Fiber Optic Wiki

Three types of material make up fiber-optic cables

August 23, 2011

These three cable types differ with respect to attenuation. Attenuation is principally caused by two physical effects: absorption and scattering. Absorption removes signal energy in the interaction between the propagating light (photons) and molecules in the core.

Glass Fiber-Optic Cable

August 23, 2011

Glass fiber-optic cable has the lowest attenuation. A pure-glass, fiber-optic cable has a glass core and a glass cladding. This cable type has, by far, the most widespread use. It has been the most popular with link installers, and it is the type of cable with which installers have the most experience.

Plastic Fiber-Optic Cable

August 23, 2011

Plastic fiber-optic cable has the highest attenuation among the three types of cable. Plastic fiber-optic cable has a plastic core and cladding. This fiber-optic cable is quite thick. Typical dimensions are 480/500, 735/750, and 980/1000.

A Brief History of Fiber-Optic Communications

August 22, 2011

Optical communication systems date back to the 1790s, to the optical semaphore telegraph invented by French inventor Claude Chappe. In 1880, Alexander Graham Bell patented an optical telephone system, which he called the Photophone. However, his earlier invention, the telephone, was more practical and took tangible shape.

Fiber-Optic Applications

August 22, 2011

The use and demand for optical fiber has grown tremendously and optical-fiber applications are numerous. Telecommunication applications are widespread, ranging from global networks to desktop computers. These involve the transmission of voice, data, or video over distances of less than a meter to hundreds of kilometers, using one of a few standard fiber designs in one of several cable designs.

Figure 3-1 Cross Section of a Fiber-Optic Cable

August 22, 2011

The index of refraction is calculated by dividing the speed of light in vacuum by the speed of light in another medium, as shown in the following formula:

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