. Network cable which is used for communication through pulses of light.
. Much effective than wired cables since data is transferred as light with high speed.
. Consists of number of glass fiber called Optical Fibers which are less in diameter of human hair.
. Much effective than wired cables since data is transferred as light with high speed.
. Consists of number of glass fiber called Optical Fibers which are less in diameter of human hair.
Optical Fiber:
. It is a thin glass made of silica into which signal is transmitted as light pulses.
. Number of these fibers are bundled into the optical cable.
. Designed for long distance, high performance data transmission.
. Internet, cable television, telephone systems uses optical fibers.
Construction:
. Consists of layers called Core, Cladding and buffer.
. Core is the glass material in which light signals passes.
. Cladding covers the core which avoids loss of signal by total internal reflection.
. Buffer acts as a protective sheet to the entire construction.
How it works?
. Transmitters send the electric signals to the optical fiber as light pulses.
. They travel across the length of cable by total internal reflection and reaches the destination in the speed of light i.e., 3x10^5 km/sec.
. At the other end, receivers converts these signals into electric signals and then used for further communication.
Types of Optical Fiber Cables:
. Single Mode:
- It can carry only one wavelength of light.
- Has a narrow core diameter.
- Light travels in one direction, losses are less.
- Suitable to applications which require long distance communication.
. Multi Mode:
- Carries more number of wavelengths of light.
- Has a wider diameter for core.
- Different reflecting angles will be there for different modes of signals.
- Some modes of waves do not follow total internal reflection which may cause losses.
Advantages of Fiber Optics:
. Volume of data that fiber optics allows to pass per unit time is far greater than copper wires.
. Loss of signals is less.
. Signals travel with same quality for longer distances without any losses.
. Easy to maintain Fiber optic cables than coaxial or twisted paired cables.
. Nowadays internet, telephone communications is done through fiber optic cables.