Development, testing and track record of fiber-optic, wet-mate, connectors

Underwater fiber-optic wet-mate connectors enable subsea system designers to build modular subsea components and systems utilizing optical communication systems. These modular systems can be assembled on the seafloor. The optical connectors enable connections and disconnections of optical systems underwater, providing connectivity for installation and maintenance purposes or for future system expansion, particularly as part of installed underwater optical communication hubs. In anticipation of future applications requiring the large bandwidth, high speed and long step-out distances achievable from using optical communication systems, optical wet-mate connectors have been qualified for use to 23,000 feet (7,000 m) and so far been used to over 9,900 feet (3,017 m). This paper presents an overview of the development and testing, plus a summary of the track record, of a full range of wet-mate, optical fiber, connectors suitable for the underwater industries.