Optical fiber or fiber optics is a wire that allows light to travel along its length. The light travels on a thin glass or plastic strand. A series of these individual wires are then all bundled together and encased in a common outer jacket to form a fiber optic cable. These completed cables are most frequently used in the telecom industry because digital information can easily be converted into pulses of light which move rapidly along the individual glass wires. Fiber optic cables can be short, used as patch cords for electronic interconnect or the cables can span from coast to coast.
Cable TV, the internet and telephone calls are all signals that commonly pass through fiber optic cable. These cables are less expensive than copper and are typically used for long distance runs. As there is still a few technical problems associated with turning corners without a drop in signal strength, these cables are found to be ideal for runs over level planes.
There are a number of reasons why fiber optic cables are preferred over copper cables in the telecom industry:
* Fiber optic cables offer better bandwidth
* There is less attenuation or degradation of the signal
* As the wires are carrying light and not electrical pulses there is less chance of interference from electrical sources.
* Less risk of fire as the cable is glass
When the cable is constructed the core must be as pure as possible. In the event there are impurities in the glass, the signal may be adversely affected. As there are many strands in each cable, they all must be perfect.
Fiber optic cables use internal reflection to transmit the signal along the length of the cable. Basically, when light hits a clear surface at a dedicated angle of attack, it bounces back rather than penetrate the surface. The light wave hits the outer wall of the glass strand, it reflects off it and in the process travels down the cable until the light hits the opposite side at which time it reflects again and continues to travel in this fashion. The surface of the glass is exactly right to continue these reflections and keep the signal travelling until it reaches its destination.
can customize fiber optic cables to suit the customer’s specific needs. The cables are available in a range of colors which allow for a complete custom installation.
