What Is Fiber Optics ?
• Transmitting
communications
signals over hair thin
strands of glass or
plastic
• Not a "new" technology
• Concept a century old
• Used commercially for
last 25 years
Fiber Has More Capacity
This single fiber
can carry more
communications
than the giant
copper cable!
The copper cable has about 1000
pairs of conductors. Each pair can
only carry about 24 telephone
conversations a distance of less
than 3 miles.
The fiber cable carries more than
32,000 conversations hundreds or
even thousands of miles before it
needs regeneration. Then each fiber
can simultaneously carry over 150
times more by transmitting at
different colors (called wavelengths)
of light.
Fiber Optic Communications
• Applications include
– Telephones
– Internet
– LANs - local area networks
– CATV - for video, voice and Internet connections
– Utilities - management of power grid
– Security - closed-circuit TV and intrusion sensors
– Military - everywhere!
Why Use Fiber Optics?
• Economics
• Speed
• Distance
• Weight/size
• Freedom from interference
• Electrical isolation
• Security
Fiber Optic Applications
• Fiber is already used in:
– > 90% of all long distance telephony
– > 50% of all local telephony
– Most CATV networks
– Most LAN (computer network) backbones
– Many video surveillance links
Fiber Optic Applications
• Fiber is the least expensive, most reliable
method for high speed and/or long distance
communications
• While we already transmit signals at Gigabits
per second speeds, we have only started to
utilize the potential bandwidth of fiber
Fiber Technology
Optical fiber is comprised of a light carrying core surrounded by a cladding which
traps the light in the core by the principle of total internal reflection. Most optical
fibers are made of glass, although some are made of plastic. The core and cladding
are usually fused silica glass which is covered by a plastic coating called the buffer
or primary buffer coating which protects the glass fiber from physical damage and
moisture
Fiber Technology
By making the core of the fiber of a material with a higher refractive index, we can
cause the light in the core to be totally reflected at the boundary of the cladding for
all light that strikes at greater than a critical angle determined by the difference in
the composition of the materials used in the core and cladding.
Many students are curious how fiber is made. Good explanations are available in
the FOTM, on the Fiber Optic Association website under “Tech Topics” and from
most fiber manufacturers.
Light Used In Fiber Optics
• Fiber optic systems transmit using
infrared light, invisible to the human
eye, because it goes further in the
optical fiber at those wavelengths.
Fiber Optic Cable
• Optical fibers are enclosed in cables for protection against
the environment in which they are installed. Cables
installed in trays in buildings require less protection than,
for example, cables buried underground or placed under
water.
• Cables will include strength members, typically a strong
synthetic fiber called aramid fiber or Kevlar for its duPont
trade name, which takes the stress of pulling the cable.
The thin yellow fibers in the photo are the strength
members.
• The outside of the cable is called the jacket. It is the final
protection for the fibers and must withstand extremes of
temperatures, moisture and the stress of installation.
Some cables even have a layer of thin metal under the
jacket to prevent rodents from chewing throught the cable.
• The colors you see above are color-coding so you can
identify individual fibers in the cable.
ADVANTAGES OF OPTICAL FIBERS
DISADVANTAGES OF OPTICAL FIBERS
1. The terminating equipment is still costly as
compared to copper equipment
2. Communication is not totally in optical domain,
so repeated electric –optical – electrical
conversion is needed.
3. Optical amplifiers, splitters, MUX-DEMUX are
still in development stages.
4. Tapping is not possible. Specialized equipment
is needed to tap a fiber.
5. Optical fiber splicing is a specialized technique
and needs expertly trained manpower.
6. The splicing and testing equipments are very
expensive as compared to copper equipments.
