In telecommunications, return loss is the loss of signal power resulting from the reflection caused at a discontinuity in a transmission line or optical fiber. This discontinuity can be a mismatch with the terminating load or with a device inserted in the line. It is usually expressed as a ratio in decibels (dB);
- where RL(dB) is the return loss in dB, Pi is the incident power and Pr is the reflected power.
Return loss is related to both standing wave ratio (SWR) and reflection coefficient (Γ). Increasing return loss corresponds to lower SWR. Return loss is a measure of how well devices or lines are matched. A match is good if the return loss is high. A high return loss is desirable and results in a lower insertion loss.
Return loss is used in modern practice in preference to SWR because it has better resolution for small values of reflected wave.
Read more about Return Loss: Sign, Electrical, Optical
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