Used Optical Light Sources for Sale

An optical light source (OLS) outputs fixed wavelengths — typically 850, 1310, 1490, or 1550 nm — at stable power for insertion loss testing. A tunable laser source sweeps across a continuous wavelength range (e.g., 1520–1620 nm) for component characterization, PDL measurement, and wavelength-selective testing. Tunable sources are significantly more expensive and better suited to R&D and component test.

LED sources (850/1300 nm) are standard for multimode fiber testing. They are stable, inexpensive, and Telcordia-compliant for field work. For singlemode fiber testing (1310/1550 nm), a stabilized laser diode source is required — LEDs lack the coherence and power spectral density for accurate singlemode measurements. Most EXFO FLS-300 and AFL OLS units offer both LED and laser options.

Laser diode sources at 1310/1550 nm typically output −7 to 0 dBm into a singlemode fiber. LED sources at 850/1300 nm typically output −20 to −15 dBm into a 50 µm multimode fiber and −30 to −26 dBm into 9 µm singlemode (underfilled). Output power stability matters more than absolute level — look for ±0.05 dB or better for accurate loss measurements.

LED sources are stable in under 1 minute. Laser diode sources typically need 5–15 minutes to reach thermal equilibrium and rated output stability. The Agilent 81653A laser module in the 8163/8164 platform needs about 10 minutes. For calibration-grade measurements, always allow the full warm-up before referencing the meter.

Output power degradation is the most common fault — laser diode sources lose output power over tens of thousands of hours of operation. A 1550 nm source that measured −3 dBm new may be at −8 dBm after heavy use, making it unusable for low-loss path measurements. Fiber pigtail damage at the output connector is also common. On EXFO FLS units, the power supply board occasionally develops regulator faults.

Yes, with caveats. The source and meter must share a connector type (FC, SC, LC, ST) or use compatible adapters. The source wavelength must be within the meter detector range. For loss budget measurements, use a source with known, stable output power and reference-zero the meter before measurement. EXFO FLS-300 sources use SC output by default; adapt to your meter connector.

For multimode fiber: 850 nm (OM1–OM4 primary test wavelength) and 1300 nm (secondary). For singlemode fiber: 1310 nm (O-band) and 1550 nm (C-band) are the standard pair. For PON/FTTx links: add 1490 nm (downstream data) and 1625 nm (out-of-service monitoring). TIA-568 and ISO 11801 test standards define the required wavelengths for structured cabling certification.

For fiber certification, structured cabling qualification, and ISO 9001 audit compliance, yes. The calibration verifies output power at each wavelength and confirms stability. We issue NIST-traceable certificates with measured output power levels. For field testing where you zero the meter before each test and only care about relative loss, a current calibration certificate is less critical but still recommended.