Unit -2

Fiber Optics
 Fiber Optics
Most ancient science with the latest revolutionary applications

An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made by

drawing glass(silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker that of a
human hair.

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 Fiber Optics communication system

Fiber optics is a technology in which signals are converted from

electrical into optical signals, transmitted through a thin glass fibre
and reconverted into electrical signals

LASER Optical Fiber Photo diode/PIN diode etc

Why Optical fibers?
Advantages
 Bandwidth is higher than copper cables, Less power loss and allows data transmission for longer distances
 The optical cable is resistance for electromagnetic interference
 The size of the fiber cable is 4.5 times better than copper wires and
 These cables are lighter, thinner, and occupy less area compare with metal wires. Installation is very easy due to less
weight.
 The optical fiber cable is very hard to tap because they don’t produce electromagnetic energy. These cables are very secure
while carrying or transmitting data.
 A fiber optic cable is very flexible, easily bends, and opposes most acidic elements that hit the copper wire.

Disadvantages
 The optical fiber cables are very difficult to merge & there will be a loss of the beam within the cable while scattering.
 The Installation of these cables is cost-effective. They are not as robust as the wires. Special test equipment is often
required to the optical fiber.
 Fiber optic cables are compact and highly vulnerable while fitting
 These cables are more delicate than copper wires. Special devices are needed to check the transmission of fiber cable.
Refraction of light
Refraction of light

Apparent depth and Real depth

 Case 1 r Case 2 r
The angle of refraction at the interface between two media is
governed by Snell’s law:
n1 sin1  n2 sin 2
i i

i = ic i > ic
Case 3 r r = 90O Case 4 r r > 90O

i i

Total internal reflection

PRINCIPLES OF OPTICAL FIBER
An optical fiber is a cylindrical dielectric wave guide that transmits light along its axis, by
the process of total internal reflection. The fiber consists of core surrounded by a
cladding layer, both of which are made of dielectric materials. To confine the optical
signal in the core, the refractive index of the core must be greater than that of the
cladding.

Coating
Cladding
Core

Geometrical parameters: core-radius (a), core-R.I (n1), cladding-R.I (n2 < n1)
Acceptance angle
Acceptance angle is the maximum angle with the axis of the Optical Fiber at which the
light can enter into the optical fiber in order to be propagated through it.

Acceptance angle (0)

Numerical aperture (NA) NA ~ 0.13 – 0.50
Numerical aperture represents the light-gathering
2 2
capacity of an optical fibre. The numerical aperture can
be represented by the sine of the acceptance angle of the
 
sin 𝜃𝑜 =
√ 𝑛 1 − 𝑛 2

fibre i.e., sin θ0. 𝑛𝑜

 
Acceptance Angle ()
2 2
 
sin 𝜃𝑜 =
√ 𝑛1 − 𝑛 2
𝑛𝑜

 
Critical angle ()
The angle at it which the light ray incident on the core cladding Interface will be parallel to the
cladding surface after refraction
 
= )

 
Critical propagation angle ()
The rays with propagation angle larger than will not propagate in the fibre
 
= )
Fractional refractive index change ()

Q. Calculate the value of critical angle, propagation angle and acceptance angle,
acceptance cone angle, fractional refractive index, and numerical aperture of an
optical fiber having core refractive index 1.6 and cladding refractive index of 1.3
Types of optical fiber cables

Huhhh!
There are many
cables – How do I
remember?
 Mid exam – 1
model question paper
Date: 27th Dec 2021 Total marks: 10 Time: 30 min

I. Answer the following questions 2 X 2 = 4 M

1) Question 1
2) Question 2

II. Answer any one of the following questions 1 X 6 = 6M

3) Question 3 (1 X 6 = 6M)

Or

4(a) Question 4 (1 X 3 = 3M)

4(b) Question 5 (1 X 3 = 3M)
Types of optical fiber cables

Huhhh!
There are many
cables – How do I
remember?
 Fiber materials
Requirements for the selecting Fiber material
 Must be flexible, long, thin
 Must be transparent (particularly optical
wavelengths)
 Physically compatible material that have
slightly different R.I. Glass composed of pure silica – silica
glass, fused silica or vitreous silica
Glass Fibers: Glass is made by fusing mixtures of
metal oxides, sulfides or selenides.
Large category of transparent glasses consists of oxide
glasses, Ex. Silica (SiO2). Adding dopants creates slightly
different R.I’s.
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 Fiber materials
Requirements for the selecting Fiber material
 Must be flexible, long, thin
 Must be transparent (particularly optical
wavelengths)
 Physically compatible material that have
slightly different R.I. Glass composed of pure silica – silica
glass, fused silica or vitreous silica
Plastic Optical Fibers:
These are high bandwidth graded index polymer/plastic
optical fiber (POF).

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 What is mode?
The light ray paths along which the waves are
in phase inside the fibre are known as modes

(Mode means, the number of paths available

for light propagation in a fibre)

Modes of transmission

Single mode Multimode

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Example: For OM3 multimode, 10 Gbs can be sent a maximum of about 300 m (1000 ft) before the signal
becomes indistinguishable.

single mode’s minuscule core limits dispersion, so higher bandwidth signals can be sent over a longer distance
 Single mode Vs Multimode
 Single mode fiber has a smaller core than multimode and is suitable for long
haul installations. Single mode systems are generally more expensive.

 Multimode fiber has a larger core and is recommended for fiber runs less than
400 m (1300 feet). The grade of multimode fiber affects its distance and
bandwidth capabilities.  Multimode systems are generally less expensive.

 Single mode only works with single mode, and multimode only works with
multimode. This is true for cable, connectors, and electronics.

 Our recommendation for cable runs under 300 m (1000 ft) is generally
multimode OM3. This provides high bandwidth and low cost effective
Step index Vs Graded Index fibers

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Step index Vs Graded Index fibers

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 Multimode fibers offer more advantages than single mode.
 Because of larger core-radius, its easier to launch optical power into the fiber
 Easy facilitate the connector/couplers.
 LEDs source can be used to launch the light. (LASER diode are used for launching
light into single mode optical fiber).
 Disadvantages of multimode OF: Suffer from intermodal dispersion. (can be over-
come by graded-index profile).

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 Fiber Optics communication system

Fiber optics is a technology in which signals are converted from

electrical into optical signals, transmitted through a thin glass fibre
and reconverted into electrical signals

LASER Optical Fiber Photo diode/PIN diode etc

Fiber Optics communication system

Ref. OFC-Gerd Keiser

Transmitter side:
Fiber Optics communication system
On the transmitter side, first if the data is analog, it is sent to a coder or converter circuit which converts the
analog signal into digital pulses of 0,1,0,1…(depending on how the data is) and passed through a light source
transmitter circuit. And if the input is digital then it is directly sent through the light source transmitter circuit
which converts the signal in the form of light waves.

Optical Fiber Cable:

The light waves received from the transmitter circuit to the fiber optic cable is now transmitted from the source
location to the destination and received at the receiver block.

Receiver Side:
Now on the receiver side the photocell, also known as the light detector, receives the light waves from the
optical fiber cable, amplifies it using the amplifier and converts it into the proper digital signal. Now if the output
source is digital then the signal is not changed further and if the output source needs analog signal then the
digital pulses are then converted back to an analog signal using the decoder circuit.

The whole process of transmitting an electrical signal from one point to the other by converting it into the light
and using Fiber optic cable as transmission source is known as Optical Fiber Communication.
 Characteristics of Fiber Optic Communication

In Optical fiber communication, light is used as a signal which transmitted inside the optical fiber cable. This mode
of communication has characteristics which are important to be discussed and makes it a good mode of
communication.

 Bandwidth – Single laser light dispersion means that a good amount of signal can be transmitted (Information
being transferred in bits) per second which results in high bandwidth for long distances.

 Smaller diameter – The diameter of Optical fiber cable is about 300 micrometers in diameter.

 Light-weight – The Optical fiber cable is light in weight compared to the copper cable.

 Long-distance signal transmission – Since the laser light doesn’t disperse, it can be easily transmitted over long
distances.

 Low attenuation – The fiber is made of glass and laser is traveling through it, the signal transmitted has only 0.2
dB/km loss. 

 Transmission security – Optical encryption and no presence of the electromagnetic signal make the data
secure over optical fiber.
 Fiber optics sensors – based on interference of light
Coherent waves Coherent waves

Coherent light waves

Incoherent light waves

Phase difference = 0O Phase difference = 90O

 Interference of waves
Interference is the phenomenon in which two waves superpose to
form the resultant wave of the lower, higher or same amplitude
 Conditions to see interference of light
Light source should be coherent and monochromatic
 Mathematics of interference

  l = ,,  l = , 2 , 3 ,……
 
 Fiber optics sensors

 Temperature sensors

 Displacement sensors

 Force sensors

 Pressure/Strain sensor

Optical fiber used in temperature sensor - Principle

 Fiber optics sensors

 Temperature sensors

 Displacement sensors

 Force sensors

 Pressure/Strain sensor

Optical fiber used in angular displacement sensor - Principle

 Fiber optics sensors

 Temperature sensors

 Displacement sensors

 Force sensors

 Pressure/Strain sensor

Optical fiber used in angular displacement sensor - Principle