HP 83481A, User Manual, Page: 28 / 98

The Instrument at a Glance
Lightwave Connector Care
Cleaning and handling
Proper cleaning and handling of lightwave connectors is imperative for
achieving accurate and repeatable measurements with your Hewlett-P ackard
lightwave equipment. Lightwave interfaces should be cleaned before each
measurement using the techniques described in this handbook. Information
on protecting and storing your connectors/cables and tips on how to properly
mate connectors are also included in this section.
Denition of terms T o avoid confusion, the following denitions are used in this handbook.
Connector Houses the ber end, most open at the end of a lightwave
cable or on the front panel of an instrument or accessory .
A dapter Does not contain optical ber . Used to mate two optical
connectors .
Handling Always handle lightwave connectors and cable ends with great care . Fiber
ends should never be allowed to touch anything except other mating surfaces
or cleaning solutions and tools .
Always keep connectors and cable ends covered with a protective cap when
they are not in use . (See \Storage .")
Cleaning Three cleaning processes are provided. The rst process describes how to
clean non-lensed lightwave connectors . The second process describes how to
clean lightwave adapters . The third process describes how to care for lensed
lightwave connections .
C A U T I O N
Hewlett-P ackard strongly recommends that index matching compounds not
be applied to their instruments and accessories . Some compounds , such as
gels , may be dicult to remove and can contain damaging particulates . If
you think the use of such compounds is necessary , refer to the compound
manufacturer for information on application and cleaning procedures .
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