MPO (Multi-fiber Push On) connector is the first generation of multi-core fiber connector designed by NTT Corporation of Japan, which complies with the IEC-61754-7 standard, the domestic standard is YD/T1272.5-2009, and the American standard is EIA/TIA-604-5.
MPO connector
1. Structure of MPO connector
MPO (Multifiber Push-On) fiber connector is a multi-core multi-channel pluggable fiber connector, which complies with IEC standard (IEC 61754-7).
The basic structure of an MPO connector includes the following parts:
Male and female connectors: divided into male end connectors and female end connectors.
MT sleeve: contains a pair of MT sleeves for positioning and docking optical fibers.
Guide pins: Two guide pins are used to ensure accurate insertion and position restriction between connectors.
Housing: Each connector has a housing to protect the internal components.
Adapter: Used to connect the male and female connectors at both ends.
The number of fiber holes in the MPO connector can be up to 72, with 12 holes being the most common. When connected, the spring at the tail of the ferrule provides thrust to lock the ferrule with the adapter. The guide pin helps to ensure the docking order and position accuracy of the optical fiber. In order to improve the return loss without the use of refractive index matching materials, the end face and sleeve of the optical fiber are polished at an angle of 8 degrees, which requires that the end face of the optical fiber must be precisely polished to ensure good contact with the end face of the opposite optical fiber.
2. Characteristics of MPO connectors
MPO connectors can be divided into two types according to the grinding method of the ferrule:
MPO/PC flat connector: has lower return loss, usually reaching RL return loss greater than 30 dB.
MPO/APC bevel connector: has better optical performance, and RL return loss can reach greater than 40 dB.
3. Application of MPO connectors
The MPO connector has greatly increased the popularity of optical networks and helped reduce production costs due to its small size, high precision and high density. It has been widely used in:
Fiber optic communication networks
Transmission systems
CATV networks
MTP® connectors
MTP (Multi-fiber Termination Push-on) connectors are a type of connector for fiber optic communications, specifically designed for high-density fiber applications. MTP connectors are commonly used in data centers, optical cable systems, and other places where high-speed communications are required.
MTP® connector
MTP® (Multi-fiber Termination Push-on) is a registered trademark of Conec, USA. It is a high-performance multi-fiber connector and an evolution of the MPO (Multi-fiber Push-On) connector. Compared with standard MPO connectors, MTP® connectors have been optimized in optical and mechanical properties to improve connection quality and reduce signal loss.
Both MTP® and MPO fiber optic connectors comply with the international standard IEC-61754-5"and the US standard TIA-604-5 (FOCIS5), which means they are compatible in physical size and interface. Although the size of MTP® and MPO is similar to that of ordinary SC connectors, the density of MTP® and MPO is significantly improved, which can save a lot of space and resources in fiber optic cabling.
Features of MTP connectors:
High density: MTP connectors can usually support the connection of up to 12, 16, 24, and 32 optical fibers, which makes it very useful in space-constrained environments.
Quick connection: MTP connectors are designed as "push-type" connections, which means that the connectors can be quickly inserted and removed, simplifying the installation and maintenance of equipment. Reprocessing and quick male-female conversion simplify the installation process.
High performance: MTP connectors have excellent optical performance and can support high-speed data transmission, such as 100GBE, 400GBE, etc.
Reusability: MTP connectors can be used for repeated plugging and unplugging, which makes it more convenient when upgrading equipment or network transformation.
Compatibility: MTP connectors can be connected to other types of fiber optic connectors such as LC and SC through adapters, increasing the flexibility of the system.
Easy and quick installation: The design of MTP connectors significantly shortens the installation time, up to 75%. Its detachable shell design supports reprocessing of MT ferrules and quick male-female conversion, simplifying the installation process.
Flexibility: MTP fiber connectors offer four standard strain relief sleeves to support a variety of applications. In particular, the flexible strain relief sleeve can be extended from 0 to 90 degrees, providing a good solution for cable management in narrow spaces.
Stability: MTP cable connectors have built-in metal pin clips to reduce the risk of pin loss. At the same time, the spring design increases the ribbon gap of the multi-fiber ribbon interface to protect the optical fiber. Its thermoplastic shell exhibits good stability under temperature changes, ensuring a more reliable physical connection
MTP connectors are widely used in modern network infrastructure, especially in environments that require high bandwidth and high number of connections, such as data centers and hyperscale cloud computing environments.
Are MTP® connectors backward compatible with common connector types such as LC and SC?
No, MTP® connectors are not backward compatible with common connector types such as LC or SC. MTP® connectors are multi-fiber push-on connectors designed to handle high-density fiber connections, typically with 12, 16, or 24 fibers. In contrast, LC and SC connectors are single-fiber connectors for duplex connections. However, MTP® connectors are compatible with MPO connectors because they follow the same standards.
Overview of OSFP Modules
MTP® Elite Connectors
MTP® Elite connectors are high-performance MTP® connectors that reduce insertion loss by up to 50% compared to standard MTP® connectors.
MTP® Elite connectors are advanced fiber connectors designed for high-density network applications, offering lower insertion loss and higher performance. With the increased demand for connector stability and performance, MTP® Elite connectors are an improved version of the standard MTP® connector with more stringent manufacturing standards and higher quality levels.
Features of MTP® Elite Connectors:
Optical Return Loss:
Both standard and Elite connectors have an optical return loss of >20 dB, but the 8° angle polishing design of the Elite connector can achieve >60 dB.
Insertion Loss:
Single Mode:
Standard MTP® Connector: 0.20 dB typical, 0.60 dB maximum
MTP® Elite Connector: 0.10 dB typical, 0.35 dB maximum
Multimode:
Standard MTP® Connector: 0.25 dB typical, 0.75 dB maximum
MTP® Elite Connector: 0.10 dB typical, 0.35 dB maximum
MTP MTP Connector Gender and Polarity
Connector Gender
Male MTP® connectors have two pins for alignment with the fiber core to ensure precise connection with the female connector and minimize signal loss, while female MTP® connectors have no pins and are equipped with holes to accommodate the male pins for precise docking.
Connector Polarity
Polarity refers to the matching between the transmitter (Tx) and the receiver (Rx) in a fiber link. Signal transmission can only proceed normally when the connector polarity is correct. The TIA-568 standard defines three polarity configurations: Type A, Type B, and Type C, for different MTP® patch cords.
Plug Orientation
MTP connectors are available in two main configurations: Key Up/Key Up (both connectors are up, allowing cross-connection) and Key Up/Key Down (maintaining straight-through connection). The correct orientation is critical for precise alignment of fiber signals.
Endface Type
MTP connectors can have different end-face types that affect their performance:
UPC (Ultra Physical Contact): Suitable for multimode systems, reducing reflections.
APC (Angled Physical Contact): Has an 8-degree tilted contact surface that minimizes back reflections and is suitable for single-mode applications.
Advantages of MTP Connectors
Easy and Fast Installation
MTP connectors are designed to significantly reduce installation time by up to 75%. Its removable housing design allows for reprocessing of MT ferrules and quick gender conversion, simplifying the installation process.
Flexibility
MTP® fiber connectors are available with four standard strain relief sleeves to support a variety of applications. In particular, the flexible strain relief sleeve can be extended from 0 to 90 degrees, providing a good solution for cable management in a small space.
Stability
The MTP cable connector has a built-in metal pin clamp to reduce the risk of pin loss. At the same time, the spring design increases the ribbon gap of the multi-fiber ribbon interface to protect the optical fiber. Its thermoplastic shell shows good stability under temperature changes, thus ensuring a more reliable physical connection