Fiber optics

Definition

Fiber optics involves the transmission of light through thin, flexible fibers made of glass or plastic. This technology relies on the principle of total internal reflection to guide light efficiently over long distances.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a medium with a higher refractive index to one with a lower refractive index at an angle greater than the critical angle.
2. The core and cladding in fiber optics have different refractive indices to facilitate total internal reflection within the core.
3. Attenuation and dispersion are two key factors that can affect signal quality in fiber optic communication.
4. Single-mode fibers support one propagation mode, while multi-mode fibers support multiple modes, which can lead to modal dispersion.
5. Fiber optics is widely used in telecommunications, medical imaging, and data transfer due to its high bandwidth and low signal loss.

Review Questions

• What is the role of total internal reflection in fiber optics?
• Why is it essential for the core and cladding in optical fibers to have different refractive indices?
• Explain the difference between single-mode and multi-mode fibers.

Related terms

Total Internal Reflection: A phenomenon where light reflects completely within a medium rather than passing through the boundary, occurring when it hits the boundary at an angle greater than the critical angle.

Refractive Index: A measure of how much light bends when entering a material from another medium. It determines how much light slows down in the material.

Critical Angle: $$\text{The minimum angle of incidence at which total internal reflection occurs for light traveling from a medium with a higher refractive index to one with a lower refractive index.}$$