Fiber optic cables carry data by transmitting light pulses through thin strands of glass or plastic. These light pulses represent binary data (0s and 1s) that are then decoded at the receiving end.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
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Encoding Data: The data, initially in electrical form, is converted into a series of light pulses. A transmitter, often a laser or LED, generates these pulses. Presence of a light pulse signifies a "1," while the absence signifies a "0". This is a form of binary code representation.
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Transmission: The light pulses travel through the fiber optic cable via a principle called total internal reflection. This principle ensures that the light stays within the fiber core, bouncing off the walls of the cable, even when the cable is bent. This minimizes signal loss over long distances. The light travels at approximately 186,000 miles per second, according to the reference material.
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Reception and Decoding: At the receiving end, a photodetector converts the light pulses back into electrical signals. These electrical signals are then processed to reconstruct the original data. The receiver interprets the presence and absence of light to rebuild the 0s and 1s, thus decoding the information.
In essence, fiber optic communication leverages light as the carrier of information, offering advantages like high bandwidth, low signal loss, and immunity to electromagnetic interference compared to traditional copper cables. The process involves converting electrical signals into light pulses, transmitting those pulses through the fiber, and then converting them back into electrical signals.
