What is Optical Fibre Cable
Optical Fibre Cable comprises several glass fibers, each around 100 micrometers in diameter, coated with plastic or metal and placed inside protective tubes. The best way to understand what the cables look like inside and out can be seen in the diagram below.
As you can see, the cable itself looks similar to an Ethernet cable you might use to connect your computer to the internet, except that it’s much more flexible and resistant to interference from surrounding electrical equipment such as cell phones and other wireless devices.
History of optical fibre
The optic fibre (also known as an optical fiber) was invented by Alexander Graham Bell. In 1881, he described it as the most important discovery of recent times. Bell took out a patent for it in 1880, and in 1915 launched a commercial service to transmit sound from New York to London via optical cables under the ocean.
The optical fibre quickly became one of society’s key communication tools, used not only for telephone and television signals but also for internet traffic and cable TV programming. Today, optic fibers are made of glass or plastic and can be either single-mode or multi-mode. Single-mode fibers have a diameter of 8–10 micrometers (millionths of a meter), while multi-mode fibers are much larger at 50–100 micrometers. Because they are thinner than wires, optic fibers can carry more data over longer distances at higher speeds with less loss than metal wires.
How optical fibers work
Optical fibers are a passive medium that uses light and can transmit data at hundreds of gigabits per second. Their bandwidth capacity and speed make them much more efficient than copper cables, which have to transfer data through electrical signals to achieve high speeds. In addition, optic fibers are immune to electromagnetic interference from external sources such as magnetic fields, radio waves, or microwaves, making them better for transferring large amounts of information over long distances.
Most fiber-optic communication systems use single-mode optical fibre, which has a core diameter between 8 and 10 micrometers (one micrometer equals one-thousandth of a millimeter). The core is surrounded by an insulating layer known as cladding. The cladding protects the fibre from damage while maintaining its strength and flexibility. Finally, both ends of an optical fibre are covered with protective layers called buffer tubes.
Types of cables
There are several cable types, although it’s typically common to refer to them as either optic fibre or copper cable. It’s worth noting that fibre optic cable is much newer than its copper counterpart and isn’t necessarily considered better (as a general rule). While both can deliver data over long distances, there are some significant differences between them. The key difference: optic fibre uses light pulses while copper transmits electricity through electrons.
This makes optic fibre more efficient in terms of bandwidth but requires more complex equipment on both ends. On the other hand, copper is cheaper and easier to install but has a limited range compared to optical cables. Copper also has problems transmitting signals at high speeds over long distances; copper cables have been used for telephone lines for decades because they have an optimal range of around 1 mile (1.6 km) without requiring amplification.
Are there different types of fibers?
The most common fiber optic cable varieties are single-mode and multimode fibers. The big difference between these two types of cables is their ability to carry more data. Single-mode fiber allows for larger amounts of data to be transmitted, making it a more efficient option for transmitting vast amounts of information over long distances. Multimode fiber also carries a high volume of data, but not as much as single mode fiber can handle.
Because of its limited capacity, single-mode fiber is best used when you need to transmit large volumes of data over very long distances. For example, suppose you’re using an internet connection that travels through a series of undersea cables or other long-distance transmission lines. In that case, you’ll want to use single-mode fiber because it will allow your connection to travel longer distances without losing speed or quality.
How to choose between these cables.
Choosing between these cables can be daunting for those who aren’t savvy about what to look for. The key differences between types of optic fibre cable are their operating temperature, transmission rate, and maximum length. For example, single-mode cables typically have a lower operating temperature than multimode cables (500 ̊C as opposed to 200 ̊C). This makes them better suited for long-haul connections over thousands of kilometers.
Also read:- Optical Fibre Cable https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber-optic_cable