ABSTRACT
The ability to transmit information has been responsible for an important technical evolution. Progressing from the copper wire of a century ago to today’s fiber-optic cable has made it possible to transmit more information, more quickly, and over longer distances. The transmitter converts an electrical analog or digital signal into a corresponding optical signal. The source of the optical signal can be either a light-emitting diode, or a solid-state laser diode. Fiber-optic cable is similar to electrical cable in its construction but provides special protection for the optical fiber within. There are several reasons that fiber-optic systems are revolutionizing telecommunications. Optical fibers are thinner than copper wires, so more fibers can be bundled into cable of a given diameter than copper wires. Optical fibers are ideally suited for digital transmission, and this makes them especially effective for data transmission in computer networks.
