322

Lasers

(Minor)

Gas laser

Fig.12.26
Schematic representation of a laser

Waves travelling

rotation sensor.

:1",,'*:,|',""."1X,,,"

counterclockwise. The rotation rate may then be determined by measuring the

path difference. Talking of fibres. I must mention that rotation rate is just one of the numerous physical quantities which can be measured with the aid of light propaeating in fibres. Sensors have already been built for measuring angular position. temperature, pressure, strain, acceleration. magnetic fietd. etc. The availability of fibres and semiconductor lasers has made it fashionable to convert all kind of input variables into light signals. The reason is low attenuation. flexibility (in both senses of the word), high information capaciry, compactness. light weight and. last but not least, the potentially low price ofthe device.

several times. There is no doubt that lasers, combined with the advent of optical fibres, are responsible for the enormous increase in volume, and for the drastic decline in the cost of Transatlantic and Transcontinental calls. In the second edition of this book, published in 1979 the following prediction rvas made about optical communications: 'lt is bound to come, and bound to be followed by cheap

12.13.16 Communications I have already mentioned Communications

intercontinental communications. In

l0

years time you

will probably

be able

to call Uncle Billy in New York for ten pence.' Well, ten years was not quite the right prediction but if we talk about the present time, 2008, any point in the United States can be reached for two pence a minute. The furure? There
is some overcapacity at present but, we strongly believe. that barring a major catastrophe, all kinds of communications will increase. The sky is the limit. While on Communications I must mention a new development that may very well come. The problem to solve is known as that of the Last Mile concerned

with transmitting information from the fibre terminal to each home.

Since

installing fibres into every house is rather expensive the present solution is to change to coaxial cable at the fibre terminal. The new solution envisaged is