Introduction to Fiber Optical Technology – Part 2
Part 2 will cover Single & Multimode Fiber, Simplex & Duplex Optical Fiber, and Role in Our Daily Lives.
Single & Multimode Fiber
Optic fiber cables transmit light signals over modes. Modes are paths that light beams follow when traveling through a fiber-optic cable. The following will discuss single mode and multimode fiber cables.
Using a simple structure, single mode fiber contains an extremely thin core, and every signal travels directly through the middle without bouncing. Typically utilized for cable television, telephone, and Internet applications, single mode fiber-optic cables are composed of single mode fibers that are bundled within a cable.
In contrast, a multimode fiber cable is approximately 10X bigger than a single mode cable. A light beam can travel though a multimode fiber cable’s core by following various paths or using several different modes. However, a multimode fiber cable is only capable of transmitting data over a short distance. Thus, their use is typically limited to the interconnection of computer networks, such as within a building or on a campus.
There are five types of multimode fiber-optic cables identified by the acronym, OM (optical multimode): OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5. Each OM type requires a minimum Modal Bandwidth, which refers to the maximal distance for a given signaling rate.
Simplex & Duplex Optical Fiber
Containing a single strand of glass, simplex fiber is commonly deployed where only a single transmission and/or reception line is needed between devices or instances where a multiplex data signal is utilized, such as in bi-directional communications across a single fiber.
Consisting of double strands of glass or plastic fiber, a duplex fiber cable is commonly manufactured in a construction format termed as zipcord. Typically, duplex fiber cable is utilized for duplex communication between devices, where separate transmission and reception are required.
Role in Our Daily Lives
There are thousands and thousands of miles of optic cabling that have been installed. They are used for numerous types of data transmissions, and are located inside tunnels, underground, in ceilings, within the walls of buildings, and other locations that are not visible. Fiber-optic cables play a significant role in our daily lives, including the applications listed below:
- Broadcasting
- Computer networking
- Medical scanning
- Military equipment
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