Fiber Optic Devices

Fiber Optic Rotary Joints (FORJs)

Fiber Optic Rotary Joints (FORJs) are to optical signals what electrical slip rings are to electrical signals, a means to pass signals across rotating interfaces, particularly when transmitting large amounts of data. FORJs maintain the intrinsic advantages of fiber end to end. Moog Components Group has been producing Fiber Optic Rotary Joints for over twenty years.

FORJs are available in single and multi-channel options. The most cost and size efficient options are the single and dual channel designs. If more than two fibers are present in a system, multiplexing solutions are available to combine multiple channels onto one or two fibers to allow the use of a one or two channel FORJ.

In cases where more than two fibers are required, Moog has three designs: the FO190, FO242 and FO291 where single channel modules are stacked to achieve the desired number of channels.

Reliability

Our FORJs are designed for the most demanding conditions and are tested to rigorous environmental and performance standards. All materials and components have been selected to ensure the highest reliability in extreme environments, including shock and vibration, temperature, humidity and dust. These FORJ designs have proven performance records in both industrial and military applications with these environmental conditions.

Singlemode or Multimode

Singlemode fibers allow the propagation of a singlemode of optical energy due to their small core size and small numerical aperture and for this reason they exhibit very high bandwidths. Most singlemode fiber systems operate at 1300 nm and 1550 nm wavelengths because of lower fiber attenuation at these wavelengths. Because of these smaller core sizes and numerical aperture, singlemode FORJs must be designed with very precise mechanical alignments.

Multimode fibers have large cores and large numerical apertures allowing the propagation of multiple modes of optical energy. These features allow larger amounts of light to be transmitted from sources such as LEDs and VCSELs, but result in higher attenuation and dispersion. Because of these attenuation and dispersion features, multimode fiber systems are typically used for shorter datacom links. Most multimode systems operate at 850 nm and 1300 nm.

Single Channel FORJ

Our single channel (single-pass) FORJs are available with singlemode or multimode fibers.  They are passive and bidirectional, and allows the transfer of optical signals across rotational interfaces.

Multi-channel FORJ

When multiple fibers are needed, out Multi-channel FORJs are available with singlemode or multimode fibers.  They are passive and bidirectional, and allows the transfer of optical signals across rotational interfaces.

Hybrid FORJs

Hybrid FORJs combine an electrical slip ring with a fiber optic rotary joint, allowing electrical, power and optical signal transfer through a single rotational joint.

Complete Rotary Interfaces

Typically fiber optic rotary joints are part of a comprehensive rotary interface.  Moog has the experience to integrate other components for your assembly.  It is common to incorporate other rotary components, such as slip rings, fluid rotary unions, resolvers, encoders, motors and actuators into advanced rotary interface assemblies.