Photon Kinetics Demonstrates Automated Test Stations for Multicore and Hollow-core Optical Fibers at IWCS 2025 Supplier Exhibition

For Immediate Release

• Short Length Station, featuring 2300AG-M Multicore Fiber Analysis System, performs two of the most common “short-length” production measurements: cut-off wavelength and fiber geometry. The system is also capable of evaluating the spectral loss characteristics of hollow-core fibers.
• The FLS-M Multicore Full-Length Station performs several of the most critical “full-length” fiber production measurements: OTDR, chromatic and polarization mode dispersion.
• Both the 2300AG-M and FLS-M measurement systems feature high-speed, automated fiber alignment that not only accelerates product development, but also streamlines the transition to high-volume production.

In Booth 500 at this year’s IWCS Supplier Exhibition, Photon Kinetics will be demonstrating its complete multicore fiber measurement suite: the 2300AG-M Multicore Fiber Analysis System, a test station targeted at several “short-length” fiber measurements, and the FLS-M Multicore Full-Length Station.

The 2300AG-M performs the routine “short-length” multicore fiber production measurements including complete glass geometry characterization, plus the spectral loss (e.g., cut-off wavelength, spectral attenuation) and mode field diameter of each MCF core. Fully automated fiber alignment and high-speed data acquisition enable both geometry and cut-off wavelength measurement of a 4-core MCF in less than 45 seconds. Virtually any MCF design with any number of cores or arrangement can be characterized by the system, as well as designs that have complex core structures (e.g., core trenches, markers etc.). Note that the same automated launch capability used for MCFs on the 2300AG-M is also applicable to the characterization of hollow-core optical fibers. The system’s variable, automated launch spot and numerical aperture restrictors can be used to map the spectral loss performance of HCFs as a function launch condition (e.g., launch spot and NA).

The complementary test station to the 2300AG-M is also on display at the IWCS Supplier Exhibition. The FLS-M Multicore Full-Length Station performs automated, bi-directional, multi-wavelength OTDR, chromatic dispersion and polarization mode dispersion on the cores of “full-length” MCF spools. The cornerstone of the FLS-M station is the 1050F Automated Fiber Aligner which sequentially aligns the single-core buffer fiber to each core of the MCF under test. A pair of 1050Fs are employed by the FLS-M to perform bi-directional OTDR measurements and for some FLS-M configurations, chromatic dispersion and polarization mode dispersion as well. Complete bi-directional, 4-wavelength OTDR, CD and PMD can typically be accomplished in less than 40 seconds per core.

Short-length and full-length measurement stations, each having the ability to automatically perform a suite of essential measurements with minimal fiber handling, revolutionized production testing of standard single-mode fiber in the previous decade. It is expected that the new multicore versions of these stations will similarly transform the testing of all multicore fiber designs, enabling significant improvement of overall testing efficiency and reduction of production cost.