Refraction and fiber optic cable diameter

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential for increasing the diameter of fiber optic cables, specifically questioning the physical limitations and implications of making them significantly thicker than standard sizes. The scope includes theoretical considerations of light behavior, practical applications, and comparisons to light pipes and other light guiding technologies.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether there are physical reasons preventing fiber optic cables from being made thicker, specifically asking about the effects of core and coating widths on total internal reflection.
  • Another participant introduces the concept of dispersion in multi-mode fibers and its potential impact on high-bandwidth optical signals.
  • A participant expresses a desire to use fiber optics in a manner similar to a snake light, focusing on light transmission rather than data transmission, and suggests that a thicker cable could accommodate more light sources.
  • There is a distinction made between light pipes and fiber optics, with one participant noting that fibers are typically much longer.
  • Suggestions are made to bundle multiple smaller fibers to achieve a thicker fiber optic solution.
  • Participants discuss the flexibility and rigidity of light guides, with one noting that liquid light guides can have larger diameters and that rigid guides exist as well.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying views on the feasibility and implications of thicker fiber optic cables, with no consensus reached on the physical limitations or practical applications. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the optimal approach to achieving the desired light transmission characteristics.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention specific applications and characteristics of light guides and fiber optics, but the discussion does not resolve the assumptions regarding the behavior of light in different configurations or the implications of increased diameter on performance.

NPacific
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Hello there,
I'm wondering if there is any restricting reason why fiber optic cables are not made thicker. Regardless of the practical applications, is there any reason you can't make a fiber optic cable that is only 2m long but 2cm thick (compared to the normal 0.0125 cm thick)?
Does width of the high index core make a difference, and does the width of the low index coating make a difference in regard to total internal reflection?

To sum it up, is there any physical reason why fiber optic cables can't be made thicker?

Thanks for reading,
JJ
 
Last edited:
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NPacific said:
Hello there,
I'm wondering if there is any restricting reason why fiber optic cables are not made thicker. Regardless of the practical applications, is there any reason you can't make a fiber optic cable that is only 2m long but 2cm thick (compared to the normal 0.0125 cm thick)?
Does width of the high index core make a difference, and does the width of the low index coating make a difference in regard to total internal reflection?

To sum it up, is there any physical reason why fiber optic cables can't be made thicker?

Thanks for reading,
JJ

ps. I'm wondering if you have to take into account the wave particle duality of light when working with fiber optics or is it mostly particle behavior?

Welcome to the PF. Are you aware of the differences between single-mode and multi-mode fiberoptics?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_optics

And are you aware of the concept of "dispersion", where the path lengths for multi-mode fibers (especially as wide as you are asking about) indroduce different delays for different ray traces? What effect would dispersion have on high-bandwidth optical signals?
 
Thanks for answering and good points berkeman,
I am not particularly concerned with transmitting data or signals, and so I believe that dispersion wouldn't play a bad role as long as the light was a guided ray the whole time. You could say that I want to be able to use the fiber optic cable like a snake light, where you could put light in one end of the cable and receive light out of the other end, like an extension cord for a flash light. I believe the thickness would require multi-mode, it would allow more light sources can be used.
 
Light pipes are different than fibers. Fibers are (usually) significantly longer- many kilometers- for one thing.
 
If you want a thicker fiber optic, just bundle up a bunch of smaller ones.
 
Integral said:
If you want a thicker fiber optic, just bundle up a bunch of smaller ones.
That could possibly work. A light pipe (Thank you Andy Resnick) is what I believe the term is what I am looking for.
 
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It depends on the application- do you need it to be flexible? Are you trying to image?

Liquid light guides have diameters up to 8 mm. I've seen rigid light guides with diameters over 2 inches, but I don't recall who made them.
 
I'm not trying to image, just pass light from a flashlight into one end and out the other to be used for light to see. Rigid works, flexible is better. Light guides are the closest I've seen so far. I can adapt from the light guide concept and go from there.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Andy.

This is what I was looking for.
http://www.lumatec.de/e_superlite/e_superlite.htm
 
Last edited by a moderator:

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