OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE

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Objectives
In this chapter, the trainee will learn :
ADVANTAGES OF FIBRE OPTICS.
Applications of Optic Fibres.
Transmission Sequence in FOTS.
THEORY AND PRINCIPLE OF FIBRE OPTICS.
Construction of O.F.Cable.
Types of Fibres.
Attenuation in fibres.
Numerical Aperture, Dispersion and Band width of
fibres.

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ADVANTAGES OF FIBRE OPTICS:

I.

Optical Fibres are non conductive

-Cables can be all dielectric.

II.

III.

IV.

Electromagnetic Immunity :
-

Immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI)

No radiated energy.

Unauthorised tapping difficult.

Large Bandwidth (> 5.0 GHz for 1 km length)

-

Future upgradability.

Maximum utilization of cable right of way.

One time cable installation costs.

Low Loss (5 dB/km to < 0.25 dB/km typical)

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ADVANTAGES OF FIBRE OPTICS:Contd..

V.

Small, Light weight cables.

- Easy installation and Handling.
- Efficient use of space.

VI.

Available in Long lengths (> 12 kms)

- Less splice points.

VII. Security
- Extremely difficult to tap a fibre as it does
energy
- Highly secure transmission medium.

not radiate

VIII. Security - Being a dielectric

- It cannot cause fire.
- Does not carry electricity.
- Can be run through hazardous areas.

IX.

Universal medium

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Applications of Optic Fibres

-

Common carrier nationwide networks.

Telephone Inter-office Trunk lines.
Customer premise communication networks.
Undersea cables.
High EMI areas (Power lines, Rails, Roads).
Factory communication/ Automation.
Control systems.
Expensive environments.
High lightening areas.
Military applications.
Classified (secure) communications
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Transmission Sequence

8000

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Transmission Sequence
1.
2.
3.
4.

Information is Encoded into Electrical Signals.

Electrical Signals are Converted into light Signals.
Light Travels Down the Fiber.
A Detector Changes the Light Signals into
Electrical Signals.
5. Electrical Signals are Decoded into Information.
6. Inexpensive light sources available.
7. Repeater spacing increases along with operating
speeds because low loss fibres are used at high
data rates
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THEORY AND PRINCIPLE OF FIBRE OPTICS

By Snell's law, n1 sin 1 = n2 sing 2
The critical angle of incidence c where 2 =
90 o
Is c = arc sing (n2 / n1)
At angle greater than c the light is reflected,
Because reflected light means that n1 and n2 are
equal (since they are in the same material), 1
and 2 are also equal.
The angle of incidence and reflection are equal.
These simple principles of refraction and reflection
form the basis of light propagation through an
optical fibre.
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Principle of Total Internal Reflection.

Angle of incidence

1
n1
n2
2

Light is bent away

from normal

n1
n2

Angle of
reflection

n1
n2

Light does not enter

second material

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Propagation of light thro fibre

The optical fibre has two concentric layers
called the core and the cladding. The inner
core is the light carrying part.
The surrounding cladding provides the
difference refractive index that allows total
internal reflection of light through the core.

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Propagation of light thro fibre contd..

Jacket

Jacket
Cladding
Core

Cladding (n2)
Core (n2)

Cladding
Jacket
Light at less than
Angle of Angle of
critical angle is
incidence reflection
absorbed in jacket
Light is propagated by
total internal reflection
Fig. Total Internal Reflection in an optical Fibre

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Construction of O.F.Cable.
An Optical fibre consists of a core of
optically transparent material usually
silica or borosilicate glass surrounded by
a cladding of the same material but a
slightly lower refractive index.
Fibre themselves have exceedingly small
diameters. Figure shows cross section of
the core and cladding diameters of
commonly used fibres. The diameters of
the core and cladding are as follows
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Construction of O.F.Cable.Contd
125 8

125 62.5

125 50

Core

125 100

Cladding

Typical Core and Cladding Diameters

Core (m)

Cladding ( m)

125

50

125

62.5

125

100

140

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Fibre types
There are three types of fibres :
1. Multimode Step Index fibre (Step Index fibre)
2. Multimode graded Index fibre (Graded Index
fibre)
3. Single- Mode Step Index fibre (Single Mode
Fibre)

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Step index fibre

1.

In "Step Index" Fibres, the refractive index changes

abruptly from cladding to core.

2.

The paths along which the rays (modes) of this step

index fibre travel differ, depending on their angles
relative to the axis.

3.

As a result, the different modes in a pulse will arrive

at the far end of the fibre at different times,
resulting in pulse spreading which limits the bit-rate
of a digital signal which can be transmitted.

4.

This types of fibre results in considerable model

dispersion, which results the fibre's band width.
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Graded index fibre

This fibre is called graded index because there are many

changes in the refractive index with larger values towards
the center. As light travels faster in a lower index of
refraction.

So, the farther the light is from the center axis, the grater
is its speed. Each layer of the core refracts the light.
Instead of being sharply reflected as it is in a step index
fibre, the light is now bent or continuously refracted in an
almost sinusoidal pattern.

Those rays that follow the longest path by travelling near

the outside of the core, have a faster average velocity. The
light travelling near the center of the core, has the slowest
average velocity.

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Graded index fibre

Input
Pulse

Output
Pulse

High order
Mode

Dispersion

Refractive
Index Profile

n1
n2

Multi mode Step Index

Low Order Mode

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Graded index fibre

Dispersion
n1
n2

Multi mode Graded Index

n1
n2

Single Mode Step Index

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ATTENUATION

INTRINSIC ATTENUATION
It is loss due to inherent or within the fibre.
Intrinsic attenuation may occur as
(I) Absorption - Natural Impurities in the glass
absorb light energy.

Light
Ray

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ATTENUATION
Scattering - Light rays travelling in the core
reflect from small imperfections into a new
pathway that may be lost through the cladding.
Light is lost

Light
Ray

Absorption - Natural Impurities in the Glass

Absorb Light Energy.
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EXTRINSIC ATTENUATION
It is loss due to external sources.
Extrinsic attenuation may occur as
Macro bending - The fibre is sharply
bent so that the light travelling down
the fibre cannot make the turn & is lost
in the cladding.
Micro bending Micro bending or small
bends in the fibre caused by crushing
contraction etc. These bends may not
be visible with the naked eye.
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EXTRINSIC ATTENUATION
Micro bend

Micro bend

Micro bend

Fig. Loss and Bends

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DISPERSION
It is defined as the spreading of light
pulse as it travels down the fibre.
ecause of the spreading effect, pulses
tend
to
overlap,
making
them
unreadable by the receiver.

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BANDWIDTH
It is defined as the spreading of light
pulse as it travels down the fibre.
ecause of the spreading effect, pulses
tend
to
overlap,
making
them
unreadable by the receiver.

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NUMBERICAL APERTURE

Numerical aperture (NA) is the "light - gathering ability"

of a fibre. Light injected into the fibre at angles greater
than the critical angle will be propagated. The material
NA relates to the refractive indices of the core and
cladding.

NA = n12 - n22

where n1 and n2 are refractive indices of core and

cladding respectively.

NA is unit less dimension.

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Dispersion

Dispersion is the spreading of light pulse as its

travels down the length of an optical fibre.
Dispersion limits the bandwidth or information
carrying capacity of a fibre.

There are three main types of dispersion in a

fibre (I) Modal Dispersion
(II)Material dispersion
(III)Wave guide dispersion
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BANDWIDTH AND DISPERSION

A bandwidth of 400 MHz -km means that a 400 MHzsignal can be transmitted for 1 km. It means that the
product of frequency and the length must be 400 or
less. We can send a lower frequency for a longer
distance, i.e. 200 MHz for 2 km or 100 MHz for 4 km.

Multimode fibres are specified by the bandwidth-length

product or simply bandwidth.

Single mode fibres on the other hand are specified by

dispersion, expressed in ps/km/nm.

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BANDWIDTH AND DISPERSION

A bandwidth of 400 MHz -km means that a 400 MHzsignal can be transmitted for 1 km. It means that the
product of frequency and the length must be 400 or
less. We can send a lower frequency for a longer
distance, i.e. 200 MHz for 2 km or 100 MHz for 4 km.

Multimode fibres are specified by the bandwidth-length

product or simply bandwidth.

Single mode fibres on the other hand are specified by

dispersion, expressed in ps/km/nm.

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Thank You

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