Which statement about connector and splice performance is true?

• A. They cannot achieve back reflections
• B. They both aim for low loss and low back reflection
• C. Splices are always worse than connectors
• D. Only connectors require low loss

Answer: (B)

Both connectors and splices are used to join fibers, and the main point is that each type is designed to minimize two key things: insertion loss and back reflection. Light traveling through any joint can be partially reflected if the end faces aren’t perfectly matched, if there’s an air gap, or if alignment isn’t precise. That reflected light can cause noise, destabilize the source, and degrade the signal, so both methods strive for very low loss and very low return loss.

Splices, especially fusion splices, create a continuous glass-to-glass bond with essentially no air gap. That smooth, well-aligned junction leads to extremely low insertion loss and very small back reflections. Connectors also aim for minimal loss and minimal back reflection, but because they are designed to be mated and separated repeatedly, their performance depends on the mating quality, cleanliness, and polishing style used (APC vs UPC) to control reflections. In well-executed systems, both approaches achieve very low loss and low back reflection, which is why the statement that they both aim for low loss and low back reflection is true.

The other options aren’t accurate: back reflections can occur with joints that aren’t perfect; splices aren’t inherently worse than connectors, and both types require low loss, not just connectors.