850nm is better suited for glass multimode fibers
with core cladding ratios of 50/125 and 62.5/125 (microns) with losses less than 3 to
4 db per km. In our studies, we have chosen an 850nm LED despite a loss of
2.2db/metre in a PMMA fiber, only for the purpose of comparison with a 660nm LED.
To compute Pc, we need to apply two corrections to Pw, which is the power incident
at the power meter port. Firstly, the loss in the connecting cable is to be corrected
for. Loss in the cable is dependent on the cable length and wavelength of the FO
LED. Secondly, spectral sensitivity corrections for the power meter sensor are to be
applied. The optical power meter has been calibrated at 660nm. For other
wavelengths, suitable corrections are to be applied. These are discussed later. In
this analysis, we will study the linearity of Pc as a function of If in three ways.
Firstly, we will plot Pc (dBm) vs If on a semi-logarithmic graph sheet and study the
linearity.
Secondly, to study the linearity on a linear scale we will convert Pc in dBm into its
linear equivalent value in micro-watts (uw) and plot Pc (uw) Vs If on a linear graph.
The linear optical power coupled into the fiber, Pc (uW) is computed from the
equation:
Pc (uw) = log-1 {0.1 X Pc (dbm)} x 1000

Eq 3.2.1

Thirdly, to study the linearity on a linear scale, we will use the VPIN vs If data recorded
for the PIN Diode. Please note that the optical power meter sensor and FO PIN
Diode employed in the experiment are identical. The linear optical power coupled
into the fiber is given by:
Pc (uw) = k x VPIN (mA)

Eq 3.2.2

We obtain k by solving Eq 3.2.1 and Eq 3.2.2 for a representative value of If (say

10mA) that falls in the mid linear region of the FO LED. The dimension of k is
current; we will designate k660 & k850 for FO LED 660 and FO LED 850 respectively.
In this analysis, we will also assess the overall power conversion efficiency of the FO
LED. A small fraction of the electrical energy is converted to optical power.
The electrical power across the FO LED is given by the equation
Pe= If x Vf

Eq 3.2.3

The overall power conversion efficiency as a percentage is given by

pc

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Pc/Pe x100

Eq 3.2.4

LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

Table 3.2.1 Coupled Power Pc & Conversion Efficiency,

If (mA) =
VREF/100

Pc(dBm)=
Pw+0.4

Pc (uw) =
log-1 {0.1 X Pc (dbm)} x 103

pc,

of FO LED 660

Pc(uw) =
K660*VPIN

pc (%)
Pc/Pe *100

32
Note1: The power meter is calibrated by the manufacturer at 660nm to read optical
power directly in dBm and hence requires no correction for spectral sensitivity.
Note2: The typical loss in a PMMA cable is around 0.18 db per meter at 660 nm with
a connector loss of 0.2 db. We assume a total cable loss of 0.4 db for the 660nm
LED for a 1-metre PMMA cable.
Note3: k660 will be computed at If= 10 mA. In the example k660=

mA

Table 3.2.2 Coupled Power Pc & Conversion Efficiency, pc, of FO LED 850
If (mA) =
Pc(dBm)=
Pc (uw) =
Pc(uw) =
pc (%)
-1
3
log
{0.1
X
P
c (dbm)} x 10
VREF/100
Pw+0.9
K850*VPIN
Pc/Pe *100
1

32
Note1The spectral sensitivity of the power meter detector at 850nm is +1.5db as
compared to that at 660nm. A correction of -1.5 db is hence applied.
Note2 Loss per metre of PMMA fiber at 850nm is 2.2 db. We assume a total loss of
2.4 db for a 1-metre PMMA cable. Manufactures of PMMA cables do not specify fiber
attenuation at 850nm as the losses above 700nm are very high. The loss shown
here is derived from measurements made with 5-metre and 10-metre reference
cables at 850nm.
Note3: k850 will be computed at If= 10 mA. In this example k850=

mA

Inferences
From Table 3.2.1 and Table 3.2.2 we plot the following graphs: Plot 3.2.1, Plot 3.2.2
and Plot 3.2.3.
Plots 3.2.1 and Plot 3.2.2 pertain to the linearity of coupled optical power with I f.
Plot 3.2.3 pertains to the overall conversion efficiency of the LEDs against If
All computations in the tables have been done using MS Office Excel and all graphs
have been plotted employing a free graph software.

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

Inferences
The above is the plot of a typical set of FO LEDs operating at 660nm and 850nm.
If is represented on a log X-axis. Pc (dBm) is on a linear Y-axis.
From the graph it is clear that the Pc varies linearly with If over a wide range in both
the FO LEDs.
The two curves run almost parallel for the entire range of measurement

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

Inferences
Plot 3.2.2 comprises 4 curves namely, Pc (uW) and Pc (uW) for FO LED 660 and FO
LED 850 represented on the linear Y-axis against If represented on the X-axis.
It may be noted that except for minor deviations, the coupled power P c or Pc vary
linearly with If, over the If range of 2 to 20 mA..
The PIN Diode and the sensor of the optical power meter have identical linear
properties, except for one measurement with the FO LED 660nm at 24 mA. This
could even be due to a measurement error.
The slope in the usable Linear Intensity Modulation (IM) range of If= 5mA - 15mA is
65uW/mA for FO LED 660. The corresponding slope for FO LED 850 is 24uW/mA.

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

Inferences
Plot 3.2.3 gives a linear representation of the overall conversion efficiency of optical
coupled power as a function of the FO LED forward current.
It may be seen that for FO LED 660, over a wide range of current remains flat and
constant. However with increasing current, we observe a droop for FO LED 850.
Over the If range of 5mA to 15 mA is approximately 0.33% for FO LED 660,
whereas for FO LED 850 it is around 0.19 %.

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

3.3 DC Characteristics of FO PIN Diode and FO PT

The FO PIN photodiode and the FO phototransistor are two popular optical detectors
used in low end optical communication systems. These devices have varying
spectral range, spectral photosensitivity, dark currents, radiant sensitive areas etc. In
both devices, the photocurrent varies linearly with the incident optical power over a
specified operational region. This facilitates use of these devises in demodulation of
intensity modulated incident optical input. While a phototransistor, when configured
as an emitter follower, provides for high photocurrent IPT, and optimum bandwidth,
the photocurrent from an FO PIN diode, IPIN is much lower but it facilitates high
speed operations due to its low junction capacitance
The phototransistor when configured as an emitter follower with a load resistance
Rin2 will be satisfactory for most IM demodulation applications. In the experiment
Rin2= 100 . The photo diode will require a preamplifier stage. In this experiment we
have used only a resistor Rin1= 10K
In this analysis we will study the photocurrents of FO PIN, IPIN, and FO PT, IPT, as
functions of incident optical power Pin at the respective ports. Pin will be derived from
Pw taking into account the corrections required for the spectral sensitivity of the
optical power meter.
Table 3.3.1 Photocurrents of FO PIN Diode and FO PT at 660nm
Pin(dBm)=
Pin (uw) =
IPIN(uA) =
IPT(mA)
log-1 {0.1 X Pin (dbm)} x 103
Pw+0.0
VPIN/10
VPT(mV)/100

Note1: The power meter is calibrated by the manufacturer at 660nm to read optical
power directly in dBm and hence requires no correction for spectral sensitivity.
Table 3.3.2 Photocurrents of FO PIN Diode and FO PT at 850nm
Pin(dBm)=
Pin (uw) =
IPIN(uA) =
IPT(mA)
log-1 {0.1 X Pin (dbm)} x 103
Pw+1.5
VPIN/10
VPT(mV)/100

Note1The spectral sensitivity of the power meter detector at 850nm is +1.5db as

compared to that at 660nm. A correction of -1.5 db is hence applied.
The above tables have readings drawn from Table 2.1

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

Inferences
Plot 3.3.1 displays the response of the FO PIN Diode and FP PT to incident optical
power at 660nm and 850 nm.
While the linear incident power Pin is shown on the X-axis, the photocurrents from
the FO PIN Diode and FO PT are displayed on the Y-axis. On the Y-axis, the
photocurrent IPIN is in uA. Please note that on the Y-axis, the photocurrent I PT is in
mA.
The common feature of all the 4 graphs is that the photocurrent varies linearly with
the optical input power
For 660 nm the slopes of the curves for the FO PIN and the FO PT in the P in range
of 70 to 90 uW are 0.5 uA/uW and 185 uA/uW, respectively. It may be seen that the
current gain of the FO PT is 370 times that of the FO PIN Diode at 660nm.
For 850nm the slopes of the curves for FO PIN and FO PT at Pin=20 uw are 0.7
uA/uW and 190 uA/uW repectively

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

ANNEXURE I
SMA Connectorised Basic Optical Fiber Cables and Components
1. General Information
For 20 years, Telenet Systems have been manufacturing a wide range of affordable
but professional SMA connectorised optical fiber cables, optical sources and optical
detectors that cater to a number of industrial and educational applications. These
well-documented products facilitate experimenters and professional users to design
a variety of fiber optics systems on their own, that include laboratory trainers.
Conversion of existing electrical systems to optical fiber systems is possible using
these devices and cables. While the full range is low-priced, there is no compromise
in the quality, reliability and standardisation. The cables / components covered in this
data sheet are
#
#
#
#
#
#

SMA-SMA Connectorised PMMA Cable

SMA Connectorised Light Emitting Diode @ Wavelength of 660nm
SMA Connectorised Light Emitting Diode @ Wavelength of 850 nm
SMA Connectorised Light Emitting Diode @ Wavelength of 950 nm
SMA Connectorised Phototransistor
(400nm to 1100nm)
SMA Connectorised Photo PIN Diode (400nm to 1100nm)

2.0 SMA-SMA Connectorised PMMA Cables

The SMA-SMA connectorised cable or patch cord, with PMMA fiber, finds application
in short distance analog and digital signal transmission. The step index fiber has a
large area of cross section and a high numerical aperture, facilitating easy coupling
with transmitting and receiving devices. Light is guided along a fiber of one millimeter
approximately to distances of a few tens of metres.
2.1 Specifications of PMMA Cable
#
Core Material:
#
Cladding Material:
#
Fiber Structure:
#
Core/Cladding Diameter:
#
Core Refractive Index:
#
Cladding Refractive Index:
#
Numerical Aperture:
#
Acceptance Angle:
#
Attenuation at 660nm:
#
Jacket Material:
2.2 Spectral Attenuation of a PMMA Fiber

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polymethyl methacylate
Fluorinated polymer
Step index type
960u/1000u
1.492
1.405 to 1.417
0.5 (typical)
55 to 60 degrees
Typical 0.2-0.3dB/m
Polythene (black) 2.2mm OD

LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

2.3 Cable Ordering Information:

#
OF Cable PMMA-0.5
Half metre PMMA cable/ SMA-SMA connector
#
OF Cable PMMA-1.0
One metre PMMA cable with SMA-SMA connector
#
OF Cable PMMA-2.0
Two metre PMMA cable with SMA-SMA connector
#
OF Cable PMMA-3.0
Three metre PMMA cable with SMA-SMA connect
#
OF Cable PMMA-5.0
Five metre PMMA cable with SMA-SMA connector
3.0 SMA Connectorised Light Emitting Diode with Wavelength of 660 nm
The optical fiber Light Emitting Diode (LED), operating at 660nm, couples around -10
to-13 dBm of optical power into a 1000 micron PMMA fiber. The LED is terminated
with an optical SMA 905 connector made of glass-filled nylon and is panel
mountable. The LED is suitable for speeds over 1MHz.
3.1 Specifications of FO LED(660nm)
#
Peak Wavelength
:
#
Forward Voltage (Vf)
;
#
Reverse Voltage (Vr)
:
#
Forward Current (max)
:
#
Coupled Optical Power
:
#
#
#

Case Dimensions
Electrical Leads
Ordering Code

:
:
:

660nm with spectral width of 45nm

1.9V at @If=10 ma
5 Volts
20 ma (avg)
-10 to -13 dbm @ If=10ma into
PMMA cable
Case of 11mm dia/20mm length
Black (CA)/Red(AN) /Teflon insulated
Light Emitting Diode SMA/660

4.0 SMA Connectorised Light Emitting Diode with Wavelength of 850 nm

The SMA (905) connectorised Light Emitting Diode-850nm is an infrared light source
operating at a wavelength of 850nm. The specifications are:
4.1 Specifications of FO LED(850nm)
#
Peak Wavelength
#
Coupled Optical Power
#
Forward Voltage
#
Reverse breakdown
#.
Case Dimensions
#.
Electrical Leads
#
Ordering Code

:
:
:
:
:
:
:

850 nm with spectral width of 50nm

-15 to -12 dbm @ If=10ma
1.7 Vdc (typical)
5 Vdc
Case of 11mm dia/20mm length
Black (CA)/Green (AN) /Teflon
Light Emitting Diode SMA/850

5.0 SMA Connectorised Light Emitting Diode with Wavelength of 950 nm

The SMA (905) connectorised Light Emitting Diode-950nm is an infrared light source
operating at a wavelength of 950nm. The specifications are:
5.1 Specifications of FO LED(890nm)
#
Peak Wavelength
#
Coupled Optical Power
#
Forward Voltage
#
Reverse breakdown
#.
Case Dimensions
#.
Electrical Leads
#
Ordering Code

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:
:
:
:
:
:
:

950 nm with spectral width of 50nm

-15 to -12 dbm @ If=10ma
1.5 Vdc (typical) @ If=10ma
5 Vdc
Case of 11mm dia/20mm length
Black (CA)/Yellow (AN) /Teflon
Light Emitting Diode SMA/950

LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

6.0 SMA Connectorised Phototransistor (400nm to 1100nm)

The device is a wideband optical receiver with high responsivity at 660nm, when
coupled to a 1 mm PMMA fiber. The device is terminated with an optical SMA
connector made of glass-filled nylon. The phototransistor is suitable for speeds over
500kHz.
6.1 Specifications of FO Phototransistor
#
Peak Responsivity
:
#
Spectral Range
:
#
Dark current
:
#
Sensitivity @660nm
:
#
CE Breakdown Voltage
:
#
EC Breakdown Voltage
:
#
Rise/Fall Time (100ohms)
:
#
Case Dimensions
:
#
Electrical Leads
:
#
Ordering Code
:

850 nm
400 to 1100 nm
100 na (max)
1.5 to 2 V @ -10dbm/ Rin=100 ohms
30 V (min)
5 V (min)
1 us (typ) for Rin=100 ohms
Case of 11mm dia/20mm length
Red(C)/ Blue (E) /Teflon insulated
Phototransistor SMA/WB

7.0 SMA Connectorised Photo PIN Diode (400nm to 1100nm)

The fiber optic PIN photodiode is a high speed device with a metal SMA connector.
The specifications are as given below:
7.1 Specifications of FO Photo PIN Diode
#
Sensitivity @ 660nm
:
#
Spectral range
:
#
Dark Current
:
#
Peak Response
:
#
Rise Time and Fall Time
:
#.
Case Dimensions
:
#.
Electrical Leads
#
Ordering Code
:

40- 50 mV @ -10dbm/Rin=1kohm
400-1100 nm
2 na (typ)
850 nm
20ns
Case of 11mm dia/20mm length
Red (A)/Green(C) /Teflon insulated
Photo PIN Diode SMA/WB

8.0
Typical Test Set-up
For the circuit given below, the output will be in the range shown. The readings are
typical and will vary from piece to piece. This is given for a typical 660nm FO LED
and FO phototransistor.

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LAB MANUAL
Tester LPS04: DC Characteristics Fiber Optic LEDs, PIN Diode & Phototransistor

ANNEXURE II
Fiber Optic Micromodule for Optical Power Measurements, Mdel PHM-R/STD
1. General Information
The fiber optic micromodule, PHM-R/STD comprises an encapsulated panel
mountable device that receives optical power through a multimode step index plastic
fiber at 660nm (or other multimode GI glass fibers such as 50/125, 62.5/125,
100/140, 200/230 etc) and converts it into an electrical voltage that is equivalent to
the optical power measured in dBm. The FO module employs SMD technology to
achieve a high degree of reliability and compactness. Teflon leads (5 in all) provide
for easy integration with other circuitry. The device requires only a few external
components to realise desired functions. The industry standard fiber otpic SMA
connector (optical terminal) provides for rugged and consistently repeatable
operations. The power meter operates from a single 6Vdc source.
2 Specifications of PHM-R/STD
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Wavelength Calibrated
Fiber Types
Detector
Wavelength Range
Optical Connector
Power Range
Accuracy

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:
:
:
:
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660nm
PMMA/Glass
Si PIN Diode
400 to 1100 nm
SMA 905
-5dbm--55.0
+/- 0.3 dB

(Note: 0 dBm corresponds to 1 milliwatt and -60dBm corresponds to 1nanowatt of optical power)

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Power Supply
Vout(mV)/10
Ordering Code

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6Vdc
Power in dBm
Micromodule PHM- R/STD

Note
PHM-R/STD is calibrated based on the device specifications provided by the device
manufacturer. It is not calibrated against National/International standards. The user
may recalibrate the module to any standard that he desires, setting the trimmer
shown in the figure above.

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