Fiber optics is a worldwide adopted and an extremely robust
means of data transmission. It is a science of high-speed transmission of data
using optical fibers. In a country like India, which is witnessing technology
advancements at an exponential rate, the demand for fiber optics has
increasingly led to the establishment of many companies who aim at providing
quality
fiber optic solutions and services. Many eminent personalities,
graduated from some of the most prestigious colleges of India like the Indian
Institute of Technology (IITs) and having many years of industry experience in
networking and communication, have jumped into this lucrative field. They have
started their own ventures and are striving to provide quality services in this
emerging but competitive business.
Most of the people must be aware, assuming that this was a
part of their school curriculum, that an optical fiber is extremely thin (about
the thickness of a human hair) and is transparent. It is made of plastic and
uses the principle of 'total internal reflection' to transmit data from one end
to the other. The advantage of this is that there is zero percent loss of data
since the light is completely reflected inside the fiber. This allows for data
transmission over very long distances at high bandwidth. It may seem complex
but its a very basic scientific phenomenon. The refraction of light causes
hallucinations such as a 'mirage' in desert or smoky effects near vehicles in a
traffic-jam on a hot sunny day.
The construction of an optical fiber consists of two parts -
an inner core and an outer cladding. These parts have different refractive
indexes. In layman terms, they have different densities. The outer cladding has
lesser density than the inner core. Light bends while travelling through
mediums having different densities. When projected at a certain angle, light
does not permeate through the fiber and gets totally reflected from the
junction of the core and the cladding. Most fiber optic companies manufacture
two types of optical fibers - Single Mode Fiber and Multi Mode Fiber. Some
companies also manufacture a special-purpose fiber which is non-cylindrical in
shape and features a non circular cross-section.
This technology, though a lot better than traditional
metallic wire transmission, had one big drawback - the fiber could not bend at
extreme angles such as 90 degrees as it was not flexible enough. Companies such
as Corning have overcome this problem through years of intensive research and
development. Another issue faced by optical fibers is 'attenuation'. It is a
phenomenon by which the intensity of light is reduced when it travels great
distances. This is primarily due to the scattering of light inside the optical
fiber. The reason behind this is mostly the uneven surface at the junction of
the core and the cladding at microscopic levels. Another reason could be the
absorption of ultraviolet or infrared wavelengths of light while it travels through
the fiber optic medium.
This technology has found numerous takers in India as it is
cheap, reliable and low on maintenance. Many telecom companies such as Reliance
Telecom, Bharti Airtel etc. have switched to optical fiber technology. The use
of fiber optics has enabled them to expand their network and provide quality
services in even very remote parts of India.
Optical fiber companies in India are catering to the needs
of the market by manufacturing and supplying many special types of optical
fibers. Optical fibers are widely used medical field, spectroscopy, decoration
purposes and military.
With the vast technological advancements, fiber optics is no
more a dream or a thing of the future. Rather, it has become a reality and a
widely-popular tool for the present which has changed the face of the
telecommunication and many other industries. The
fiber optic companies in India
will continue to strive and unlock a world of new possibilities which will
surely lead to the transformation of the world we currently live in.
