PLASTIC OPTIC FIBER (POFs)MUHAMMED MUSTHAFA C.P , S5DEPT. OF POLYMER SCIENCE AND RUBBER TECHNOLOGYCOCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1 Introduction2 POF (Plastic Optical Fiber) terminology3 Index profiles4 Overview – POF5 Plastic optical fiber6 Application7 Conclusion8 Reference

Introduction Plastic optical fibers (POFs) are a low-cost solution for

low-speed, short-distance applications in digital car networks, industrial networks, and home networks and appliances.

The plastic optical fiber is made out of a plastic such as acrylic (PMMA) as the core material and fluorinated or perfluorinated polymers as the cladding materials.

The working key principle is the total internal reflection at the interface between the core and the cladding (having a lower refractive index), which confines the propagating light beam within the core.

Plastic optical fiber

Basically similar or same construction as GOF

Larger coreSimplex and Duplex figure 8 or round

cableLoose tube

POF (Plastic Optical Fiber) terminology

Core Acrylic Acrylic Glass

Cladding Fluorinated Polyperfluoro Fluorinated butenylvinylether

PMMA PCF

traditional perfluorinated

PROCESS Plasma OVD draw extrusion extrusion

Index profiles

PMMA Step Index

core = Constant refractive index

PMMA Graded Index

Core = several layer of material with different refractive indexes

Perfluorinated Polymer Graded index

Core = parabolic index

Overview - POF (PMMA and perfluorinated)Index profile Type of fiber Core Ø NA Attenuation Bandwidth

SI-POF (PMMA)

SI-POF low NA

980µm

980µm

0.50.3 180dB/km

~ 50 MHz . 100m

~ 100 MHz . 100m

DSI-POF 980µm 0.3 180dB/km ~ 100 MHz . 100m

GI-POF (PMMA)980µm 500µm

0.2 200dB/km ~1.5 GHz . 100m

GI-POF (PF)62.5/245120/450200/490

0.3 50dB/km ~ 3 GHz . 100m

Step Index polymer optical fiber (SI-POF)Core Ø : 980 μmCladding Ø : 1000 μmAttenuation : 180 dB/kmBandwidth : 10 MHz . 100m (100 MHz . 100m)Wavelength : 650nmAdvantage : easy, fast and inexpensive connection technology

commercially available (Mitsubishi, Toray , Fuji, Optimedia)Disadvantage: high attenuation, low bandwidth

Attenuation spectra of PMMA fiber

Light Wavelength(Nm)

Attenuation(dB/km)

red 650 180

amber 570 66

green 520 73

Core Ø : 900 μm

Cladding Ø : 1000 μm

Attenuation : 180 dB/km

Bandwidth : 100 MHz . km

Wavelength : 650nm

Cable : tight buffer

Advantage : easy, fast and inexpensive connection technology commercially available (Mitsubishi, Fuji, Optimedia)Disadvantage : high attenuation

Multistep Index Plastic Optical Fiber (GI-POF)

Core Ø : 120 μm

Cladding Ø : 500 μm

Attenuation : 50 dB/km

Bandwidth : 1000 MHz*km

Wavelength : 1330nm

Cable : loose buffer (extra strength members)

Advantage : low attenuation, high bandwidth

Disadvantage : termination, expensive, similar to GOF commercially not available (Asahi, Nexans, Chromis)

Graded Index Plastic Optical Fiber (GI-POF)

Attenuation spectra of per fluorinated POF

Light Wavelength(Nm)

Attenuation(dB/km)

infrared 850 20

1300 50

Plastic optical fiberIEC 60793-2-4 – Specification for category A4 multimode fiber

A4a A4b A4c A4d A4e A4f A4g A4h

Core Ø (µm) * * * * 500 200 120 62.5

Cladd Ø (µm) 1000 750 500 1000 750 490 490 245

NA 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.30 0.25 0.19 0.19 0.19

Buffered yes yes yes yes no no no no

cabled yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Operating wavelength (nm)

650 650 650 650 650 650, 850, 1300 650, 850, 1300 850, 1300

* Typically 15 to 35 µm smaller than the cladding diameter

Simplex and Duplex cables (PMMA fiber)

Tight Buffer

Tightly buffered with a thermoplastic material.

PMMA POF - Step Index, Multistep, Graded Index

Tight buffer

Cladding

Core

Tight buffer

Cladding

Core

Duplex cables (per fluorinated fiber)

lose buffer

Cladding

Core

Outer sheath

Strength member

Single loose tube

Loose sheath with air cap (µm up to mm). Dry – no gel

Perfluorinated POF

Graded Index

Cable for harsh environment (PMMA fibers)

Tight buffer

CladdingCore

Outer sheath

Strengthmember

Filling element

Tight Buffer

Tightly buffered with a thermoplastic material.

PMMA POF - Step Index, Multistep, Graded Index

Outer sheath and strength memberse.g. PUR outer sheath and aramid yarns for drag chain and harsh industrial environments

Laser surgery Angioplasty Lithotripsy Urology Dermatology Photodynamic therapy

Applications

Spectroscopy Remote illumination Sensors Thomson scattering

Industrial/ScientificMedical

REFERENCE

United States Patent PLASTIC OPTICAL CABLE

Tatsukami et al. ,

POLYMERIC OPTICAL CONDUCTOR Beuth et al. , United States Patent

OPTICAL TRANSMISSION FIBER Yamamoto et al. , United States Patent