1. Optical Fibers Jonathan Perez MEEN 3344

2. What are Optical Fibers? Long thin strands of very pure glass about the diameter of a human hair. They are arranged in bundles called optical cables and used to carry digital information over long distances. They are arranged in bundles called optical cables and used to carry digital information over long distances. Used heavily in telecommunications and computer networks Also used in medical imaging and mechanical engineering inspection

3. How are they made? Three step process Step 1: Make a pre- form glass cylinder

4. How are they made? Step 2: Draw the fibers from the pre- form glass cylinder Step 3: Test the finished optical fibers

5. Advantages of optical fibers (over metal wires) Less Expensive Thinner Higher Carrying Capacity Less Signal Degradation Light Signals Low Power Digital Signals Non Flammable LightweightFlexible

6. Other and Future Uses Illumination: light can be carried from outside to rooms in the interiors of buildings Sensors: able to measure data at different points along the fiber Laser beams: provides a flexible and safe means of distributing high power laser radiation around a factory to be used by robots or machine tools Optical Computing: uses light instead of electrons to process information. Optical computers could transport information ten times faster than today's electronic devices

7. References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_Fiber http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/fiber- optic4.htm http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/fiber- optic4.htm http://www.commspecial.com/fiberguide.htm http://www.physorg.com/news3679.html http://library.thinkquest.org/C006694F/Optic al%20Fibres/Uses%201.htm