The FC connector is a fiber-optic connector with a threaded body, which was designed for use in high-vibration environments. It is commonly used with both single-mode optical fiber and polarization-maintaining optical fiber. FC connectors are used in datacom, telecommunications, measurement equipment, and single-mode lasers. They are becoming less common, displaced by SC and LC connectors. The FC connector has been standardized in TIA fiber optic connector intermateability standard EIA/TIA-604-4.

The FC connector was originally called a "Field Assembly Connector" by its inventors. The name "FC" is an acronym for "ferrule connector" or "fiber channel".

Design

The fiber end is embedded in a 2.5 mm ferrule made of zirconia ceramic or stainless steel. The tip is then typically polished to produce a rounded surface, called "physical contact" polish. This surface profile means that when the fibers are mated they touch only at their cores, allowing transmission with low loss. The fibers are spring-loaded to control the force as the plug is screwed into the receptacle. A key prevents the fiber from rotating while the connectors are being mated.