Optical Fiber
Optical Fiber Concept Explanation

Optical fiber is a transmission boundary that is made according to the principle of total reflection of light.

Simple Definition of Fiber Optics :

Optical fiber is a medium that transmits information from one end to the other, and is a piece of glass or plastic fiber that acts as a transmission medium that allows information to pass through.

 

Main product range

Features of optical fiber

  • Large communication capacity
  • The transmission distance is long
  • Low anti-electromagnetic interference and low signal crosstalk
  • Good confidentiality
  • The material is abundant, saving a lot of non-ferrous copper and is chemically resistant.
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Why is Hengtong a reliable fiber optic cable supplier?

 

We are a company that has passed ISO9001 quality management system certification, ISO14001 environmental management system certification, ISO45001 occupational health and safety management system certification, IECQ hazardous substances process management system certification, which shows that we have the best manufacturing capabilities, correct material certification and advanced Technology. The optical cables produced by Hengtong comply with relevant standard requirements in terms of materials and performance.

 

Advantages of Hengtong?

Features of optical fiber

● 13+ years of experience in custom solutions

●Professional team and efficient communication channels

●24h online service

●Instant quotes and efficient production

●Excellent product quality and closed-loop after-sales service

●Shipping services cover the world

●Large communication capacity

●The transmission distance is long

●Low anti-electromagnetic interference and low signal crosstalk

●Good confidentiality

●The material is abundant, saving a lot of non-ferrous copper and is chemically resistant.

 

 

Structural design of optical fiber

 

Optical fiber structure: Fiber optic bare fibers are generally divided into three layers: a central high refractive index glass core (core diameter generally 50 or 62.5 μ m) , with a low refractive index silicon glass cladding in the middle (usually with a diameter of 125 μ m) The outermost layer is the coating layer used for reinforcement.

 

 Optical fiber application scenarios

 

According to different transmission properties of optical fiber, such as high transmission speed and long distance of single-mode optical fiber, it is usually used for long-distance transmission in outdoor optical fiber cables; Multi-mode optical fibers, due to their ability to transmit multiple optical modes and large amounts of data, but with short transmission distances and lower costs, are often used for high-capacity transmission in short distance data centers.

 

Who Are We?

 

 

Hengtong Group is an international enterprise with a diverse range of expertise covering fibre optical communication, power transmission, EPC turnkey service and maintenance, as well as IoT, big data, e-commerce, new materials and new energy.

 

 
Why Choose Us
 
01/

Our credentials
It applies to enterprises that carry out the design and development, manufacture, installation and servicing of medical devices or related services.

02/

Global Operation
HENGTONG possesses 70 wholly-owned companies and holding companies, establishes industrial bases in up to 16 provinces of China and in Europe.

03/

Good service
Providing technical support, troubleshooting, and maintenance services.

04/

One-stop Solution
We offer a comprehensive customization solution, tailored to meet the specific needs and requirements of our clients.

 

What Is Optical Fiber Technology, And How Does It Work?

 

While many of us have heard the term "fiber optics" or "optical fiber" technology to describe a type of cable or a technology using light, few of us really understand what it's all about.

What Is Optical Fiber (Fiber Optics) Technology?
Fiber optics, or optical fibers, are long, thin strands of carefully drawn glass about the diameter of a human hair. These strands are arranged in bundles called fiber optic cables. We rely on them to transmit light signals over long distances.

At the transmitting source, the light signals are encoded with data… the same data you see on the screen of a computer. So, the fiber transmits "data" by light to a receiving end, where the light signal is decoded as data. Therefore, fiber optics is actually a transmission medium – a "pipe" to carry signals over long distances at very high speeds.

What Is Fiber Optics Used For?
Fiber optic cables were originally developed in the 1950s for endoscopes. The purpose was to help doctors view the inside of a human patient without major surgery. In the 1960s, telephone engineers found a way to use the same technology to transmit and receive telephone calls at the "speed of light". That is about 186,000 miles per second in a vacuum, but slows to about two-thirds of this speed in a cable. So, what are fiber optics used for? In a nutshell, for signal transmission, communication and vision (video).

How Does a Fiber Optic Cable Work?
Light travels down a fiber optic cable by bouncing off the walls of the cable repeatedly. Each light particle (photon) bounces down the pipe with continued internal mirror-like reflection.

The light beam travels down the core of the cable. The core is the middle of the cable and the glass structure. The cladding is another layer of glass wrapped around the core. Cladding is there to keep the light signals inside the core.

 

Uses Of Optical Fiber In Our Daily Life
 

What are optical fibers used for? You may have seen plastic fibers carrying colored lights in decorative applications. What you may not have seen are the real glass fiber optic cables that are now the foundation of our communication and computer networks. Many thousands of miles of installed fiber optic cable carry many types of information underground, in tunnels, building walls, ceilings, and other places you don't see. For examples of uses of optical fiber in our daily life include applications such as:

  • Computer networking
  • Broadcasting
  • Medical scanning
  • Military equipment
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Types Of Optical Fibres

 

OM3-150

The types of optical fibres depend on the refractive index, materials used, and mode of propagation of light. The classification based on the refractive index is as follows:
Step Index Fibres: It consists of a core surrounded by the cladding, which has a single uniform index of refraction.
Graded Index Fibres: The refractive index of the optical fibre decreases as the radial distance from the fibre axis increases.

The classification based on the materials used is as follows:
Plastic Optical Fibres: The polymethylmethacrylate is used as a core material for the transmission of light.
Glass Fibres: It consists of extremely fine glass fibres.

The classification based on the mode of propagation of light is as follows:
Single-Mode Fibres: These fibres are used for long-distance transmission of signals.
Multimode Fibres: These fibres are used for short-distance transmission of signals.

The mode of propagation and refractive index of the core is used to form four combination types of optic fibres as follows:

  • Step index-single mode fibres
  • Graded index-Single mode fibres
  • Step index-Multimode fibres
  • Graded index-Multimode fibres

 

Main Benefits of Fiber Transmission

 

 

There are four main advantages that fiber optics have over copper wire based transmission:

  • Bigger Bandwidth
  • Longer Distance, Faster Speed
  • Higher Resistance
  • Greater Security

Bigger Bandwidth

Fiber optic cables provide significant bandwidth for signal transmission and can carry much more data than copper cables of the same diameter. The bandwidth-distance product (BDP) of transmission media is used to compare capabilities in this respect, and media with higher BDP will have longer transmission distance when sending the same bandwidth of data. The higher the BDP, the faster uncompressed video can be delivered and over greater distances, while displaying at exactly the same quality as the native signal. For example, the standard BDP for multimode fiber is 500 MHz/km, which means that 1640 feet multimode fiber cable can transmit 1 GHz.

Longer Distance, Faster Speed
In terms of photons versus electrons, the light in fiber optic cables travels at roughly two-thirds the speed of light, while electrons in copper cables barely reach one percent of that speed. This immense speed advantage has an extreme effect on potential distances. While copper cables are mostly limited to a 330 feet standard distance, fiber optic cables can extend large bandwidth content over extremely long distances in a small diameter. Multimode fiber can triple this distance for a 4K HDMI signal, for example, and depending on the kind of cable, the wavelength, and the rest of the network, single-mode fiber can extend the same signal up to 12.4 miles.

Higher Resistance
Unlike copper-based transmission methods, fiber optic cables contain no metallic components. As a result, they are immune to electro-magnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI). Furthermore, fiber optic cables are immune to extreme changes in temperature and moisture levels, both of which can hinder transmission in copper cables.

Security
As fiber optic cables do not conduct electrical signals, it is impossible to remotely detect any data signal that is being transmitted, and attempts at physical access would be detectable by surveillance. This security makes fiber the transmission method of choice for industries such as government and banks. In terms of safety, fiber optic cables also pose no risk in spark-hazard environments such as chemical plants and oil refineries.

 

 
How Do Fiber-Optic Cables Transmit Data?

 

Fiber-optic cables transmit data via pulses of light.
Optical fibers are very thin strands of glass or plastic less than 1/10 the thickness of a human hair.
Another layer of glass, called "cladding," is wrapped around the central fiber and causes light to repeatedly bounce off the walls of the cable rather than leak out at the edges, so signals travel farther without attenuation.
Fiber-optic technology is now easily available to businesses in cities and states throughout the country, making Internet access via fiber-optic cables a powerful alternative to satellite and copper connections. When considering fiber Internet, the first question most people ask is "How do fiber-optic cables transmit data differently than other Internet alternatives?"

How do fiber-optic cables transmit data?
Fiber-optic cables are comprised of dozens or hundreds of optical fibers – very thin strands of glass or plastic that are less than 1/10 of the thickness of a human hair. Fiber-optic cables transmit data via fast-traveling pulses of light. Another layer of glass, called "cladding," is wrapped around the central fiber and causes light to repeatedly bounce off the walls of the cable rather than leak out at the edges, enabling the single to go farther without attenuation.

How do fiber-optic cables transmit data so quickly?
Because fiber optics uses light rather than electrical signals to transmit data, fiber-optic cable speed is incredibly fast ― close to the speed of light.

How do fiber-optic cables transmit data with greater bandwidth?
Fiber-optic cables have a broader range of frequencies over which data can travel without loss of quality than do copper wire or satellite connections. This enables fiber Internet solutions to offer significantly higher bandwidth capacity than the alternatives.

How do fiber-optic cables transmit data more effectively than copper or satellite?
Offering higher speed and bandwidth than copper or satellite connections, fiber-optic cables enable businesses to download and upload data more quickly.

How do fiber-optic cables transmit data with greater reliability?
Because fiber-optic cables use light rather than electrical signals, fiber connections are far less likely to be affected by power outages and/or electromagnetic interference. Fiber-optic cables are also much stronger than copper wire, making them more impervious to weather, fire and other hazards.

How do fiber-optic cables transmit data with higher security?
Hacking fiber-optic cables is much harder and more costly than intercepting signals on copper or satellite connections, making fiber Internet access much more secure.

 

How to Select the Right Optical Fiber Cable?

 

Optical fiber cable has gained much momentum in communication networks, and there emerges a dazzling array of vendors competing to manufacture and supply fiber optic cables. When selecting optical fiber, you'd better start with a reliable vendor and then consider the selection criteria. Here's a guide to clarify some of the confusions about choosing fiber optic cable.

Check Manufacturer Qualification
The major optical cable manufacturers should be granted ISO9001 quality system certification, ISO4001 international environment system certification, the ROHS, the relevant national and international institutions certification such as the Ministry of Information Industry, UL certification and etc.

Fiber Mode: Single Mode or Multimode
As illustrated above, single mode fiber is often used for long distances while multimode optical fiber is commonly used for short range. Moreover, the system cost and installation cost change with different fiber modes. You can refer to Single Mode vs Multimode Fiber: What's the Difference? and then decide which fiber mode you need.

Optical Cable Jackets: OFNR, OFNP, or LSZH
The standard jacket type of optical cable is OFNR, which stands for "Optical Fiber Non-conductive Riser". Besides, optical fibers are also available with OFNP, or plenum jackets, which are suitable for use in plenum environments such as drop-ceilings or raised floors. Another jacket option is LSZH. Short for "Low Smoke Zero Halogen", it is made from special compounds which give off very little smoke and no toxic when put on fire. So always refer to the local fire code authority to clarify the installation requirement before choosing the jacket type.

Optical Fiber Internal Construction: Tight Pack or Breakout or Assembly or Loose Tube
Tight pack cables are also known as distribution style cables, features that all buffered fibers under a single jacket with strength members for Enclosure to Enclosure and Conduit under Grade installations. Breakout fiber cable or fan out cable is applicable for Device to Device applications with tough and durable advantages. Assembly or zip cord construction is often used for making optic patch cables and short breakout runs. While loose tube construction is a Telco standard used in the telecommunications industry.

Indoor vs. Outdoor
The choice greatly depends on your application. The major difference between indoor and outdoor fiber cable is water blocking feature. Outdoor cables are designed to protect the fibers from years of exposure to moisture. However, nowadays there have been cables with both dry water-blocked outdoor feature and indoor designs. For example, in a campus environment, you can get cables with two jackets: an outer PE jacket that withstands moisture and an inner PVC jacket that is UL-rated for fire retardancy.

Fiber Count
Both indoor and outdoor fiber cable have a vast option of fiber count ranging from 4-144 fibers. If your fiber demand exceeds this range, you can custom the fiber count for indoor or outdoor optical cable. Unless you are making fiber patch cords or hooking up a simple link with two fibers, it is highly recommended to get some spare fibers.

 

 
Our Factory

 

Hengtong has over 70 wholly-owned companies and holding companies (5 of which are listed on the Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shen Zhen and Indonesian stock exchanges respectively), with 12 manufacturing bases in Europe, South America, Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Hengtong operates sales offices in over 40 countries and regions around the world, supplying products to over 150 countries and regions.

 

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FAQ

 

Q: What is optical fiber in simple words?

A: What Is an Optical Fibre? Optical fibre is the technology associated with data transmission using light pulses travelling along with a long fibre which is usually made of plastic or glass. Metal wires are preferred for transmission in optical fibre communication as signals travel with fewer damages.

Q: What is fiber optic and why is it used?

A: Optical fibers are about the diameter of a strand of human hair and when bundled into a fiber-optic cable, they're capable of transmitting more data over longer distances and faster than other mediums. It is this technology that provides homes and businesses with fiber-optic internet, phone and TV services.

Q: Is fiber optic same as WIFI?

A: Some may consider fiber internet connected to a computer with ethernet the best internet option because it is faster than Wi-Fi. Fiber internet is the fastest data connection available on the market currently, which makes it the ideal choice for streaming content and gamers who need lag-free connections.

Q: What is the difference between optical fibre and internet?

A: Broadband connections get affected because the same internet bandwidth is shared by many people at the same time. Fiber optic, on the other hand, is a dedicated service used only by the company that installed it, so the speed is not affected, and users get maximum bandwidth for a period of time.

Q: How does optic fiber work?

A: Light travels down a fiber optic cable by bouncing off the walls of the cable repeatedly. Each light particle (photon) bounces down the pipe with continued internal mirror-like reflection. The light beam travels down the core of the cable. The core is the middle of the cable and the glass structure.

Q: What are the advantages of optical fiber?

A: The data density per optical fiber is much greater than traditional conductor transmission and has more data packets. Optical fiber communication has advantages such as high-speed data transmission, data security, and data reliability. Optical fiber cables have higher bandwidth than copper conductor cables.

Q: What advantages do fiber optics have over other media?

A: Fiber optics has several advantages over traditional metal communications lines:
Fiber optic cables have a much greater bandwidth than metal cables. ...
Fiber optic cables are less susceptible than metal cables to interference to electromagnetic radiation.
Fiber optic cables are much thinner and lighter than metal wires.

Q: What is the biggest advantage of fiber optic cabling?

A: Fiber optic cables offer several advantages over traditional copper wires, such as faster data transfer rates and reliable connections. They are also thinner and lighter than copper wires which makes them easier to work with.

Q: How does fiber internet work?

A: With fibre internet, light signals are encoded with data. This data can travel very long distances at extremely high speed. This information is sent as a beam of light through thin glass strands that are cased in plastic. Light travels down the cables by repeatedly bouncing off the walls of the cable.

Q: Is fiber optic expensive?

A: Fiber optic installation can be expensive due to several factors. Firstly, the cost of fiber optic cables themselves is relatively high compared to other types of cables. Fiber optic cables are made of special materials that can transmit data using light signals, which increases their manufacturing cost.

Q: Is fiber optic for TV or internet?

A: Because data can travel faster across greater distances with glass than with cable, the connection speed is much faster with a 100% fiber-optic network. That means fiber is able to handle a range of services such as bundled internet, telephone and television services, among others.

Q: Where does a fiber optic get its signal from?

A: The inside of the fiber optic cable is covered with a reflective material, or cladding. When light hits this material, it reflects off of the walls and travels down the length of the fiber.

Q: Where does fiber optic run?

A: These fibers can either run underground or aerially, in which case they're connected to existing utility poles. Clamshell: With a FTTH connection, a protective utility box called a clamshell is used.

Q: What does a fiber optic cable look like?

A: In terms of appearance, a fiber optic cable typically consists of a thin, cylindrical shape with a shiny outer surface. The color of the cable may vary depending on its purpose and manufacturer.

Q: Who connects fiber to the home?

A: The installation work begins with the local Fibre company technician brining the Fibre from the street to a small box called ETP (external termination point), installed on the outside of your house. Every property is different therefore, the installation process may differ depending on the type of property you have.

Q: How long does fibre take to install?

A: Installation can take up to three hours and the engineer will need to work both inside and outside your home.

Q: How do you tell if you have fiber internet?

A: How do I know if I have Fiber-Optic Internet? You can tell what kind of Internet connection you have based on the equipment in your home. If you have an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) like this on the outside of your location, your connection is fiber-optic.

Q: What is the basic knowledge of optical fiber?

A: Optical fiber is a highly-transparent strand of glass that transmits light signals with low attenuation (loss of signal power) over long distances, providing nearly limitless bandwidth. This optical fiber technology enables telecommunications service providers to send voice, data, and video at ever increasing rates.

Q: Can you have fiber and cable internet at the same time?

A: Moreover, since cable internet, a DSL, and a fiber network don't use the same wiring and connections, you can always have different internet providers of these varying types in your home.

Q: How many wires does fiber optic have?

A: Active elements are in white tubes and yellow fillers or dummies are laid in the cable to fill it out depending on how many fibers and units exists – can be up to 276 fibers or 23 elements for external cable and 144 fibers or 12 elements for internal.

Q:  Which type of fiber is most widely used?

A: Single-mode optical fibers are the most widely produced type of optical fiber today. These cables play a crucial role in connecting cities, regions, countries, and even continents. They are deployed through aerial, underground, and underwater installations.

Q:  How does fiber work?

A: Fiber optics transmit information as pulses of light through strands of fiber made of glass or plastic over long distances.

Q:  Single mode vs multi-mode Fiber :which should I choose?

A: Single mode means the fiber enables one type of light mode to be propagated at a time.While multi-mode means the fiber can propagate multiple modes.The difference between single mode and multi-mode fiber mainly lies in fiber core diameter,wavelength, light source and bandwidth.
When making a decision between single mode and multi-mode fiber cables,the first factor to consider is the fiber distance which you need actually.For example,in a data center, multi-mode fiber cables is enough for the distance of 300-400 meters.While in applications that require distance up to several thousands of meters,the single mode fiber is the best choice.And in applications which can use single mode and multi-mode fiber ,other factors like cost and future upgrade requirements should be taken into consideration for your choice.

Q:  What wavelength does Light Source have?

A: 850/1300/1310/1550/1650/1675nm

Q:  What products is included in the fiber optic test solution?

A: Light source, Power meter, PON meter, Fiber Identifier, VFL, Attenuator and Multimeter.

Q:  New installations – What type of multi-mode should I use?

A: OM4 is generally the most recommended multi-mode fiber for all new installations. OMF provides a level of future-proofing as data rates continue to rise. 

Q:  OM3 vs OM4 What is the difference?

A: OM3 and OM4 are both 50/125 core fiber, but they have different internal constructions. OM4 fiber provides the same performance as OM3 but over longer distances. This is due to the higher bandwidth of OM4, which is 4700 megahertz compared to 2500 megahertz for OM3. The increased bandwidth of OM4 allows for longer transmission distances. When deciding on the type of fiber and fiber accessories to use, it is important to consider the distance of the fiber run.

Q:  What can OM5 do to cover my bandwidth needs?

A: OM5 cabling was designed to improve data center performance and address bandwidth challenges. It is optimized for short division multiplexing and can support at least four wavelengths in the 850-950nm range. This allows for efficient implementation of SWDM (Shortwave Wavelength Division Multiplexing) applications, which reduce the number of parallel fibers needed by a factor of four. As a result, only two fibers are required to transmit data at speeds of 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s, and reduced fiber counts for higher speeds.

Q:  Why should I use G657 Bend optimized optical fiber?

A: The roll out of fiber-to-the-home(FTTH) networks has been of global importance since the early 2000s, requiring a dedicated single-mode fiber cable Recommendation.As today’s FTTX networks push optical fiber to single-family homes and multiple dwelling units,they require smaller distribution cabinets and compact fiber management systems, where fiber is subject to a greater degree of bending.These conditions have put more stringent demands than ever before on the bend performance of single-mode fibers. However, the need to maintain a very high degree of mechanical reliability hasn’t changed.An understanding of the design and performance of bend-optimized fiber will help the user make a more informed decision in specifying a fiber that can support tighter bends but still be very reliable.

Q:  Can single-mode and multi-mode fiber be used in the same system?

A: You use both single-mode and multi-mode fiber if you’re using a switching system that supports both fiber types. However, you must connect a single-mode fiber to a single-mode port and connect multi-mode fiber to a multi-mode port.
Connecting single-mode fiber directly to multi-mode fiber is not feasible – the difference in core sizes introduces significant signal loss.

 

 

We're professional optical fiber manufacturers and suppliers in China, specialized in providing high quality products and service. If you're going to wholesale customized optical fiber, welcome to get quotation from our factory.

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