Optical Couplers
Abstract
This document is an interim report describing the development of optical couplers for use in an eight station EMI/EMP resistant avionic data bus being developed on this program. Airborne avionics systems are moving toward the use of party line multiplex data buses for the transmission of the growing number of digital signals found in modern aircraft. Optoelectronic technology provides a data bus interface system consistent with military requirements that is potentially superior to wire techniques--particularly in the areas of ground loop noise immunity and EMI/EMP sensitivity. Passive optical directional couplers are required in an optoelectronic data bus so that each station can receive optical signals from the bus and transmit optical signals onto the bus. By this means, each station on the bus can communicate with every other station. The report identifies the basic optical loss and attenuation mechanisms that affect the quality of optical couplers and describes the techniques developed to minimize these losses. Since low-loss fiber optic bundle terminations are required at all optical interfaces, this topic is discussed separately. Conventional termiantions are described which have losses of 34.8%; compression techniques are described that reduce the loss to 24.4%.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADB009489
Entities
People
- James R. Biard
- John E. Shaunfield