FIBER OPTIC WAVEGUIDE

Outline of Talk
 OF communication system
 Advantages and limitations of OFC
 What is an optical fiber?
 Types of optical fiber
 How fibers works ?
 Optical fiber communication system
Attenuation, Dispersion,
crosstalk & noise

Input Output
Optical Comm. Channel Optical
Transmitter (Optical fiber) Receiver
Dispersion
 Advantages of OFC

Greater bandwidth
Low attenuation
Electrical immunity (no RFI, EMI)
Greater security
Flexibility
Falling cost
Long repeater spacing
Smaller size and weight than copper cables
 What is an Optical Fiber?
An optical fiber is a waveguide for light
Consists of :
Core: inner part where wave propagates
Cladding: outer part used to keep wave in core
Buffer: protective coating
SiO2 doped
Jacket: outer protective shield Low n
with GeO2

High n
Refractive Index (n)
 In optics, the refractive index or index of refraction
of a material is a dimensionless number that
describes how fast light travels through the material.
It is defined as where c is the speed of light in
vacuum and v is the phase velocity of light in the
medium. Refractive index is also equal to the
velocity of light c of a given wavelength in empty
space divided by its velocity v in a substance, or n =
c/v
 Types of fiber optic waveguide
 According to the refractive index profile
 Step index fiber
 Graded index fiber
 According to the mode of propagation
 Single mode fiber (SM)
 Multimode fiber (MM)
 Specification and Performance Ch. of
MM step index fiber
Fiber diameter

Typical structure of Step change in

refractive index
MM step index fiber
[This type of fibre is best Refractive
n1 index
suited for transmission n2
over short distances]

Numerical Aperture (NA):

Structure: In optics, the numerical aperture (NA)

Core diameter : 50 ~ 400 m of an optical system is a dimensionless
Cladding dia. : 125 ~ 500 m number that characterizes the range of
Buffer jacket dia.:250 ~ 1000 m angles over which the system can accept
or emit light
NA : 0.16 ~ 0.5
 Specification and Performance Ch. of SM
step index fiber
Fiber diameter
Step change in
Typical structure of refractive index
SM step index fiber
[Single mode fiber optic Refractive
cable is typically used in n1 index
n2
long distance, higher
bandwidth by Telcos, CATV
companies, and Colleges
and Universities]

Structure:
Core diameter : 5 ~ 10 m
Cladding dia. : generally 125 m
Buffer jacket dia.: 250 ~ 1000 m
NA : 0.08 ~ 0.15,
around 0.1
 Types of OF with specification
and Performance Ch.
Fiber diameter
Gradual change
in refractive ind.
Typical structure of
MM Graded index Refractive
n1 index
fiber n2
[This type of fibre is best
suited for local-area
networks]

Structure:
Core diameter : 30 ~ 100 m
Cladding dia. : 100 ~ 150
Buffer jacket dia.: 250 ~ 1000
NA : 0.2 ~ 0.3
How Fibers Work
 The General Principle

The classical understanding of fiber optics

comes from Snell’s Law!

• Step index fibers: Total Internal Reflection

• GR-IN fibers: layered changes in refractive index

Snell’s law:
A law stating that the ratio of the sines of the angles of incidence and
refraction of a wave are constant when it passes between two
different isotropic media, such as water, glass or air
 Total Internal Reflection
According to Snell’s Law t = 900

n1 sin  i  n2 sin  t low index, n2 Exit rays

high index,
n1 sin  c  n2 n1 i
i
Incident rays
n2 c
sin  c 
n1
 Step Index Fiber
Escapes core
(freedom!)

Cladding n2 n1 > n2 Escapes from core

Core n1 
i
c Stuck in core
 i
i

n2
c = Critical Angle, sin  c 
n1
i  c for total internal reflection
 Graded Index Fiber

n2
n varies
Gradually
n1

n2