All-silica fiber
Encyclopedia
All-silica fiber, or silica-silica fiber, is an optical fiber
whose core
and cladding are made of silica glass. The refractive index
of the core glass is higher than that of the cladding. These fibers are typically step-index fibers. The cladding of an all-silica fiber should not be confused with the polymer overcoat of the fiber.
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
whose core
Core (optical fiber)
The core of a conventional optical fiber is a cylinder of glass or plastic that runs along the fiber's length. The core is surrounded by a medium with a lower index of refraction, typically a cladding of a different glass, or plastic...
and cladding are made of silica glass. The refractive index
Refractive index
In optics the refractive index or index of refraction of a substance or medium is a measure of the speed of light in that medium. It is expressed as a ratio of the speed of light in vacuum relative to that in the considered medium....
of the core glass is higher than that of the cladding. These fibers are typically step-index fibers. The cladding of an all-silica fiber should not be confused with the polymer overcoat of the fiber.
See also
- Hard-clad silica optical fiber
- Plastic-clad silica fiberPlastic-clad silica fiberIn telecommunications and fiber optics, a plastic-clad silica fiber or polymer-clad silica fiber is an optical fiber that has a silica-based core and a plastic cladding. The cladding of a PCS fiber should not be confused with the polymer overcoat of a conventional all-silica fiber...
- Plastic optical fiberPlastic optical fiberPlastic optical fiber is an optical fiber which is made out of plastic. Traditionally PMMA is the core material, and fluorinated polymers are the cladding material...
- Silica fiberSilica fiberSilica fibers made of sodium silicate are used in heat protection and in packings and compensators...