What is the most common application for light sources and power meters?

The most common application for light sources and power meters is end to end attenuation testing. This testing is crucial in fiber optics installations as it helps to measure the loss of signal strength, or attenuation, over the distance of a fiber optic cable. By using a light source to transmit a known power level through the fiber and a power meter to measure the received power level, installers and technicians can determine the loss incurred in the fiber. This information is essential for ensuring that the fiber optic link meets the required performance specifications, as excessive attenuation can impact the quality of signal transmission, leading to potential issues in network reliability and performance.

In contrast, applications like network troubleshooting often involve a broader range of diagnostic tools and methods that may not solely focus on power levels or attenuation. Connection integrity checks typically assess the physical connections and terminations rather than measuring attenuation specifically. Signal quality analysis evaluates the overall performance of the signals, which can include factors beyond just light power levels. Each of these applications has its own importance in the field, but for the specific function of measuring signal loss over a fiber optic link, end to end attenuation testing is the most direct and common application of light sources and power meters.