Fiber Optics: The Future Of

The Internet
Leonard David

Outline

Fiber Optics What is it?

Research Questions
History
What it does today
Types of Cables
The Future

Fiber Optics What Is It?

Fiber Optics are cables that are made of optical
fibers that can transmit large amounts of
information at the speed of light.
(www.dictionary.com)

Research Questions
What can fiber optics do for us in the future?
Improve our communication
Faster internet connection

What would the Internet look like if this could

happen?
Streaming capabilities
Download capabilities

What is being done to make this transition happen?

Government action
Private Companies at work

Research Resources
Internet
Library
Magazines (IEEE)

History
1961-Industry researchers Elias Snitzer and Will
Hicks demonstrate a laser beam directed through a
thin glass fiber. The fibers core is small enough that
the light follows a single path, but most scientists
still consider fibers unsuitable for communications
because of the high loss of light across long
distances. (www.greatachievements.com.)
1970- Researchers find a way to super purify glass
fibers.
1980- At&t installs first set of fiber optic cables in
major cities.

History
1988- First transatlantic cable
1996- First transpacific cable
1997- First Fiber Optic Link Around the
Globe (FLAG)

Present
Telecommunications
Internet Access
Cable and Satellite Television
Decorative Light Source

The Cable
Fiber Optic have three major
characteristics
Composed of fibers either glass or plastic
and sometimes both
Are very flexible
Have different tips

Components
Outside Jacket
Cladding
Core

Glass Fibers

Characteristics
Glass Core
Glass Cladding
Ultra Pure Ultra Transparent Glass
Made Of Silicon Dioxide
Low Attenuation
Popular among industries

Plastic Fibers

Characteristics
Core Generally Consists Of Polymethyl
Methacrylate (Acrylic Glass) (PMMA)
Coated With A Fluoropolymer
High Attenuation
Used Mostly In Automotives
Affordable
Very Durable

Plastic Clad-Silica
(PCS)
Glass Fiber Core sometimes silicone
Cladding is Plastic or silicone
Silicone covering and insulators
Not common
Has Defects

Government Involvement
United States Itself has fallen behind
Europe
Pace of fiber optic expansion has
started to speed up again
Research for having more soldiers at
home base fighting using a robot

Private Companies Input

Several Private Companies have
offered large scale fiber optic networks
Underground networks are already in
place and are being used by secret
societies
UCSB itself has eight rings of fiber optic
networks on campus

The Future

The Internet

 Bandwidths of up to 10Gbps
Streaming Whole Movies in HD
Effortless video conferencing with no
lagging
Gaming in HD quality that never lags