Optical fiber

Optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber and find wide usage in fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than electrical cables. Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss; in addition, fibers are immune to electromagnetic interference, a problem from which metal wires suffer excessively. Fibers are also used for illumination and imaging, and are often wrapped in bundles so they may be used to carry light into, or images out of confined spaces, as in the case of a fiberscope. Specially designed fibers are also used for a variety of other applications, some of them being fiber optic sensors and fiber lasers.

History

The history of optical fiber dates back to the 19th century. It was first envisioned by the French Chappe brothers. Their 'optical telegraph' involved a series of semaphore stations to relay messages. However, the first practical optical fiber was only developed in 1966 by Charles Kao and George Hockham of the British company Standard Telecommunication Laboratories.

Types of Optical Fibers

There are two main types of optical fibers: single-mode fibers and multi-mode fibers. Single-mode fibers have a small core, and they allow light to travel in a straight line. This makes them the best choice for long-distance communication. On the other hand, multi-mode fibers have a larger core, and they allow light to travel in multiple paths. This makes them the best choice for short-distance communication.

Applications

Optical fibers have a wide range of applications. They are used in telecommunications, cable television, and internet. They are also used in medical equipment, military, and space applications. In addition, they are used in industrial applications, such as sensors and lasers.

See Also

• Fiber-optic communication
• Fiber-optic sensors
• Fiber lasers

References

Optical fiber Resources
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