Fibre Optic Materials

Engineering Studies – H4 Telecommunication Engineering – Materials and Manufacturing

This topic covers the properties and application of fibre optic cable in telecommunications electrical applications. Manufacturing methods, and identifying the advantages and disadvantages of fibre cable are key concepts.

Key Concepts

• Applications of fibre optic material
• Properties of fibre optic material
• Attenuation
• Refractive index

Discussion Questions

1. Discuss attenuation and implications of attenuation.
2. List advantages of fibre optical cables.
3. List disadvantages of fibre optical cables.
4. How are fibre optic cables/strands manufactured?
5. Explain the need to coat each strand in a cable.
6. Discuss the properties of the polymer used to cover each strand compared with the polymer used as the outside cover for the multi-strand cable.
7. What does the term refractive index relate to?
8. Compare the properties of copper cable compared to glass fibre cable.