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The refractive index profile for this type of fiber makes a step change at the
corecladding interface. The optical fiber with a core of constant refractive
index n1 and a cladding of a slightly lower refractive index n2 is known as step
index fiber, because the refractive index profile for this type of fiber makes a
step change at the corecladding interface.
Figure illustrates the two major types of step index fiber ,multimode step index
fiber and single-mode or monomode step index fiber
where is the relative refractive index difference and is the profile parameter
which gives the characteristic refractive index profile of the fiber core.
A multimode graded index fiber with a parabolic index profile core is illustrated
in Figure . The meridional rays shown appear to follow curved paths through
the fiber core. Using the concepts of geometric optics, the gradual decrease in
refractive index from the center of the core creates many refractions of the rays
as they are effectively incident on a large number or high to low index
interfaces. This mechanism is illustrated in Figure below where a ray is shown
to be gradually curved, with an ever increasing angle of incidence, until the
conditions for total internal reflection are met, and the ray travels back towards
the core axis, again being continuously refracted.
An expanded ray diagram showing refraction at the various high to low index
interfaces within a graded index fiber, giving an overall curved ray path
Multimode graded index fibers exhibit far less intermodal dispersion than
multimode step index fibers due to their refractive index profile. Although many
different modes are excited in the graded index fiber, the different group
velocities of the modes tend to be normalized by the index grading.
Advantages of graded index fiber
Multimode graded index fibers exhibit far less intermodal dispersion
than multimode step index fibers due to their refractive index profile.
Although many different modes are excited in the graded index fiber, the
different group velocities of the modes tend to be normalized by the
index grading.
Multimode graded index fibers with parabolic or near-parabolic index
profile cores have transmission bandwidths which may be orders of
magnitude greater than multimode step index fiber bandwidths.
Consequently, although they are not capable of the bandwidths attainable
with single-mode fibers, such multimode graded index fibers have the
advantage of large core diameters (greater than 30 m) coupled with
bandwidths suitable for long distance communication.
Disadvantage of graded index fiber
For graded index fibers the numerical aperture is a function of the radial
distance from the fiber axis. Graded index fibers, therefore, accept less light
than corresponding step index fibers with the same relative refractive index
difference.
Total no:of guided modes
For a parabolic refractive index profile core fiber ( = 2), total no:of guided
modes is Mg =V2/4, which is half the number supported by a step index fiber (
= ) with the same V value.
Single-mode fibers
For the transmission of a single mode the fiber must be designed to allow
propagation of only one mode, while all other modes are attenuated by leakage
or absorption. The advantage of the propagation of a single mode within an
optical fiber is that the signal dispersion caused by the delay differences
between different modes in a multimode fiber may be avoided. Multimode step
index fibers do not lend themselves to the propagation of a single mode due to
the difficulties of maintaining single-mode operation within the fiber when
mode conversion (i.e. coupling) to other guided modes takes place at both input
mismatches and fiber imperfections.
For single-mode operation, only the fundamental LP01 mode can exist.
Structure
Core diameter: 100 to 300 m
Cladding diameter: 140 to 400 m
Buffer jacket diameter: 400 to 1000 m
Numerical aperture: 0.16 to 0.5
Performance characteristics
Attenuation: 2.6 to 50 dB km1 at a wavelength of 0.85 m, limited by absorption or
Scattering
Attenuation spectra for multimode step index fibers
the index grading and lower attenuation. Multimode graded index fibers tend to have smaller
core diameters than multimode step index fibers, although the overall diameter including the
buffer jacket is usually about the same. This gives the fiber greater rigidity to resist bending.
A typical structure is illustrated in Figure
Structure
Core diameter: 50 to 100 m
Cladding diameter: 125 to 150 m
Coating diameter: 200 to 300 m (e.g. 245 5 m for Corning fibers)
Buffer jacket diameter: 400 to 1000 m
Numerical aperture: 0.2 to 0.3.
Performance characteristics
Attenuation: 2 to 10 dB km1 at a wavelength of 0.85 m with generally a scattering limit.
Average losses of around 0.4 and 0.25 dB km1 can be obtained at wavelengths of 1.31 and
1.55 m respectively
Bandwidth: 200 MHz km to 3 GHz km.
Applications: Although these fibers were initially used for medium haul, they are now best
suited to short-haul and medium- to high-bandwidth applications using either incoherent or
coherent multimode sources (i.e. LEDs or injection laser diodes respectively).
Single-mode fibers
single-mode fibers have small core diameters to allow single-mode propagation, the cladding
diameter must be at least 10 times the core diameter to avoid losses from the evanescent field.
Hence with a coating and buffer jacket to provide protection and strength, single-mode fibers
have similar overall diameters to multimode fibers. A typical example of the standard singlemode fiber (SSMF) which usually comprises a step index profile shown in Figure