ESCC 3420 Connector

Features:
The 3420 Space Connector is designed to meet the harsh environments of aerospace applications and is affordable enough to be used wherever a lightweight, titanium connector is needed. The 3420 Space Connector is developed to meet the ESCC 3420 standard and to be compatible with the Mini and Midi AVIM® connectors. It is also compatible with many fibers and cables less than 2mm OD.
® AVIM® is a registered trademark of Diamond SA. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Diamond SA.

  • Assembled in the USA with quality components
  • Ceramic ferrules for better performance over time and in high vibration.
  • Low outgassing strain relief
  • Wrench flats to torque connector to 1.0 Nm (9lbf-in)
  • ISO 9001 Certified

The assembly process is the most important factor in guaranteeing performance on this connector. The assembly process used at Coastal Connection comes from a 2 year, multimillion dollar effort to qualify and build another single-mode connector for thermal cycling in space. Requirements of NASA Standard 8739.5 and 8739.6 are also followed when required.

Qualified FC Connector (QFC)

The Qualified FC connector is designed to meet the harsh environments of aerospace applications however it is affordable enough to be used wherever a rugged FC connector is needed. The QFC can mate to a standard FC connector and be used with almost any fiber type or cable construction.

Features:

  • Suitable for SM, PM, and MM fibers
  • Ceramic ferrules for better performance over time and in high vibration.
  • Hytrel 8068 boots for low outgassing
  • Vibration: 46.3Grms
  • Shock: 500Gs
  • Temperature: -200 to 150°C (without boots)
  • Wrench flats to torque connector to 7 in-lbs
  • Built in the USA with Quality Components

The assembly process is the most important factor in guaranteeing performance on this connector. The assembly process used at Coastal Connection comes from a 2 year, multimillion dollar effort to qualify and build another single-mode connector for thermal cycling in space. Requirements of NASA Standard 8739.5 and 8739.6 are also followed when required.

PowerFiber Connector (PFC)

Designed for mating high power assemblies together. The beam is expanded with a fused-on GRIN lens to reduce the chance of the fiber ends burning. The demand for higher power in optical fibers continues to increase for laser communication, industrial, and other applications. Coastal Connections has been serving this demand with end-capped fibers for free space applications since 2009. In 2023 Coastal Connections applied its expertise to making high power connectors that can be mated together.

Features:

  • Designed to be suitable for up to 10 Watts
  • Assembled in the USA with quality components
  • FC, E-2000 and 3420 Space Connector formats
  • Compatible to Diamond’s Power Solution connectors
  • Polarization maintaining fibers may be used with FC connectors
  • Uses standard Corning® SMF-28® Ultra fiber for easy splicing, unlike some competitors

Polarization Maintaining Cables

Features:

 

  • Any combination of connectors, fibers, and cables
  • 100% Testing
    • Insertion Loss
    • Extinction Ratio
    • Return Loss
    • Endface Geometry
    • Polish Quality
  • IL and ER testing at the design wavelength
  • Proprietary epoxy curing for surviving harsh environments
  • Built in the USA with quality components
  • ISO 9001 Certified

Single-Mode Cables

Features:

 

  • Any combination of connectors, fibers, and cables
  • 100% Testing
    • Insertion Loss
    • Return Loss
    • Endface Geometry
    • Polish Quality
  • Proprietary epoxy curing for surviving harsh environments
  • Built in the USA with quality components
  • ISO 9001 Certified

Multimode Cables

Features:

 

  • Any combination of connectors, fibers, and cables
  • 100% Testing
    • Insertion Loss
    • Return Loss
    • Endface Geometry
    • Polish Quality
  • Proprietary epoxy curing for surviving harsh environments
  • Built in the USA with quality components
  • ISO 9001 Certified

Fiber End-Caps

Coastal Connections is the world’s leading supplier of Fiber End-Caps for PM, SM and MM fibers in ferrules and connectors. Fiber End-Caps reduce the power density where laser light enters or exits the fiber resulting in longer life cables. Short wavelength light deposits contaminants onto the core of fibers. By adding a Fiber End-Cap, the power density is reduced eliminating the depositing of contaminants.

Features:

  • ≤1um Fiber core eccentricity on 125um clad fibers
  • ≥25dB PER on PM Fibers (Tested at the design wavelength)
  • Fiber endfaces can withstand 25,000 Watts/mm2
  • Fiber can withstand over 150,000 Watts/mm2

Measurements Available:

 

  • Numerical Aperture
  • Beam Ellipticity
  • Extinction Ratio
  • Polish Quality
  • Endface Geometry
  • Return Loss

Fire damage from high power lasers
Created on fibers without end-caps

Unknown 6um contamination of fiber core Created by a 405mm laser on a fiber without an end-cap

Laser Pigtails

Laser Pigtails are designed for permanent coupling to a laser which makes their quality crucial. Typically, one side is a custom ferrule or capillary that is coupled to a free space laser beam while the other end has a fiber optic connector. On many pigtails, there is a feedthrough which secures the external cabling to the laser housing. Behind the feedthrough, 900um OD tubing is used for flexibility inside the chassis. Coastal Connections has standard feedthroughs for Laser Pigtails.

Unique Pigtails:

  • Long Life, 405nm, Polarization Maintaining Pigtails
  • Steel Jacketed, High Power Pigtails for Aircraft
  • End-Capped LMA Fiber Pigtails
  • MID-IR Laser Pigtails

Measurements Available:

 

  • Numerical Aperture
  • Beam Ellipticity
  • Extinction Ratio
  • Polish Quality
  • Endface Geometry
  • Return Loss

Space Flight Cables

Coastal Connections has been supporting space-based fiber optics since 2003. Prior to this Andy Devine, its president and founder, spent 2 years qualifying a fiber optic connector to survive 10 years of thermal cycling in space. The lessons learned from this program are applied to every connector built. Coastal Connections Qualified FC connector was tested to survive in space reducing your risks. Coastal Connections is the world’s leading supplier of fiber end-caps for SM and PM fibers in ferrules and connectors.

Experience:

  • Supplying cables for the Orion Spacecraft
  • Supplied all connectors and splices for the Cold Atom Lab on ISS
  • Supplied cables for OSIRIS REX on ASC’s Global Shutter Flash Lidar
  • Supplying cables for multiple space based defense programs
  • Supplied cables for LLCD on LADEE
  • Supplying cables for commercial space based laser communication
  • Supplied vacuum compatible, ground support cables for JWST
  • Assemblers are NASA trained to NASA Standard 8739.5

Qualified FC Connector:

  • Suitable for SM, PM, and MM fibers
  • Low outgassing
  • Vibration: 46.3Grms
  • Shock: 500Gs
  • Temperature: -200 to 150°C (without boots)
  • Connector Torque: 7 in-lbs

Fiber End-Caps:

 

  • Increased reliability by reducing power density
  • Repeatable coupling
  • Compatible with SM and PM fibers
  • Up to 400µm diameter end-caps

Defense Applications

Coastal Connections supports many major defense contractors and government research labs. Our expertise is sought after due to our ability to terminate unique optical fibers and their ability to survive in demanding environments. As an ITAR registered company, we control the import and export of defense related articles and information.

Unique Products:

  • End-Capped PM
  • PCF and LMA Fibers
  • Multichannel Vacuum Feedthroughs
  • Multichannel Breakout Cables
  • Steel Jacketed Cables
  • Mid IR Assemblies
  • High Power Cables
  • Space Cables
  • PDV Probes

Capabilities:

 

  • Temperature Range: -200°C to 200°C
  • Max Continuous Power: 150 Watts
  • Max Pulse Power: 2,000 Watts
  • Length Matching: +/-2mm
  • Fiber Pulling: 100 Meters
  • Vacuum: 1X10-6 Torr
  • Vibration: 46.3G
  • Shock: 1,000G

Vacuum Feedthroughs

Vacuum feedthroughs allow optical fibers to pass through a vacuum chamber’s wall while maintaining a seal. Coastal Connections specializes in building custom feedthroughs with multiple fibers reducing your risk of a vacuum leak. Our proprietary fiber sealing technology does not add stress to the fiber allowing for sealing on bend sensitive fibers. The only company in the world that sells multichannel feedthroughs with polarization maintaining fibers.

Unique Feedthroughs with:

  • Proprietary Fiber Sealing Technology
  • Multiple Optical Channels
  • PVDF Jacketed Cables
  • Steel Jacketed Cables
  • Steel Jacketed Cables
  • SM and PM Fibers
  • Plastic Clad Fibers
  • Space Cables
  • Custom Flanges

Specifications:

 

  • Temperature Range: -70°C to 115°C
  • Has Worked to: -200°C
  • Helium Leak Test: 1 x 10-6 Torr
  • Return Loss: APC ≥65dB, UPC ≥45dB
  • Extinction Ratio: ≥24dB
  • Insertion Loss: ≤0.5dB

Low Outgassing Cabling

We carry a selection of low outgassing cabling (furcation tubing) where fiber can be fed into them for short cables. For large programs the cable can be built around most optical fibers without impacting the fibers performance. We have had great success using 760µm OD PEEK tubing and 1.8mm OD PFA cabling in thermal cycling applications. If thermal cycling is not a concern then PVDF cabling performs very well and is more cost effective. For high power applications the 3mm OD PVDF cabling adds extra stiffness to limit bending of the fiber. Coastal Connections also carries a selection of PVC and stainless steel furcation tubing.

Features:

  • Low Outgassing
  • Low Shrinkage
  • Accept a large variety of fibers
  • UL94 V-0 Plastics
  • Produced in the USA
  • From 0.76 to 3mm OD

ESCC 3420 Connector

Features:

 

  • Assembled in the USA with quality components
  • Ceramic ferrules for better performance over time and in high vibration.
  • Low outgassing strain relief
  • Wrench flats to torque connector to 1.0 Nm (9lbf-in)
  • ISO 9001 Certified

The assembly process is the most important factor in guaranteeing performance on this connector. The assembly process used at Coastal Connection comes from a 2 year, multimillion dollar effort to qualify and build another single-mode connector for thermal cycling in space. Requirements of NASA Standard 8739.5 and 8739.6 are also followed when required.

  (805) 644-5051

2085 SPERRY AVENUE, SUITE B
VENTURA, CA 93003