Before getting into the types of fiber, it's important to understand its composition. An optical fiber strand is composed of 3 main components:
1. The core is a very small part within the fiber, but we can say it's the most important, as it transmits light, which ultimately translates into information. Its size depends on the type of fiber we're talking about.
2. The cladding, also known as the coating, covers the core and prevents the optical signal from escaping, instead keeping it within the core. Its diameter is 125 microns (µm).
3. The coating, with a size of 250 µm, provides protection against abrasion and ensures high resistance. It's made of acrylate-based paint, allowing for identification according to the color code.
Now that we know the components of fiber, it's important to understand the different types to choose the right one for the network we are designing.
At Incom.mx, we offer single-mode and multi-mode fiber.
Single-mode fiber, illustrated in Figure 2, allows a single central optical ray to travel because it has a core almost as small as a dust particle. This core measures between 8 and 10 microns, with 9-micron single-mode fibers being the most common on the market. Due to its core size, this fiber is ideal for long distances (over 10 km) and high transmission speeds because of its greater bandwidth.
It handles wavelengths of 1310, 1490, 1550, 1625, and 1650 nm using high-power emitting lasers.
Figure 1. Single-mode fiber
Multi-mode fiber, shown in Figure 2, has a larger core, which is either 62.5 or 50 microns depending on the type of multi-mode fiber; this allows it to transmit multiple light beams simultaneously. It is used in short-distance applications, and its bandwidth is smaller than that of single-mode fiber. The wavelengths for this fiber are 850 and 1300 nanometers (nm).
Figure 2. Multi-mode fiber
Single-mode fiber is mainly used for outdoor plant cables, and multi-mode for indoor plant, while both are used for the manufacturing of jumpers and pigtails.
