How it works The layers in one kind of optical fiber

How it works

The layers in one kind of optical fiber.
1.- Core 8 µm
2.- Cladding 125 µm
3.- Buffer 250 µm
4.- Jacket 400 µm
An optical fiber is a long, thin strand of clear material. Its shape is usually similar to a cylinder. In the center, it has a core. Around the core is a layer called the cladding. The core and cladding are made of different kinds of glass or plastic, so that light travels slower in the core than it does in the cladding. If the light in the core hits the edge of the cladding at a shallow angle, it bounces off. Light can travel inside the core and bounce off of the cladding. No light escapes until it comes to the end of the fiber, unless the fiber is bent sharply or stretched.
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If the cladding of the fiber is scratched, it may break. A plastic coating called the buffer covers the cladding to protect it. Often, the buffered fiber is put inside an even tougher layer, called the jacket. This makes it easy to use the fiber without breaking it.

Fiber-optic communication
The main use of optical fiber is in communication (telecommunication). Fiber-optic communication transmits information from one place to another by sending pulses of light through an optical fiber. The light forms an electromagnetic carrier wave that is modulated to carry information. First developed in the 1970s, fiber-optic communication systems have revolutionized the telecommunications industry and have helped with the advent of the Information Age.