Fiber Optics
Introduction:
Fiber Optic technology is a cutting edge method of sending and receiving information over great distances (150 km without using a repeater) using light as the data's carrier. Fiber optics uses cables that contain thin filaments of glass or silica fibers that are no thicker than a human hair. They are arranged in bundles called optical cables. The signal cannot be disrupted by outside sources like electricity, rain, humidity, or other things that tend to damage conventional copper wire signals.
(Picture source from www.troynet.net/.../innovations/ citywidefiber/AA007253.JPG)
Fiber Optic Cable
Source: http://www.breault.com/html/esvc_archlight.html
A laser transmitter encodes frequency signals into pulses of light and sends them down the optical fiber to a receiver, which translates the light signals back into frequencies. Fiber optical cables can be made smaller and lighter than copper wires, yet they carry much more information. Optical fibers come in two types, which are single-mode fibers and multi-mode fibers. Single-mode fibers are used to transmit one signal per fiber and are used in telephones and cable television. Multi-mode fibers are used to transmit many signals per fiber and are used in Local Area Networks. This website gives information about the history of fiber optics, a summary of how this technology works, the uses of it, a look into the future, and a list of links to other fiber optical websites.
