Home-Made Fiber Optics: Alternatives to Food Jelly?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around alternatives to food jelly for creating homemade fiber optics, specifically materials suitable for use in high vacuum environments. Participants explore various options and considerations related to the construction and application of fiber optics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the intended wavelength range, suggesting a transparent epoxy as a potential alternative to jelly.
  • Another participant clarifies that their work is in the invisible spectrum and mentions that jelly can be introduced into a cast for educational purposes.
  • A suggestion is made to consider purchasing plastic fiber from online sources like eBay.
  • Concerns are raised regarding the outgassing of materials like epoxies in high vacuum conditions, with a proposal to explore line-of-sight optics and mirrors instead.
  • A participant requests more information about the setup being used for the fiber optics project.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on suitable materials for high vacuum applications, with no consensus reached on a definitive alternative to jelly.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations regarding the suitability of various materials in high vacuum environments and the potential for outgassing, which remains unresolved.

Who May Find This Useful

Amateur physicists, hobbyists interested in optics, and those exploring DIY projects related to fiber optics may find this discussion relevant.

Ravaner
Messages
134
Reaction score
3
Hello. I know how to realize an homemade fiber optic using some food jelly. Are there other materials, at amateur grade; to replace jelly ? ( NB this item has to be used in high vacuum, and jelly is not convenient for this use)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Is this to work in the visible?

You could try a transparent epoxy from a hardware store.

Claude.

P.S. I'm interested in how you make fibre optics with jelly. Do you extrude the jelly through a hole or use a cast of some sort?
 
Thanks for reply. Yes I'm working in invisible area. To use jelly it is possible to introduce it in a cast, but it's just for educational application not really serious for lab. Sorry for the attached doc, it's in French ...
 

Attachments

You can buy plastic fibre quite cheaply. Try ebay?
 
Ravaner said:
Hello. I know how to realize an homemade fiber optic using some food jelly. Are there other materials, at amateur grade; to replace jelly ? ( NB this item has to be used in high vacuum, and jelly is not convenient for this use)

Materials like epoxies, etc., will outgas in a high vacuum. Even standard FO cables may outgas too much for high vacuum work. Can you just use line-of-sight optics and mirrors? Can you say more about your setup?
 

Similar threads

Undergrad How is graded index fiber made ?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Classical Recommendation for a primer on optical system design/optomechanics?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
Graduate Power spectral density of a laser's frequency noise
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
High School Is this material is good for fiber optics and who would buy it?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
High School Multimode optical fiber, physics beginner help :D
  • · Replies 37 ·
2
Replies
37
Views
4K
Internal Reflection / Fiber Optics
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Fiber Optic Gyros: Accuracy & Price | Camera/Gun Stabilization
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
Graduate Is it possible to collimate monochromatic light with a taper?
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
Engineering Is a career in Optics/Photonics engineering right for me?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Graduate Cross Phase Modulation in Optical Fibers (Fiber Optics)
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K