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Fiber Optics Fundamentals

Surasak Sanguanpong
nguan@ku.ac.th
http://www.cpe.ku.ac.th/~nguan
Last updated: 11 July 2000

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

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Bending of Light Ray

refracted
z θi = angle of incidence
θr = angle of reflection
n2 of medium 2
θt z

z θt = angle of refraction
surface
n1 of medium 1
boundary
θi θr

incident reflected

refraction index : n = c/v

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

The surface represents a boundary between two media. Let θi be the angle at
which the light wave intersects the boundary. Some of the light will reflect
back at an θr=θi and some will cross the boundary into the other medium.

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Snell’s Law

n1>n2 θt
1
2
n2 3 θi
n1
4 4
θi = n2sinθ
n1sinθ θt
3
2 θi = sin-1n2/n1
1 θc = critical angle
= θc

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

From Snell’s law, if θt reach 90° , θi will equal to sin-1 n2/n1. This θc is called
critical angle of incidence. Any light rays that are incident at angles greater
than critical angle will reflect back into medium.

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Propagation Modes
Loss in cladding Total reflection

M = the number of modes

πd (n1)2-(n2)2
2
d = core diameter (m)
M= λ λ = wavelength (m)
2 n1 = refraction index of core
n2 = refraction index of cladding

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

A fiber core is fairly thick relative to a wavelength of light and allow the light
to enter it at many difference angles. There is a finite number of angles at
which the rays reflect and propagate the length of the fiber. Each angle
defines a path or a mode.

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Fiber classification
core/cladding Electrical
input signal Electrical
characteristics
output signal
h2
h1

Multimode stepped index

wavelength : 850,1300 nm
h2
h1
Multimode graded index

h2 wavelength : 1300,1550 nm
h1

Single mode

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

There are basically two modes of a transmission in a fiber. A multimode fiber

has a number of paths in which light ray may travel. A single mode has a
light ray in one direction only.

Fibers are further classified by the refractive index profile of their core. They
can be either step index or graded index. Three main types of fibers are
multimode step-index fiber , multimode grades index fiber and single mode
fiber.

The refraction index of multimode step-index fiber is uniformly throughout

the core. The refraction index of multimode graded-index fiber is gradually
less dense), light travels radically outward it begins to bend back toward the
center, eventually reflecting back. Because the material also less dense, the
light travels faster. Reducing the core diameter to that of a single wavelength
(3-10 µm) will let the light propagates along a one mode only.

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Loss in Glass Fibers

2.0
0.85µ band 1.30µ band 1.55µ band
1.8
1.6
Attenuation (dB/km)

1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8
Wavelength (microns)
Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

Because of the attenuation versus wavelength characteristics of glass optical

fiber, there are three wavelength ranges, or windows, preferred for
transmission.

With the first window at 850 nm, light sources and electronics can be made
from alloy semiconductors with Ga1-xAlxAs.

The second window is around 1300 nm. Above this window there is a peak
attenuation due to absorbation of light by the hydroxyl (OH) ions trapped in
the fiber during processing. This window coincides with the point of
minimum chromatic dispersion of the fiber.

The fiber attains its greatest transparency at wavelengths around 1550 nm,
where attenuation decreases to only 0.2 dB per kilometer. Above 1600 nm, it
increases again due to absorbtion. [Powers,P. John, An Introduction to Fiber
Optic Systems, Aksen Assoc. Inc. Publishers, 1993]. Above 1600 nm, glass is
no longer transparent to infrared light. Instead, the light is absorbed and
converted to heat,

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Light Source
power
ILD
LED
LED

Injection
Laser Diode

wavelength

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

A light source such as a LED or a laser is placed at one end of the fiber. The
light source emit short but rapid pulses of light that enter the core at different
angles. The laser produce a very pure and narrow beam. It also has a
high-power output, allowing the light to propagated further that produced by
the LED. The LED produces less concentrated light consisting of many
wavelengths.

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Optical Fiber Comparison

Multimode Single mode

Light source LED/ILD ILD

Bandwidth >1 GHz/km up to 1000 GHz/km
Wavelength 850, 1300 1300,1550
core/cladding 62.5/125* 8/125
Applications LAN, backbone Long distance, Telcom lines

* options with 50/125, 100/140

core core

cladding cladding
62.5/125 micron 8/125 micron

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

Standard fibers are categorized as single mode or multimode. Single mode

fibers are appropriate for long distance with high data rate. Multimode fiber
are for shorter distance or local area networks. The most popular one is
62.5/125 type.

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Typical Fiber Cable

Single core
Optical Plastic coating Optical • Materials for cladding and
cladding core core:
z glass cladding/glass core
z plastic cladding/glass core
z plastic cladding/plastic core

Multicore

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

The major components of a fiber-optics cable are the core, cladding, buffer,
strength, strength member and the jacket.

The core is made of glass or plastic. Plastic is easier to manufacture and use
but works shorter distance than glass. The core can be anywhere from about 2
to several hundred microns (1 micron = 10-6 m).

The core and cladding are actually manufacture as a single unit. The cladding
is usually of plastic with a lower index of reflection than core.

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Cable Structures

Strength Outer Jacket

Elements
Color Coded
Jacket

Central
fiber Strength
Elements

cladding

core

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

Fiber cables are normally bundled with several cores e.g. 2, 4,6 ,8 ,12,24,
36 or 72 (depends on manufacturing).

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Fiber in use
• Plenums or non-plenums
• plenum cable has a fire-resistant jacket, which will not burn,
smoke or
• give off toxic fumes when expose to heat

• Riser cables
• cable that runs vertically; e.g. between floors in a building

• Indoor or Outdoor
• Indoor cable used in building. Outdoor cable used in
underground,
• directed buries, and aerial applications between building.

Applied Network Research Group Department of Computer Engineering, Kasetsart University

Outdoor cable is fill with a compound formulated to protected the fibers from
environmental damage such as moisture.

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