Fiber Optics: An Introduction
Lately it has become clear that fiber optics is increasingly replacing copper wire as a suitable means of communication signal transmission. Fiber-optic systems are presently used most widely as the transmission link between terrestrial hardwired systems. They cover the long distances between local phone systems in addition to providing the backbone architecture of a city phone system. Other system users include cable television services, university campuses, office buildings, industrial plants, and electric utility companies.
Fiber-Optic Technology
A fiber-optic system can normally be seen as a system with three main components, a transmitter, a transmission medium, and a receiver. As a model it is similar to the copper wire system that fiber optics is replacing. The difference is that fiber-optics use light pulses to transmit information down fiber lines instead of using electronic pulses to transmit information down copper lines. Looking at the three main components in the fiber-optic chain give a better understanding of how the system works in conjunction with wire based systems.
At the head end of the chain is the transmitter. This is the place of source for information coming on to fiber-optic lines. The transmitter accepts coded electronic pulse information coming from copper wire. It then processes and converts that information into equivalently coded light pulses. A light-emitting diode (LED) or an injection-laser diode (ILD) can be used for producing the light pulses. Using a lens, the light pulses are focused into the fiber-optic medium where they conduct themselves down the line. Light pulses move easily down the fiber-optic line due to a principle known as total internal reflection. "This principle of total internal reflection states that when the angle of incidence exceeds a critical value, light cannot get out of the glass; instead, the light bounces back in (Huber, 1994, p. 115)" When this principle is applied to the construction of the fiber-optic strand, it is possible to transmit information down fiber lines in the form of light pulses..............
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