EXFO has unveiled the industry’s first hollow core fibre (HCF) optimised OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer) equipped with bi-directional testing capabilities.
This innovative device is specifically designed to enhance the reliable testing of data centre interconnects supporting AI applications, offering high-precision measurement of HCF networks. This breakthrough is part of EXFO’s broader portfolio of hollow core fibre-capable testing solutions, aimed at accelerating the adoption of HCF technology, which promises to revolutionise network performance through higher speeds, lower latency, and greater reliability.
Hollow core fibre differs from traditional solid glass fibre by utilising a central vacuum or air-filled channel, which significantly reduces signal latency and enhances transmission speed–crucial attributes for data centre interconnects. To effectively measure and optimise these fibres, EXFO’s new OTDR combines lab-grade accuracy with field durability, providing essential parameters such as loss, return loss, and overall transmission quality. Its dynamic range is tailored for HCF characterisation, while dedicated software enables bi-directional analysis, allowing precise extraction of fibre parameters like splice loss, reflectivity, and length.
In addition to the OTDR, EXFO’s comprehensive hollow core fibre testing portfolio includes several specialised tools. The CTP10 attenuation profile device delivers ultra-high-resolution spectral loss measurements at 0.01pm, making it suitable for testing WDM components and photonic integrated circuits. The OSA FTBx-5235 characterises CWDM and DWDM networks and can be used in a portable format with a source to determine attenuation profiles of HCF. The FTBx-570 dispersion analyser is the industry’s only single-ended solution for rapid chromatic dispersion and polarisation mode dispersion testing, which is vital for hollow core fibre validation. Supporting these tools are the MaxTester 945 and FTBx-88810 series optical loss test sets, which provide precise optical loss and latency measurements essential for next-generation networks.
“Watch this space as EXFO continues to lead the industry with solutions that facilitate hollow core fibre adoption and network performance transformation,” said Etienne Gagnon, Senior Vice President of Test & Measurement at EXFO.
