Fiber Optics (Essay Sample)

Fiber Optic Cable
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Fiber Optic Cable
A fiber optic cable is a medium of transmitting telecommunication signals over long distances, mostly between continents. It is the best medium for applications that require high bandwidth and immunity from electric fields. It works by transmitting signals in the form of modulated light pulses via thin glass connected to a receiver.
The structure of a fiber optic cable comprises light-carrying core, cladding, buffer material, strength member, and outer jacket. The core is made of highly purified silica and germanium. It is surrounded by an optic cladding made of pure silica. The cladding is covered with a buffer material that minimizes the occurrence of dents. Because the core and cladding have low tensile strengths, they are reinforced with a strength member made of aramid. The outer jacket protects the cable from environmental damage (Udd & Spillman, 2011).
The core and cladding are made of materials with different refractive indices in order to enhance the transmission of light. A material of a higher refractive index is chosen for the core in order to cause a ray of light travelling towards the cladding to be reflected internally. This makes most rays undergo total internal reflection, but refraction still occurs at the core-cladding interface. However, it is minimized by setting the angles of incidence of input rays greater than the critical angle of the core (Downing, 2007)....