1. Fiber Optic Communication By: Chris Frazier

2. Introduction • What is fiber optics • Applications of fiber optics • Total Internal Reflection • How signals are transmitted and received in optical fibers • Advantages of Fiber Optics • Disadvantages of fiber optics • Splicing

3. What is Fiber Optic wire? • Optical fibers are long, thin strands of very pure glass about the diameter of a human hair. • Optical fibers are arranged in optical bundles and are used to transmit light over long distances.

4. Optical Fiber

5. Applications of Fiber Optics • Cable Companies • Nodes • Serve 200 to 2000 people. • Local Area Networks (LAN) • Power Companies • Telephone Companies • Broadcasting

6. Total Internal Reflection

7. Electrical Signals Converted to Light Signals

8. Advantages of Fiber Optics • Inexpensive • Thinner • Higher carrying capacity • Less signal degreadation • Non-flammable

9. Disadvantages of Fiber Optics • Incompatible with old copper wire • Splicing (very difficult) • Bottlenecks

10. Fusion Splicing • A fusion splice is a junction of two or more optical fibers that have been melted together. This is accomplished with a machine that performs two basic functions: aligning of the fibers and melting them together typically using an electric arc

11. Mechanical Splicing • A mechanical splice is an optical junction of two or more optical fibers that are aligned and held in place by a self-contained assembly (usually the size of a large carpenter's nail). The fibers aren't permanently joined, just precisely held together so that light can pass from one to another.

12. References • www.howstuffworks.com/fiberoptics • www.tcomschool.ohiou.edu/its_pgs/fiber.html • Ellis, Matthew and Appel, Chris. “Why Optics?”. 12 July 2002. • www.corningcable.com/web/fsec/fsec.nsf/ehtml/basicfaq1