Optical fibre, Principle of propagation of

light, Types of fiber-Step Index and

Graded Index fiber, Numerical aperture-
Derivation, Applications of Optical
fibres- Fibre optic communication
system (block diagram)
 Introduction
 Optical fibre is a very thin cylindrical shaped transparent
dielectric material surrounded by another transparent
dielectric material of comparatively low refractive index.
 The inner cylinder is known as core and the outer cylinder is
known as cladding.
 The refractive Index of Core (n1) is greater than that of
Cladding (n2).
 Principle of Optical Fibre
If the angle of incidence in the denser medium is greater than the
critical angle (  C), the incidnet ray is reflected back into the
same medium. This phenomenon is called total internal
reflection. Total Internal Reflection (TIR) has beeen used in the
fabrication of Optic Fibre. The core has greater refractive Index
than that of cladding, Then the light enters into the fibre
undergoes total internal reflection at the core-cladding interface
and reflected back to the core and the process repeats enabling the
light to pass through the fibre.

Advantages of Optical Fibre

 Fibre Optic cable have light weight
 Inexpensive
 Immune to electromagnetic interference
 High Reliability
 Types of Optical Fibres
Optical Fibres are classified into two based on their
Refractive Index Profile.
 Step Index Fibre
 Graded Index Fibre

Step Index Fibre

 If the core of the optic fibre has uniform refractive index
(n1), it is called step index fibre. The core is surrounded by
cladding of refractive index (n2).
 At the core - cladding interface the refractive index
decreases from n1 to n2 rapidly.
 The fig. below clearly depicts the cross sectional index
profile of the fibre by plotting refractive index along the X-
axis and radial distance along the Y-axis.
 Due to the step-like profile, it is called Step-Index Fibre.
 Depending on the permitted electromagnetic pattern
(mode) within the fibre, Step Index fibre is again divided
into two:
 Step-Index Single-Mode Fibre
 Step-Index Multi-mode Fibre
Step-Index Single – Mode Fibre
 Single mode fibres have core diameter of about 9m. One
single path of light propagation is allowed to travel inside
the core.
 This eliminates the intermodal pulse broadening effects,
and are widely used for long distance communication.
 Attenuation is less.
Step-Index Multi – Mode Fibre
Multimode fibres have core diameter greater than 50m.
They provide various path ways for light propagation.
Used for Short distance Communication.
Light gathering capacity is greater than single mode fibre.
Attenuation is also greater.
 Graded Index Fibre
 The core of the fibre has non-uniform refractive
index and gradually decreases from the centre
towards the core-cladding interface.
 The refractive index profile is parabolic as shown in
fig. and the fibre is a multi mode fibre.
 Gradual diminishing of refractive index , causes a
periodic focusing of the light propagation through
the fibre.
 Propagation characteristics of various modes are
different.
 Most expensive fibre
 Parabolic profile of Graded Index Fibre , reduces the
intermodal dispersion of step index multi mode fibre.
 Widely used for telephone loop distribution systems
 Numerical Aperture
The numerical aperture (NA) of a fibre is the measure of the
light gathering capacity of the fibre. Or, it is the measure of the
angle over which light is accepted in the fibre. It is proportional
to the sine of the fibre acceptance angle (a).
Fibre Acceptance Angle is the maximum incident angle
for which an optical fibre transmit light by total internal
reflection.
 Consider a Step Index fibre made of core refractive index
n1 and a cladding refractive index n2 such that n2>n1.
A ray of light is incident from the medium of refractive
index n0 onto the perpendicular end face of the fibre at an
angle α.
This got refracted at A and undergoes total internal
reflection at B, if the angle of incidence is greater than
the critical angle of the medium.

Applying Snell’s Law at A ie. the medium – core interface,

(1)
,
,
From the fig.

Therefore,

Or,

For critical rays, , the critical angle

Therefore, (2)

Applying Snell’s Law at B ie. the core-cladding interface,

(3)
We have,

That is,

Equation (2) becomes,

If the medium is Air, then

 That is

Or

If the medium is Air, then

Larger the value of αm , greater will be the amount of

light incident on to the end and be propagated by TIR.
 Advantages of Optical Fibre
 Have low transmission loss and hence can have greater
distance between the repeater stations
 Diameter is of the order of micrometer and are made of
basically silica and glass. Hence, reduction in volume
and weight, so it is used in aircrafts and space ships.
 Eliminates the cross talks.
 Applications of Optic Fibre
 LAN
 Sensor Application
 Industry
 Military
 Medical
 Computer Application
 Medical Field
 Diagnostics
 Surgery
Optical Communication System