Fibre Optic

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Categories: Connectivity

A Fibre (or fiber) Optic is a transport medium for optical, light, signals.

Fibre optics are usually thin strands of glass which can guide and transport visible light or infra red IR beams. These optical signals can be modulated to carry digital data, such as internet connectivity, phone calls or other telecommunications services. Transparent plastic may also be used over very short distances, the TOS -link connector used in some domestic AV installations is one example.

Optical signals may be modulated to carry very high bitrate data and losses in high quality optical fibre are lower than copper, so fibre optic communication dominates the telecommunications industry and is also used to carry data around buildings. The ability to carry high bandwidth signals make it an attractive alternative to copper for video and multi-channel audio. CWDM and DWDM can further increase the information carrying capacity of the fibre. Disadvantages are that connectors may be more expensive to buy and fit, and the presence of dirt and dust can be an issue.

There are many types of optical fibre, but these crudely divide into single mode and multi-mode, with the former being better suited to long-haul applications.

See also: DWDM, CWDM, ROADM