The Basic Fiber Link
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The transmitter includes a light source, which converts an electrical signal into an optical signal, and the driver circuit that takes the electrical signal and provides the proper current to drive the source. The source is either a light-emitting diode (LED) or semiconductor laser. The receiver contains a photodetector that transforms the received optical signal back into an electrical signal. The receiver's output circuits amplify and reshape the signal so that it matches the signal from the transmitter. The optical-fiber cable carries the light from the transmitter to the receiver.
While fiber optics can be used to carry communications in nearly any application where copper cable is used, it is especially useful at high speeds, over long distances, or in electrically noisy environments. In other words, fiber finds use where it offers distinct advantages over copper cable.
Telecommunications Local-area networks Wide-area networks Factory automation Computer systems/networks
Bandwidth
In many ways, the key to the information age is bandwidth. As more and more traffic is being carried on our telephone systems and on computer networks, we need more and more bandwidth to satisfy needs. For example, the Internet traffic today is surpassing the voice traffic on the public telephone system. Telecommunications carriers need to provide more and more bandwidth to carry these heavier loads. Fiber answers the bandwidth challenge, carrying a greater amount of traffic over longer distances than is possible with the copper cables it replaces.
In a similar manner, local-area networks are using fiber because it can carry high data rates over longer distances than twisted-pair cable.
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