![]() special dopants in the glass, especially in the core.Some main families of specialty fibers are characterized by: To serve such varied applications, there are hundreds of different specialty fiber types, with many variations in glass composition, core and cladding structures, geometric properties, coatings, and specially tailored optical performance characteristics. Specialty fibers are optimized for applications other than signal transmission, such as amplifiers, sensors, lasers, filters, ring resonators, etc. The fiber design is optimized for low loss and modal properties that support distance and bandwidth requirements. The fiber standards specify geometric, physical, and optical properties.Ĭommunication fibers are designed to transmit a modulated optical signal at specific wavelengths. ![]() Further, these fiber standards are also referenced in standards for local area networks, telecom systems, and other infrastructure. In both cases, “widely adopted” means that the fiber specifications are used by the fiber and cable manufacturers, as well as companies that make transmit-receive components, connectors, and other products that interface with the fibers. These MM fiber specifications also are standardized by the International Organization for Standardization’s International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO-IEC). For multimode, the US-based Telecommunications Industry Association’s Fiber Optics Tech Consortium (TIA FOTC) standards are widely adopted. For single-mode, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standards are widely adopted 3. “Specialty fibers” can be defined as those fibers that do NOT comply with single-mode and multimode communication fiber standards. How specialty fibers differ from communication fibers In this case, the specialty fiber complements the use of the communications fiber to substantially improve bandwidth and distance performance. Further, one EDFA can amplify multiple wavelength channels in the same fiber without crosstalk, allowing huge increases in fiber system bandwidth 2. The Er dopant provides optical gain over a wavelength band near the communication fiber’s 1.55-µm low-loss “window.” An Er-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) boosts the transmission signal optically, eliminating the need for electronic “reshape-retime-and-regenerate” repeaters. Distance performance was limited by optical loss in the fiber, so that repeater stations were needed every 100 km or so to receive the optical signal, clean it up electronically (reshape and retime) and then retransmit it.Īll that changed with development and use of a specialty fiber – one doped with erbium (Er), a rare-earth element – to make optical amplifiers. In the early years, fiber system bandwidth was greater than that of copper but nowhere near what is required today. Since the 1980s, there have been significant advances in fiber systems’ capacity-characterized in terms of bandwidth and distance. This illustrates the vast capacity and flexibility of today’s fiber networks. ![]() ![]() “lighting up” more fibers, by adding wavelength channels, or by increasing bit rates. ![]() In some cases, network operators increased network capacity by The fiber networks generally handled the higher loads with minimal disruption. The jump in usage has included more video-conferencing and other video services, which require more network capacity than web pages and audio communications. With the Covid-19 pandemic, average adult usage jumped more than 50% to 13.5 hours per day of screen time in 2020 1. In 2018 for example, US adults averaged 8.5 hours per day of “screen time” – using a smartphone, TV, tablet, or PC. These services are pervasive and well-used. After several decades of deployment, fiber networks carry phone, TV, and Internet services, either part of the way to the end-users, or in many cases, all the way to the home. Communication systems often incorporate specialty fibersįiber optics technology has revolutionized the communications industry. ![]()
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