DIAMOND Rugged and Reliable Hybrid Interconnect Solutions for the Military Industry

DIAMOND has been recognised as a world leader in providing high-precision, fibre-optic interconnect solutions for more than 30 years. We develop reliable and technically advanced solutions, as well as design and deliver highly customised products to the military and defence markets.

We offer a comprehensive line of rugged, high-performance and practical fibre-optic solutions specifically designed to provide maximum flexibility, modularity and durability in challenging conditions.

Advanced fibre-optic technologies for adverse military applications

DIAMOND utilises unique manufacturing techniques to provide advanced technology interconnect solutions for demanding applications.

Active core alignment to increase fibre-to-fibre eccentricity

To manufacture our high-performance connectors, we only use the highest quality materials and advanced fibre-optic component manufacturing processes, which have been developed over the last 25 years. Our target was to reduce the insertion loss values by minimising fibre-to-fibre eccentricity. The result is our patented two-part ferrule and Active Core Alignment (ACA) technology.

During this process, the end face is deformed after the fibre has been polymerised in place in order to centre its core with the mechanical axis of the ferrule.

Advantages include:

• Ultra-low insertion loss (IL)
• Unbeatable low IL for small core diameters
• High return loss (RL)
• Applicable for polarisation-maintaining (PM) fibres and outperforms the IL performance in comparison to any other technology

Polarisation maintaining fibre-optic interfaces for defence environments

The field of application of polarisation maintaining (PM) elements has expanded beyond traditional markets to brand new sectors, from research to industrial environments such as biomedicine, spectroscopy, metrology, sensorics, telecommunications, laser technology, surveillance and security, defence, and lithography.

DIAMOND supplies high-quality solutions to polarisation maintaining and polarising (PZ) fibre-optical interfaces for optimal control of the signal’s polarisation state. Low IL combined with high-polarisation extinction ratios (PER) and higher RL are achieved over broad spectral ranges due to a combination of accurate optical and mechanical design.

Features and benefits include:

• Proprietary ACA process for minimal eccentricity between a fibre’s core and ferrule to guarantee unmatched low-insertion losses
• Active polarisation orientation (APO) procedure for optimal alignment between the mechanical connector’s key and the true polarisation (fast or slow) axis to guarantee the highest PER in a mated configuration
• Optimised polishing techniques for excellent return losses values
• 100% front face inspection

Power solution contact optical interfaces

DIAMOND offers power solution (PS) optical interfaces, which expand the multi-function display (MFD) of a single-mode (SM) fibre by splicing a gradient-index (GRIN) lens at the extremity.

The MFD at the end of the connector is subsequently expanded by a factor of four to five, increasing the contact surface by a factor of 15. As a result, the heat issues decrease but cleanliness of the connectors and mating adapters is still important.

Features and benefits include:

• Improved power resistance (x16)
• Low IL
• Ultra-high polish for high-return loss

PSb (Power Solution ball lens)

The PSb arrangement is a non-contact interface that al lows for an expansion of the beam size of a MM fibre by means of an external spherical lens. The opto-mechanical alignment between fibre, ferrule, and lens relies upon the active core alignment. The size of the collimated beam in free-space is sufficient to ensure a safe handling of medium to high optical power levels even in the presence of surface contaminants.

PSb interfaces are typically encapsulated into rugged connectors such as Diamond’s X-B EAM PS, which contains up to four fibre-lens termini.

Visible / near-infrared optical interfaces for low wavelengths

Applications using non-telecom wavelength single mode and PM fibres exist in various sectors such as biomedical, measurement instruments, sensing and laser source and delivery.

DIAMOND offers the visible (VIS) / near-infrared (NIR) optical interface for low wavelengths and small core fibres on most connector interfaces.

Using Diamond ACA technology, we can achieve unrivalled low IL performances.

Benefits include:

• Extremely low lateral offset for low-insertion loss
• Ultra-high polish for high return loss

About DIAMOND

DIAMOND was first established in 1958 and is based in Switzerland. Our products and processes are all ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 compliant.

Our interconnect solutions integrate our Active Core Alignment (ACA) technology in our high-performing optical interfaces, including PS, PM, VIS / NIR, and our diamond multipurpose (DM) hybrid (optical / electrical) insert, as well as our custom optical assemblies.

DIAMOND’s X-BEAM, MIL-38999 DM and MIL-83526 DM connectors, along with the ZEUS D50 HE fusion splicer, are the most suitable and recommended for typical military and tactical applications.

We also have an independent accredited test and calibration laboratory that offers services such as fibre-optic instrument calibration, and component measurement and testing. Furthermore, DIAMOND’s ISO 7 Cleanroom (Class 10,000 per FED STD 209E) allows products to be cleaned and packaged in a controlled environment.