Fiber Optical

Optical Fiber, or Fiber Optic, is a thin, long strand made of a transparent material such as glass or plastic that can transmit light from one end to the other. Optical fibers offer much higher bandwidth compared to conventional cables. With optical fiber, it’s possible to transmit data, images, audio, and other forms of information at high bandwidths, reaching up to 10 gigabits per second or more. Today, fiber optic communication is considered one of the most important tools for data transmission due to its wider bandwidth compared to copper cables and lower latency compared to satellite communication.

History of Fiber Optic DevelopmentThe first individuals in recent centuries who thought of using light for data transmission experimented with light propagation in the Earth’s atmosphere. However, various obstacles such as dust, smoke, snow, rain, fog, and others created difficulties in transmitting optical data through the atmosphere. Later, the idea of using tubes and channels to guide light emerged. Light was directed inside these channels using mirrors and lenses, but adjusting these mirrors and lenses proved to be highly difficult, rendering this method impractical.

Perhaps the first attempt in the evolution of optical communication systems was made by Alexander Graham Bell. In 1880, just four years after inventing the telephone, Bell patented the optical telephone (photophone), a system that could transmit sound over several hundred meters. The optical telephone worked by modulating reflected sunlight using a vibrating mirror, and the receiver was a photocell. However, since light was propagated through the air, the transmission range was limited to about 200 meters. As a result, although Bell’s device worked in principle, it never achieved commercial success.