SOC connector, full name Splice-on Connector, is also called a fiber thermal fusion connector or pre-polished fusion connector. It is a high-performance on-site termination solution that integrates the functions of a fiber optic connector and a pigtail into one unit.
Simply put, it is a "connectorized pigtail", but its distinctive feature is that it comes pre-loaded with a short piece of optical fiber that has a factory-precisely polished ferrule.
No on-site polishing or adhesive is required. During installation, the technician only needs to precisely fuse the pre-loaded short fiber with the field fiber cable inside the connector using a fusion splicer.
Compared with traditional pigtail splicing (which requires additional splice protection sleeves and slack management), on-site polishing, or mechanical splicing, SOC connectors offer clear advantages:
1.High quality, low insertion loss
2.High reliability
3.High efficiency, space saving
4.More forgiving operation
5.High fault tolerance (multiple re-splicing attempts allowed)
SOC connectors can be classified in several ways according to your needs:
By interface type: Primarily LC and SC. Other types such as ST, FC, and E-2000® are also available.
By polish type:
PC/UPC: Used for single-mode and multimode fiber, return loss typically ≥50dB.
APC: Features an 8° angled end-face, mainly for single-mode fiber, greatly reduces ack reflection, return loss can reach up to ≥60dB.
By applicable cable type: Supports various fiber types, such as 250μm bare fiber, 900μm tight-buffered fiber, 2.0mm and 3.0mm round patch cords, and 3.1×2.0mm butterfly drop cables.
The high performance of SOC connectors covers almost all advanced fields of optical communications:
Fiber access (FTTx)
Data centers
Enterprise networks & LANs
Other specialized fields (aerospace, military, shipbuilding, medical, power plants, etc.)