FIBER OPTICS

Fiber optics is a kind of optics dealing with the movement of light through fibers or thin rods of glass. If light is put at one end of a fiber, it can move through the fiber with very low loss of intensity, even if the fiber is curved. The simplest use of optical fibers is the moving of light to places hard to reach, for example, inside a dentists drill. Also, bunches of several thousand …

…fiber amplifiers can extend this distance even farther. Local area networks are another growing use for fiber optics. Unlike long-distance communications, these connect many local people to expensive equipment such as computers and printers. This system widens the use of equipment and can help new users on to a network. With research of new electro-optic and integrated-optic components, fiber systems will become faster, more reliable, and easier to use. Bibliography: The Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia CD-rom.