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Fiber optic communication

Optical communication technologies are employed in a wide variety of communication environments such as telecommunications, networking, data communications, industrial communication links, medical communications links, etc. Fiber optic networks are becoming increasingly commonplace in telecommunications applications due to their increased bandwidth and distance capabilities relative to copper networks. Optical fiber is the workhorse of the typical optical communication system, and the low loss, light weight, small size, flexibility and high intrinsic bandwidth of optical fiber help make optical communication systems more desirable than competing systems for the communication of both of digital and analog signals. Fiber optic transmission devices, also called optical-electronic devices or optoelectronic devices, are coupled with optical fibers for data and signal transmission by converting optical signals into electrical signals, electrical signals into optical signals, or both. Fiber optic communication utilizes optical transmitters, optical receivers and optical fiber, among other components, to transmit light signals through the fiber. Optical fibers are thin transparent fibers of glass or plastic enclosed by material having a lower index of refraction and transmit light throughout their length by internal reflections. The fibers and cladding are typically enclosed in a protective polymer jacket. The transmitters and receivers are often integrated into a single component called a transceiver. Transmitters are light sources, such as lasers or light-emitting diodes. Receivers usually include a photo detector. In communications, fiber optic cables carry pulsed modulated optical signals, originating from lasers or light emitting diodes, for communicating voice and data signals. In industry, fiber optic sensors transmit over fiber optic cables signals whose intensity and wavelength indicate the nature of a sensed parameter.