NKT Photonics SuperK CONNECT, Product Manual, Page: 33 / 40

33
Fiber and connector care
Cleaning of fiber facets
The fiber connector on the FD may occasionally require some cleaning of the
fiber tip. Before making any fiber connections, always inspect the fiber facet of all
connectors using an inspection scope. A scope with both coaxial and oblique
illumination is useful in exposing any contaminants or defects in the facet.
Further, rotating the fiber while under illumination may be necessary to discover
irregularities often hidden under certain angles of light.
Warning: Ensure the laser is disabled before inspecting fiber facets.
Cleaning tools
When cleaning the facet, only use cleaning tools that are specifically designed to
be used with optical fibers. Always use extreme caution when cleaning fibers.
Examples of appropriate cleaning tools are: a lens cleaning tissue (lint free wipes)
as shown in
Figure 18 or an optical fiber cleaning tool as shown in Figure 19 .
Figure 18 Lint-free wipe example
Figure 19 Example of a fiber cleaning cartridge