How optical fibers are made from silica glass
Learn how optical fibres are created out of a piece of silica glass in this video.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: Optical fibers start as pure silica glass, free from impurities that interfere with the passage of light. This specially made “preform” consists of two types of glass, in inner and outer layers. This laboratory can pull a single fiber from a preform to make fiber optics for telecommunications.
The preform is heated in a furnace, then pulled from the furnace by hand. As the soft glass is drawn out as a fiber, workers monitor its width. The fiber moves to a coating machine, where plastic seals it for its protection. Finally, it's wound onto a drum.
A single preform of silica glass can produce fibers hundreds of meters long. The completed fiber consists of an inner core, which carries the light, an outer glass cladding, and a protective coat.
The preform is heated in a furnace, then pulled from the furnace by hand. As the soft glass is drawn out as a fiber, workers monitor its width. The fiber moves to a coating machine, where plastic seals it for its protection. Finally, it's wound onto a drum.
A single preform of silica glass can produce fibers hundreds of meters long. The completed fiber consists of an inner core, which carries the light, an outer glass cladding, and a protective coat.