Homework Assignment #13
Introduction to Fiber Optics
What you will learn from this section
- the parts of a communication system
- advanages of optical fiber
- the structure of optical fiber
- how fiber is made
- types of optical fiber
- non-telecommunication uses of optical fiber
- optics vocabulary for this section:
- core
- cladding
- buffer
- single mode
- multimode
- GRIN fiber
How to approach this material
- Read the notes in this folder
- Visit the fiber optic tutorial at the Corning Fiber web site
http://www.corning.com/opticalfiber/discovery_center/tutorials/fiber_101/
- Do the homework problems in this folder.
- You have a piece of fiber in your OSA kit (it looks like a
thin, flexible wire). If you hold one end up to a bright light
source, you will see the light exiting the other end. CAUTION: if
you shine your laser in one end, do not look directly into the
other end! By moving your finger between the light source and the
fiber end, you can make the output end of the fiber "blink"- a
crude communication system.
If you have questions
- Send me an email (donnelly@neca.com) or send an email to Sarah
(scdonnel@physics.umd.edu)
- Post a question in the discussion forum
- Stop by the Virtual Classroom during posted office hours. If
you have technical difficulties with the VC, let us know via email
(we also monitor email during the office hours). Both of us may
also be found on AOL instant messenger (frauphoton and scd95001)
during our office hour times.
When you are finished
- Fax or email your homework to me by the due date (see the
assignment folder)