Overview
IEC TR 62627-08:2016 is a Technical Report from the IEC that studies measurement methods for the blocking characteristics of fibre optic adaptors equipped with an optical power blocking shutter. The report focuses on singlemode fibre (SMF) operation at the two common telecom wavelengths, 1 310 nm and 1 550 nm, and documents two measurement methods (referred to as Method 1 and Method 2) to evaluate how effectively shutters attenuate emitted optical power.
Key topics and requirements
- Measurement methods: The report describes two practical test configurations to determine optical power blocking. Both methods include guidance on measurement set-up, instrumentation and test procedures.
- Core measurements:
- Measurement of the maximum emitted optical power with shutter fully open (or removed).
- Measurement of emitted power with shutter closed to compute optical power blocking (attenuation in dB).
- Evaluation of the measuring system dynamic range to ensure meaningful blocked-level readings.
- Test conditions and apparatus: Common measurement conditions, recommended light sources and optical detectors, and environmental considerations are documented to reduce variability.
- Uncertainty and repeatability: The report includes study of factors affecting measurement uncertainty and presents example results for typical connector types (e.g., SC, LC) at both wavelengths.
- Safety context: Measurements are presented in the context of laser safety standards (IEC 60825-1 and IEC 60825-2) to address protection against high emitted powers from optical modules.
Practical applications
Who uses IEC TR 62627-08 and why:
- Fibre connector and adaptor manufacturers - to verify and optimize shutter designs for effective optical power blocking.
- Test laboratories and QA teams - to implement standardized methods for routine conformance testing and measurement reporting.
- Network equipment suppliers and OEMs - to assess front-panel adaptor safety and compliance when deploying high-power optical amplifiers or active modules.
- Safety and compliance engineers - to demonstrate that adaptor shutters provide required attenuation for laser safety classifications.
- Standards developers and researchers - as a technical reference for measurement technique development and comparison studies.
Related standards
- IEC 62627 series (Fibre optic interconnecting devices and passive components)
- IEC 61274-1 (connector/adaptor definitions referenced in the report)
- IEC 60825-1 and IEC 60825-2 (laser product and optical fibre communication system safety)
This Technical Report is especially useful when assessing shutter performance for SMF adaptors at 1 310 nm and 1 550 nm, and provides standardized, reproducible approaches to quantify optical power blocking.