OPTICAL FIBRE :

Optical Fibre is new medium, in which information (voice, Data or Video) is

transmitted through a glass or plastic fibre, in the form of light. An optical fiber is a
flexible , transparent fiber made of glass or plastic slightly thicker than human hair.
Fiber are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less
loss. Optical fiber include a transparent core surrounded by a transparent cladding
material with a lower indx of refraction.lifht is kept in the core by the total internal
reflection.this cause the fiber to act as a waveguide.
Based on number of propagation we have two types of fibers:
(1) Multimode fiber
(2) Singlemode fiber

(1) MULTIMODE FIBER: FIBER THAT SUPPORT MANY

PROPAGATION PATHS CALLED MULTIMODE FIBER (MMF),
Multimode fibers are generally have a wider core diameter,and are used
for short distance communication links and for applications where high
power must be transmitted.These fibers are generally used in local are
network. MMF allow a large number of modes for the light rays
traveling through it.
(2) SINGLEMODE FIBER: FIBER THAT ONLY
SUPPORTS A SINGLE MODE ARE KNOWN AS SINGLE MODE
FIBER (SMF). Singlemode fibers are used for most communication
links longer than 1,050 metres. The singlemode fiber has smaller core
diameter (10mm) and the difference between core and cladding is very
small. Fabrication of SMF is very difficult so the fibers are expensive,
futher the launching of light into the SMF is also difficult. So the SMF
are very useful in long distance communication.
The transmission sequence of optical fiber is given
below:
(1) Information is encoded into electrical signals.
(2) Electrical signals are converted into light signals.
(3) Light travels down the fibre.
(4) A detector changes the light signals into electrical signals.
(5) Electrical signals are decoded into information.

TYPES OF OPTICAL FIBER :

There are different types of optical fiber depending upon the different factors :
(1) Refractive index
(2) Number of modes
Based on the refractive index we have two types of fibers :
(1) Step Index
(2) Graded Index

(1) STEP-INDEX MULTIMODE FIBER : has a large core,

up to 100 microns in diameter. As a result, some of the light rays that make
up the digital pulse may travel a direct route, whereas others zigzag as they
bounce off the cladding. These alternative pathways cause the different
groupings of light rays, referred to as modes, to arrive separately at a
receiving point. This type of fiber is best suited for transmission over
short distances, in an endoscope, for instance.
(2) GRADED-INDEX MULTIMODE FIBER : contains a
core in which the refractive index diminishes gradually from the center axis
out toward the cladding. The higher refractive
index at the center makes the light rays moving down the axis advance more
slowly than those near the cladding.
 ADVANTAGES OF OPTICAL FIBRE :
Optical Fibre has the following advantages:
(1) Optical Fibres are non conductive (Dielectrics).
(2) Electromagnetic Immunity.
(3) Large Bandwidth.
(4) Low Loss.
(5) Small, Lightweight cables.
(6) Available in Long lengths (> 12 kms).
(7) Security.
(8) Large speed.
(9) Easy to maintain.

FIBRE OPTIC SYSTEM:

Optical Fibre is new medium, in which information (voice, Data or Video) is
transmitted through a glass or plastic fibre, in the form of light.
Geometry of Fibre:
A hair-thin fiber consist of two concentric layers of high-purity silica glass
the core and the cladding, which are enclosed by a protective sheath. Light rays
modulated into digital pulses with a laser or a light-emitting diode move along the
core without penetrating the cladding.

Principle of Operation:
TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION: The reflection that occurs when a
light ray travelling in one material hits a different material and reflects back into
the original material without any loss.

CRITICAL ANGLE: The angle of incidence that yields an angle of

refraction of 90o is the critical angle. If the angle of incidence increases more than
the critical angle, the light is totally reflected back into the first material so that it
does not enter the second material. The angle of incidence and reflection are equal
and it is called Total Internal Reflection.

The inner core is the light carrying part. The surrounding cladding provides
the difference refractive index that allows total internal reflection of light through
the core. The index of the cladding is less than 1%, lower than that of the core.

Light injected into the fibre and striking core to cladding interface at greater
than the critical angle, reflects back into core, since the angle of incidence and
reflection are equal, the reflected light will again be reflected. The light will
continue zigzagging down the length of the fibre.
Jacket Jacket

Cladding
Core

Cladding(n Cladding
2)
Core (n Jacket
2)
Light at lessthan A ngleof A ngleof
critical angleis incidence reflection
absorbedinjacket
Light ispropagatedby
total internal reflection

Fig. Total Internal Reflectioninanoptical Fibre

Testing of Optical Fibers using OTDR:

An Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer is an optoelectronic instrument
used to characterize an optical fibre. It injects a series of optical pulses into the
fibre under test and extracts, from the same end of the fibre, light that is scattered
or reflected back from points along the fibre.

The scattered or reflected light that is gathered back is used to characterize

the optical fibre. This is equivalent to the way that an electronic time-domain meter
measures reflections caused by changes in the impedance of the cable under test.
 The strength of the return pulses is measured and integrated as a function
of time, and plotted as a function of fibre length.

APPLICATION OF OPTICAL FIBER IN

COMMUNICATION:
(1) Common carrier nationwide networks.
(2) Telephone Inter-office Trunk lines.
(3) Customer premise communication networks.
(4) Undersea cables.
(5) High EMI areas (Power lines, Rails, Roads).
(6) Factory communication/ Automation.
(7) Control systems.
(8) Expensive environments.
(9) High lightening areas.