Optical Fiber

Optical fiber is a thin long strand made up of quartz or glass which is used to transfer optical signal from one point to another point.

Working principle:

It works on Total Internal Reflection (TIR).

Construction: An optical fiber consist of three layers,

1. Core : Cylindrical in shape made up of glass or quartz having thickness about 100μm.
2. Cladding : Outer covering of core having relatively less refractive index than core.
3. Buffer coating: It is the outer most covering made from plastic which provide strength to optical fiber.

Propagation of light through Optical Fiber:

Applications of Optical Fiber:

• Optical Fiber is used in Endoscopy to visualize internal body organs.
• It is used in Telecommunication to transmit signal at very high speed without loss in strength of signal.
• It is used in Refractometers to measure refractive indices of medium.