Lesson
5: Optical Fiber
From
"Fiber Optics - Live"FOA YouTube Video in Lesson 1
Objectives: From this lesson you should learn:
What is Optical Fiber?
How optical fiber transmits light
Types of fiber
Physical characteristics of various types of fibers
Fiber performance specifications
In this lesson you will learn what optical fiber is, how
it transmits light and all the types of fiber
available.
Optical fiber is the communications medium that works by
sending optical (light) signals down extremely pure
hair-thin strands of glass or plastic fiber. The light is
“guided” down the center of the fiber which is called the
“core”. The core is surrounded by a optical material
called the “cladding” that traps the light in the core
using an optical technique called “total internal
reflection.” The fiber itself is coated by a
“buffer” to protect the fiber from moisture and physical
damage.
Notes (IMPORTANT):
The buffer is what one strips off the fiber for
termination or splicing.
Fiber is specified by size (core/cladding) and
core design which determines whether it is
multimode or singlemode and its performance parameters.
This lesson will cover all those topics.
Fiber Trivia: Although glass optical fibers are
made of a material that everyone assumes is weak and
fragile, it's made from ultra pure glass and is actually
quite flexible, 3 times stronger than steel and 6 times
stronger than titanium (according to the largest
manufacturer of optical fiber, Corning.)
Student Assignment:
Watch the videos, read the references and take the quizzes
(Test Your Comprehension)
FOA YouTube Video:
FOA
Lecture 3: Optical Fiber
Fiber
Optics - Live! A series of videos that use lab
demonstrations to show how optical fiber works.
Online FOA Reference:
Optical
Fiber
Plastic
Optical Fiber
Book Chapter:
FOA
Reference Guide to Fiber Optics,
Chapter 5
Test Your Knowledge:
Optional - Extra Credit Reading
How
fiber is manufactured
Measuring
Loss in Fiber Optics
Plastic
Optical Fiber
Singlemode
fiber nomenclature and standards
- Next: Lesson
6: Fiber Optic Cables
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