Luciol Instruments LOR-200 User manual

LOR-200/220
LOR-200/220
User’s Manual

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Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... 3
1QUICK GUIDE .................................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS .......................................................................................................................4
1.2 NOTES .................................................................................................................................................4
2HARDWARE OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................. 5
2.1 THE FRONT PANEL..................................................................................................................................5
2.2 THE OPTICAL PORT .................................................................................................................................5
2.3 THE COMMUNICATION PORTS ..................................................................................................................6
2.4 THE POWER CONNECTOR.........................................................................................................................7
2.5 CHARGING THE BATTERY..........................................................................................................................8
2.6 CHANGING THE BATTERY .........................................................................................................................8
3SOFTWARE TOOLS .......................................................................................................................... 9
3.1 THE ON-SCREEN KEYBOARD .....................................................................................................................9
4OTDR SOFTWARE OVERVIEW.......................................................................................................... 9
4.1 THE MENU FUNCTIONS .........................................................................................................................10
4.1.1 The File Menu .........................................................................................................................10
4.1.2 The Analysis Menu ..................................................................................................................10
4.1.3 The Help Menu........................................................................................................................10
4.2 THE TABS............................................................................................................................................10
4.2.1 The Trace Tab .........................................................................................................................10
4.2.2 The Event Table Tab................................................................................................................12
4.2.3 The Settings Tab .....................................................................................................................13
4.2.4 The ID Tab...............................................................................................................................16
5MAKING MEASUREMENTS ............................................................................................................ 16
5.1 GENERAL MEASUREMENT SETUP..............................................................................................................16
5.1.1 Setting pulse-width and resolution.........................................................................................16
5.1.2 Setting the index of refraction ................................................................................................18
5.1.3 Setting the Rayleigh backscatter coefficient...........................................................................19
5.2 EXAMPLE MEASUREMENT SESSIONS..........................................................................................................20
5.2.1 Fiber loss measurement..........................................................................................................20
5.2.2 Single event analysis - Insertion loss and reflectance .............................................................21
5.2.3 2-point loss measurement ......................................................................................................22
5.2.4 Length measurements ............................................................................................................22
5.2.5 Testing a passive optical network (PON) ................................................................................24
5.2.6 Comparing traces....................................................................................................................26
5.2.7 Auto event detection and the event table ..............................................................................28
6CREATING REPORTS, PRINTING RESULTS ...................................................................................... 30
7VISUAL FAULT LOCATOR (OPTION) ............................................................................................... 31
8OPTICAL POWER METER (OPTION)................................................................................................ 31
9WAVELENGTH TUNABLE OTDR...................................................................................................... 33
9.1 SETTING THE WAVELENGTH ....................................................................................................................33
A. SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 34
A.1. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................................................................34
A.2. OPTICAL SPECIFICATIONS LOR-200.....................................................................................................35
A.3. OPTICAL SPECIFICATIONS LOR-220.....................................................................................................36
A.4. SPECIFICATIONS OPTICAL POWER METER (OPTION)................................................................................36
B. WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE POLICY ...................................................................................... 37

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B.1. LIMITED WARRANTY..........................................................................................................................37
B.2. EXTENDED WARRANTY OPTIONS ..........................................................................................................37
B.3. INSTALLATION AND TRAINING .............................................................................................................37
C. SAFETY...........................................................................................................................................38
C.1. LASER SAFETY ..................................................................................................................................38
C.2. EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY ..................................................................................................................39
C.3. ELECTRIC CABLES..............................................................................................................................39
C.4. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS.......................................................................................................................39
D. COMPLIENCE SYMBOLS .................................................................................................................39
E. BATTERY DECLARATION.................................................................................................................40

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1 Introduction
This manual gives an overview of the LOR-200/220 High Resolution OTDR from Luciol In-
struments. This instrument is based on a new scanning photon-counting technique (patent
pending). Photon-counting detectors, in contrast to classical analog detectors, achieve at the
same time a very high sensitivity and a very high resolution. It is this dual advantage, speed
and sensitivity, which provides the LOR-200/220 with its unique properties. Luciol’s expertise
in photon counting technology makes this technology available for portable optical test in-
struments which can outperform their classical analog counterparts.
The high resolution makes the LOR-200/220 an ideal instrument when it comes to testing
short-range optical networks and links. Typical examples are Local Area Networks (LAN) or
optical fiber links inside buildings, cars and planes. Here, the optical spans are typically in the
tens to hundreds of meters range. But the LOR-200/220 can even analyze fiber spans up to
160 km. In addition, a high resolution “zoom” function allows identifying events which are
invisible for standard OTDRs. The user can set this zoom to any region of the fiber under test.
You can measure the distributed attenuation along the fiber, to check for example the ho-
mogeneity of your fiber. You can discover and identify damages, which may have occurred
during the laying out of your fiber (bends, pressure points...). You can see losses and
backreflections from connectors or optical components.
The LOR-200/220 is a simple and easy-to-use instrument, with user-friendly GUI software.
We provide a standard, versatile software, which should suit your particular needs. In case
your application requires additional features, please contact Luciol Instruments. We are
ready to examine with you any special software and hardware requirements.
In addition to the User’s Manual, we can provide a number of Application Notes, which ex-
plain how to perform several types of measurements. Visit our web site www.luciol.com to
download the latest version.

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1Quick Guide
This quick guide section is a simple step-by-step approach to optical fiber testing with the LOR-
200/220. You should read it if you need to learn how to operate the instrument quickly. You may
then read the other sections as needed.
1.1 Operating instructions
The OTDR unit is integrated into a PC-based platform, operating under Windows7. The platform
is designed for field use, with a bright touchscreen display.
1) Start the instrument by pressing the red on/off button for at least 1 second. The LOR-
200/220 application software is already installed and will be launched automatically after
the operating system has been loaded.
2) Open the Settings tab and select all the required measurement settings. In many cases the
defaults settings can be used for an initial test of a fiber.
3) Connect the Fiber Under Test (FUT) to the unit, and click the START button to start the
measurement. The OTDR status is displayed in the black bar on top. The status display will
show scanning while an OTDR trace will build up from the selected start-position until it
reaches the selected end-position.
4) The measurement can be interrupted at any time by clicking on the STOP button.
5) Save a measured trace by clicking FILE –SAVE AS.
6) Load a previously saved trace by clicking FILE -LOAD TRACE 1or LOAD TRACE 2.
1.2 Notes
Help
The software includes a context help function. Activate context help by clicking HELP - CONTEXT
HELP, or by pressing Ctrl H. A help window will now open. Move the cursor to the feature for
which you wish to receive help. The feature will now be briefly explained in the help window.
Fiber Preparation
Due to the high sensitivity of the photon-counting detection, care has to be taken to avoid any stray
light entering the fiber under test. For SMF and standard MMF (i.e. 50 or 62.5 m core), avoid any
strong light on the unit or the fiber under test. For large core MMF or plastic optical fibers, any
open end should be covered, and the fiber should have an opaque jacket. All optical connector in-
terfaces must be kept dust free and be cleaned regularly.

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2Hardware Overview
2.1 The Front Panel
Figure 1 shows the front panel of the LOR-200/220. The front panel contains the LCD-touchscreen,
the hardkeys (see box on the right) and two LED indicators.
Figure 1: The Front Panel
The touchscreen should only be used with the stylus, which is inserted on the lower right hand side
of the unit, or with the fingers. A touch on the screen is equivalent to a standard click with a mouse
on the corresponding point. In order to perform a right click with the touchscreen, press the stylus
for a few seconds on the screen, until the right click menu appears.
Important: The use of any sharp object, such as ball point pen or metal tool on the
touchscreen will damage it, and voids the warranty.
2.2 The Optical Port
Figure 2 shows the optical port of the LOR-200/220. It is located on the top of the instrument. Be-
fore attaching a fiber you should clean it using an appropriate cleaning method. Contact Luciol In-
struments if you need assistance. Make sure the attached fiber and the instrument connector inter-
face are of the same type. Never connect an angled connector (APC) to a flat connector (PC).
Figure 2: The Optical Port
Hardkeys functions
(Red Key) Power the
instrument on
() Move
markers or cursors,
scroll through menus
() Executes select-
ed action
(Alt) Highlight menu
access
(Esc) Escape from
current action or
selection
( ) Set the display
brightness
(Blue Key) Start a
measurement or call
the help menu

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Note: Some instruments are equipped with an interchangeable optical connector. The
outer part of this connector can be removed to adapt the instrument to different types of
connector interfaces. Contact Luciol Instruments for more information on the available
interface types.
2.3 The Communication Ports
Figure 3 shows the communication ports of the LOR-200/220. They are located on the left side of
the instrument.
Figure 3: The Communication Ports
The following interfaces are provided:
← Serial port connector
← Video connector (external monitor)
← USB 2.0 connectors (2x)
← Network connector

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2.4 The Power Connector
Figure 4 shows the DC power connector of the LOR-200/220. It is located on the right side of the in-
strument.
Connecting the power:
Plug the round female connector from the external power adapter into the instruments power
connector.
Plug the two-pin female connector on the power cord into the power adapter.
Plug the standard electrical plug from the power cord into your AC source (100 to 240 VAC, 50/60
Hz universal adapter).
Important: The power adapter may become rather hot after prolonged use. This is nor-
mal, and does not affect the performance of the device. Only use the Luciol Instruments
power supply (part no. SS138D-Jack).
Figure 4: The DC Power Connector

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2.5 Charging the Battery
The LOR-200/220 has a built-in charger. Battery charging will start automatically (operating or none
operating) when the instrument is connected to the external power supply. The charge indicator
(LED next to the battery symbol in Figure 5) will light when a power supply is present.
Figure 5: The Battery Charge Indicator
Charge Indicator
Charge Status
OFF
No external power supply
RED
Charging
GREEN
Fully charged, external power supply connected
Detailed information on the charge status can also be obtained from the battery manager software
tool described in section Error! Reference source not found..
Note: A charged battery will gradually lose its charge if left in storage. It is therefore
good practice to recharge the battery every 1-2 months during storage.
If the LOR-200/220 is not used for a long period of time, it is recommended to connect
the external power supply and start a charging cycle prior to switching on the instru-
ment.
2.6 Changing the Battery
The battery should be inserted in the slot at the foot of the LOR-200/220. Figure 6 shows the back
of the LOR-200/220 with the battery slot opened. Use a screwdriver to unlock the two screws of
the battery slot and remove the cover.
Figure 6: The Battery Slot
Important: Do not insert the battery while operating the instrument.
Do not short circuit the battery by connecting the metal terminals.
Do not expose the battery to fire or high temperature.
Make sure you insert the battery in the correct direction and that the slot is closed cor-
rectly.
Only use the Luciol spare battery pack (part no. BAT-LOR200).
The battery is a consumable part and is not subject to the LOR-200/220 warranty.

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3Software Tools
3.1 The On-Screen Keyboard
If no physical keyboard is attached to the instrument, launch the on-screen keyboard from the task-
bar to type and enter data.
Figure 7: Using the on-screen keyboard
More information can be found in the Tools - Help Topics menu from the on-screen keyboard.
4OTDR Software Overview
When the unit is switched on, the OTDR software is launched automatically, and the user interface
appears as shown in Figure 8. The black status indicator shows the actual status of the instrument
and gives basic usage instructions. It will display Ready when the application is launched and a con-
nected OTDR is found.
Figure 8: The LOR-200/220 user interface after starting
The LOR-200/220 software is written in Labview®. A detailed description of the software functions
is given in the following sections.

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4.1 The Menu Functions
4.1.1 The File Menu
Clicking FILE opens the file menu:
Here you can:
Load one or two previously saved traces
Save the data as a text file (*.tor), this file can later be opened with any text editor or
spreadsheet application. For LOR-200 systems the data can also be saved as a standard
OTDR (*.sor) file (SR-4731 standard).
Generate a report in HTML or PDF format.
Close the application
Click FILE again to close the menu.
4.1.2 The Analysis Menu
Clicking ANALYSIS opens the analysis menu:
From the analysis menu you can select several types of trace analysis functions:
AUTO EVENTS for automatic detection of all events in the trace
SINGLE EVENT for semi-automatic characterization of single events
LOSS LMS for manual fiber loss measurements
2-POINT LOSS to measure directly the loss between two positions in the fiber under test
LENGTH for high precision length measurements between reflective events
The events can be added to the event table. These features will be discussed further in section 5.
4.1.3 The Help Menu
Clicking HELP opens the help menu:
With this menu, you can get explanations about the various features of your measurement win-
dow. Click on CONTEXT HELP, or use Ctrl+H, to open the help window. Move the cursor around to
see the explanations on the various features of the measurement window. By selecting ABOUT,
you can also get information about the current software.
4.2 The Tabs
4.2.1 The Trace Tab
The Trace tab is the main application control tab, as shown in Figure 8. Besides the OTDR trace in-
dicator it contains:
The START/STOP control for starting and stopping a measurement manually.

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The wavelength and pulse-width indicator for the active measure-
ment.
This indicator is replaced by the trace analysis bar when a manual analysis function is selected.
The Trace Selection legend: The highlighted trace (orange)
is the active trace e.g. for the trace analysis functions. Click
on the trace name to change the active trace. With the
eye-checkboxes on the right you can choose if a trace is
shown or hidden.
The Scale legend and graph palette: Click on the
X or Y axis symbol to auto-scale the correspond-
ing axis. Click on the lock symbol to lock and un-
lock auto-scaling.
oThe graph palette contains the cursor
positioning tool (top left), the zoom and
the undo zoom tools (bottom), and the hand tool (top right). Click
on the corresponding tool to activate it.
oThe zoom tool has several functions; a sub-menu as shown on the
right will open when clicking on it. The selectable zoom options
are window zoom, vertical zoom and horizontal zoom, zoom the
entire trace, zoom in and zoom out.
Note: To apply a zoom, auto-scale needs to be unlocked
The hand tool allows moving the entire trace within the graph.
The Cursors legend: This window provides the cursor legend
and the cursor position indicators. The active cursor is high-
lighted (orange). This cursor can also be positioned using the
arrow keys from the key pad. Click on the cursor row to
change the active cursor. A double-click on a row will bring
the corresponding cursor to the center of the window. Cur-
sor distance information can be found when scrolling further
down in the list.

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4.2.2 The Event Table Tab
The Event Table tab lists all manually or automatically found events. An example is shown in Figure
9.
Figure 9: The event table tab
In order to edit the event table manually, click EDIT EVENTS.
The MARKERS ON/OFF button allows showing or hiding the event markers on the trace.
Select SECTIONS ON to display the length and the losses of the fiber sections between the events.
Clicking SHOW MAP will display a graphical representation of the fiber under test and the events
(Figure 10). The image can be added to the report using the REPORT tool.
Figure 10: The event map

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4.2.3 The Settings Tab
The Settings tab as shown in Figure 11 is used to set the required parameters for a new trace
(measured trace), or to display the settings of a loaded trace (the active trace selected in the trace
selection window of the Trace tab is shown).
Figure 11: The settings tab
There are five groups of settings:
The Emitter Settings group is used to select the
emitter to be used for the current measurement.
For multi-wavelength systems the wavelength can
be chosen from a list of available emitters. The se-
cond control sets the distance range (the maximum
length, the fiber under test must not exceed). The
third control sets the optical pulse-width of the
emitter. A single click on the number will open a list with the available settings.
Notes:
The distance range has to be superior to the total length of the fiber under test, even if
you wish to observe only a short distance.
The high resolution model LOR-220 is working with a fixed pulse-width of 1 ns and there
is no pulse-width control.

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The FUT Settings group allows selecting the re-
fractive index, and the Rayleigh back-scattering
coefficient. Both parameters may vary according
to the wavelength and fiber type, and should be
obtained from the datasheet of the FUT†. A right-
click on the refractive index indicator will open a
table containing standard values. Click on the val-
ue corresponding to the fiber under test and click
OK to use a standard refractive index.
Remote: The unit can be remotely controlled via
Ethernet. When the REMOTE ACTIVE check box
is selected, the instrument will wait for a remote
connection. Contact Luciol Instruments for details.
The Scan Settings group allows choosing the dis-
tance unit (available options: are meter, kilome-
ter, feet, miles, and nanosecond); the Start and
Stop positions for the scan, the average and the
resolution (step size). The SET TO ZOOM button
allows setting the START and the END position
automatically to the currently zoomed trace sec-
tion in the Trace tab. The average control sets the
number of averages at each measurement point.
Higher averages will lower the measurement
noise and smoothen the trace, but will increase the measurement time, as each measure-
ment point will take more time. The resolution control sets the step size between each
measurement point. In general this size should be smaller than the pulse-width. If the AU-
TO SET checkbox is enabled, the resolution is automatically set to about ¼ of the pulse-
width. The minimum step size (resolution) is 0.25 ns.
The Event Detection Threshold group allows the
selection of the thresholds used for the automatic
detection of events. The insertion loss threshold
chooses the maximum allowed insertion loss of an
event. The reflectance threshold does the same for
reflections. After the cumulative loss of the fiber
assembly under test exceeds the end of fiber loss threshold the automatic event detection
is stopped and the last detected event is set as the end of fiber event (see section 5.2.7 for
details).
Hint: A double click on most controls of the Settings tab will open a numeric keypad
which simplifies the data entry.
†For precise return loss measurements it is recommended to measure the Rayleigh backscattering coefficient with the OTDR.
See section 5.1.3 for details.

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4.2.3.1 Saving and loading user defined settings
The user can save the current settings by clicking
.This will open a dialog window as on
the right. Up to 10 different user-settings can be defined
this way.
To re-load one of the user-settings, click the ring control
and select one of
the settings from the list as on the right.
User settings can also be loaded from a previously saved measurement by clicking
. Select a measurement file from the pop-up dialog from which you want to
copy the measurement parameters.
Default measurement parameters can be defined and loaded using the , or the
button.

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4.2.4 The ID Tab
The ID tab is shown in Figure 12. The various fields in this tab allow you to add the relevant infor-
mation to the stored trace for identifying the fiber under test.
Figure 12: The ID tab
5Making Measurements
5.1 General measurement setup
Make sure that all connectors are clean. Connect the FUT to the OTDR.
Important: The photon-counting detection system is highly sensitive, and can therefore
be perturbed by any stray light in the FUT. For single-mode fiber the amount of stray light
entering the fiber is minimal. The problem is more serious with multi-mode fiber, and es-
pecially large core fibers. In this case, any fiber end should be covered, and the fiber
should have an opaque jacket. If this is not possible, we recommend working in a dark-
ened environment.
Click on the Settings tab (see 4.2.3), and set all controls to the required values. For fiber identifica-
tion fill out the fields in the ID tab (see 4.2.4).
Go back to the Trace tab, and start the measurement by clicking on the START button. The OTDR
starts the scan, and will make a measurement step by step with a step width corresponding to the
selected resolution. The scan will stop when the selected End position is reached. The scan can also
be interrupted by pressing the STOP button. Click FILE –SAVE ASto save the measured trace.
5.1.1 Setting pulse-width and resolution
The LOR-200 allows 7 different pulse-width settings; a list
with all available values opens after clicking on the cur-
rently selected value as shown on the right. For the LOR-
220, the pulse-width is fixed to 1 ns.
The optimal pulse-width depends on the type of meas-
urement, the length of the fiber under test and the re-
quired spatial resolution. In general, the longest pulse-

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width providing a sufficient spatial resolution should be selected. The Rayleigh- backscattering level
is proportional to the pulse-width; therefore the OTDR traces will become less noisy when increas-
ing the pulse-width. At the same time the dynamic range of the OTDR will increase. An example is
shown in Figure 13. The lower red trace was recorded using a pulse-width of 2 ns while the upper
black trace was recorded using a pulse-width of 1000 ns. For both traces the resolution was set to
0.5 ns and the average to 1. Using 1000 ns pulse-width the measured RBS level and the dynamic
range increase by about 14 dB and the trace is less noisy.
Figure 13: RBS signal at 2 ns pulse-width (red) and 1000 ns pulse-width (black).
The resolution determines the number of samples recorded for the trace. A higher resolution set-
ting will result in a more detailed trace but will also increase the measurement time. The resolution
of the LOR-200/220 can be set in steps of 250 ps. The minimum value is 250 ps; corresponding to
approximately 2.5 cm. The resolution should always be set to a value smaller than the pulse-width.
The auto-set function will set the resolution to approximately ¼ of the pulse-width. Setting the res-
olution to a value bigger than the pulse-width may lead to incorrect measurements of the reflec-
tance and some reflective event may not be correctly displayed.
An example is shown in Figure 14. Three fiber patch-cords of 5 m length are connected to the
OTDR. All traces are measured with 10 ns pulse-width. The red trace is recorded with the automati-
cally set resolution of 2.5 ns, the black trace is recorded with the highest resolution of 0.25 ns, and
the green trace with a resolution of 10 ns.
Figure 14: Setting the resolution
Setting the resolution to 10 ns (green) allows obtaining a quick overview of the trace but the reso-
lution is not sufficient for a correct measurement of the reflectance levels. The red trace with 2.5 ns
resolution correctly displays the peak amplitudes and the dead zone is sufficiently small for inser-

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tion loss measurements. Using the highest resolution (black) slightly further decreases the event
dead zone and the position of the rising edges of all peaks can be found with higher precision. Us-
ing the highest possible resolution is therefore recommended for exact measurements of the fiber
length.
A good choice for testing the three fiber setup would therefore be a pulse-width of 10 ns and a res-
olution of at least 2.5 ns (or better, if the length of the fibers needs to be tested). A pulse-width of
30 ns would also be sufficient and increase the dynamic range. A comparison of two measurements
using 10 ns and 30 ns pulse-width is shown in Figure 15. Both traces are recorded with a resolution
of 1 ns.
Figure 15: Setting the pulse-width
5.1.2 Setting the index of refraction
An OTDR measures the elapsed time between the emission of a laser pulse and the arrival time of a
backscattered photon. To convert the measured time into the displayed distance unit, the index of
the refraction of the fiber under test needs to be known. Especially for precision measurements of
the fiber length, a correct value of the index of refraction is important. The index of refraction de-
pends on the fiber type and the wavelength and it also varies with ambient conditions like strain
and temperature. Some typical values are listed in Table 1.
Table 1: Recommended group index of refraction‡
Fiber Type
650 nm
850 nm
1310 nm
1550 nm
1625 nm
SMF-28
1.4677
1.4682
1.4688
MMF 50/125 m
1.5
1.490
1.486
MMF 62.5/125 mm
1.507
1.496
1.491
For other fiber types, please contact the fiber manufacturer. It is also possible to measure the index
of refraction with the LOR-200/220. For a high accuracy measurement, a reference fiber whose
length is precisely known is required. Measure the length of this fiber using the LENGTH function
from the analysis menu (see section 5.2.4) and vary the index of refraction until the measured
length is equal to the calibrated length.
Note: When starting the OTDR, the index of refraction will be set to its default value of
1.4682 or to the value set in the previous session.
‡Source: Corning Cable Systems (850-1625 nm)