Molex Fibre Optical Terminus System now Integrates Polymicro Large Core Optical Fibres

“By adding the capability to terminate Polymicro Technologies' large core optical fibres with specialty coatings in the LumaCore line, we're able to deliver a solution that withstands extreme operating conditions, particularly for sensing high power delivery, illumination and aerospace applications,” said Tom Marrapode, Director of Marketing at Molex. “With common optical termini, unique combinations of products and configurations can be easily built to customer specifications.”



Molex LumaCore optical termini-based interconnects are available in the following two configurations.



Molex LC2 Metallic Optical Connectors – Provide a ruggedised, all-metal housing version of the LC Small Form Factor (SFF) family. Capable of continuous operating temperatures up to 135°C and short-term temperatures up to 150°C, these connectors are available for singlemode, multimode and angle-polish applications. With no plastic components, there is little or no out-gassing, allowing these connectors to accommodate space and high-vacuum environments. Featuring LumaCore optical termini, these connectors resist breakage and achieve superior optical performance.



Molex MXL-38999 Circular Connectors – Designed specifically for singlemode APC applications, their high level of design integrity enable the connector system to deliver superior optical performance across all optical fibre applications. Using LumaCore optical terminus technology, the MXL-38999 connector provides a dense, optical connection with stable optical performance in harsh environments. Its unique quarter-turn retention feature allows the LumaCore terminus to be installed and removed from a connector with a simple push and turn.



The following Polymicro large core optical fibres can be incorporated into Molex LumaCore interconnects:



Polymicro HPCF Optical Fibre – The 200µm silica core, 230µm hard polymer clad version is ideal for data communication and process control applications in robotics, windmills, automotive/rail, and avionics. The larger core sizes are commonly used in medical and dental procedures for light delivery. Simple to terminate and align with a light source, these fibres service a wide temperature range of -65 to +135°C. The standard is a 0.37NA HPCF, but 0.48NA is also available from Polymicro. The 0.48NA is excellent for efficient light collection and delivery. The increased NA will reduce the bend sensitivity of the optical fibre, making it an excellent choice for applications where the space is limited.



Polymicro Rad-Hard Optical Fibre – A radiation resistant and stable solution for military and aerospace applications, Rad-Hard optical fibres are designed with a polyimide coating for high temperatures and low out-gassing. Paired with LumaCore interconnects that offer a built-in anti-vibration mechanism, these fibres form assemblies that exhibit highly stable transmissions and the lowest possible insertion losses. Further, the fibres in the assemblies are easy to install and remove for maintenance and cleaning.



For High Power Lasers: The JTFIH Series Dual Clad Fibres – The JTFIH Series has a silica/silica/hard polymer dual clad structure with a low-OH silica core for excellent Vis-NIR transmission (380-2400nm), a wide temperature range from -65 to +135°C, and a high laser damage threshold. In addition, the JTFIH Series is bio-friendly. Typical applications include high power laser delivery in the medical, military, and industrial markets. Proof tested at 100kpsi, the standard dual clad products have core diameters of 365, 550, and 940µm with blue Tefzel jacket. Custom core sizes, high-OH silica core, and custom jacket materials are available upon request.



FDP Series is now available with UV certification – The FDP Series optical fibre offers a superior UV performance both in transmission and stability and is now available with UV certification. These custom certifications can be designed to meet an engineer’s design and cost demands. Besides mechanical and dimensional certification, certificates include UV Induced Loss vs. Wavelength, UV Induced Loss vs. Time, and Spectrometer Signal before and after UV radiation.