Fibre optics technology

Fibre optics technology              

A. Fiber optics is the technique of transmitting light waves through glass wires which as thin as human hair. These wires called optical fibers could be made of glass or transparent plastic, quartz, nylon or polystyrene. Optical fibers are thin hair-like solid strands that carry light along their length, by a process of multiple total internal reflections.

Applications of Optical Fibres
Fiber optics finds many applications in areas like medicine and communications.

Medicine

Instruments made of optical fibers, called endoscopes, are used to see the internal organs of the human body, such as the interior of the stomach, or the bronchial tubes. Once inserted into the body, some fibers of the bundle carry light so that the internal organ is lit up. Other fibres are used to return light so that the image of the interior is carried to the observer outside. Endoscopes are often connected to a camera or TV monitor. The images are very useful in heart and brain surgery and a diagnosis of some other diseases.

Telecommunication

The use of optical fibers has been very advantageous in telecommunications. Signals of voice, text, computer data or picture transmissions are superimposed on laser beams. The modulated laser beams are then guided along optical fibers, to various points where they are received. At the receiving end, one is able to hear the voice, read the data or see the picture. The signal carrying capacity of light waves(lasers) is much greater than that of radio waves or waves along copper wires. Therefore, the light waves traveling in fibers can carry thousands of different signals. For instance, a pair of glass fibers can carry 1300 telephone calls at the same time, as against 24 for copper wires.