1208
submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by OttoVonNoob@lemmy.ca to c/memes@lemmy.ml
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] Caboose@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago

Sure: https://www.prysmiangroup.com/sites/default/files/business_markets/markets/downloads/datasheets/SMF---Single-Mode-Optical-Fiber-SSMF.pdf

You are right the core of most optical fibers is either 8-9um for singlemode, or 62.5 or 50um for multimode. The cladding, which is also made of glass, surrounds the core and this is almost always 125um. Often there is more than one layer that makes up the cladding glass to help reduce the bend radius before you start to attenuate your signal. You need both the core and the cladding of different refractive indexes to create total internal reflection, which is how fiber optics work over long distances with low loss.

The glass (core + clad) is the only part of the fiber that is really recyclable. Everything else is plastic that is difficult to chemically remove.

There's a lot of really bad literature out there on fiberoptics, so I don't really blame anyone for not knowing this stuff. Here's a pretty good article that sums up how fiberoptics work I pulled off google: https://www.ofsoptics.com/faq-guide-to-fiber-optic-cable/how-do-communications-fiber-optic-cables-work/

this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2023
1208 points (98.8% liked)

Memes

45536 readers
298 users here now

Rules:

  1. Be civil and nice.
  2. Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS