Fiber optic devices have revolutionized the world of network communication ever since their inception nearly four decades ago. Nowadays these devices have almost obliterated traditional methods of networking, which use metallic wires. The evolution of optical fibers in the field of not only telecommunications but also monitoring and sensing is conducted, particularly in remote or harsh environments. In this connection, the discovery of photosensitivity in optical fibers led to the establishment of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), optical filters, that have been widely employed in telecom and as measurement elements.
The history of optical fiber began with the invention of the “optical telegraph” by the French Chappe brothers (1780). This “optical telegraphs” was the system comprised of a series of light mounted on towers where operations transmitted messages from one tower to another. Almost a hundred years later, in 1870, John Tyndall demonstrated that light follows the curve of a stream of water pouring from a container. It was this simple principle that led to the study and development of applications for this phenomenon. Nowadays fiber optic devices are fiber optic cable systems consisting of a multitude of glass tubes that find a host of uses in a variety of fields. Precisely speaking, fiber optic cables are cables that contain several thousands of optical fibers in a protective, insulated jacket. The optical fibers are very thin strands of pure glass, which transmit information in the form of light. Fiber optic applications have become increasingly more integrated into networks where they facilitate telecommunication applications. These fiber optic cables are often used in medicine during surgeries as light guides and imaging tools. Fiber optic products are also used in industrial settings for imaging locations that are difficult to reach through conventional means.
Fiber optic products become more and more popular in a variety of industries and applications. There are two types of optical fibers:
- Single-mode fiber. The core of the glass fiber is much finer than in multi-mode fibers: light travels parallel to the axis, creating little pulse dispersion. Data transmission modes are higher, and the distances that single-mode fiber can cover can be over 50 times longer than multi-mode fibers. Telephone and cable television networks install millions of kilometers of this fiber every year.
- Multi-mode fiber. Multi-mode fibers allow different data streams to be sent simultaneously over a particular fiber.
Fiber optic devices have a multitude of advantages and benefits over the more traditional methods of information systems such as copper or coaxial cables:
- Speed
One of the greatest benefits of using fiber optic systems is the capacity and speed. Light travels faster than an electrical system which allows faster delivery and reception of information;
- Immunity to electromagnetic interference
Fiber optics are not affected by external electrical signals because the data is transmitted with light;
- Security
Optical systems are more secure than traditional mediums. These circumstances make fiber optic systems extremely attractive to governments, banks, and companies requiring increased security of data;
- Fire prevention
Fiber optic systems use light instead of electricity to carry signals, the probability of an electrical fire is eliminated;
- Data signaling
- Less expensive
Such services as the Internet are often cheaper because fiber optic signals stay strong longer, requiring less power over time to transmit signals than copper-wire systems, which need high-voltage transmitters;
- Large bandwidth, small weight, and small diameter
- Easy installation and upgrades
- Long-distance and transmission
Optromix is a fast-growing vendor of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) products line: fiber Bragg grating sensors, FBG interrogators, and multiplexers, Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) systems. We create and supply a broad variety of top-notch fiber optic solutions for the monitoring of various facilities all over the world.
If you are interested in Optromix FBG sensors, please contact us at info@optromix.com