PRODUCTS

What is Plastic Optical Fiber?

Overview

Optical fiber has a two-layer construction, with a core material and an outer cladding material. By making the refractive index of the core higher than that of the cladding, a total reflection of light occurs at the interface between core and cladding that is greater than the critical angle. The light entering the core is contained inside the core by this total reflection, and transmitted.

Types of Plastic Optical Fiber

Optical fiber can be split into the following types based on material and construction.

Glass Plastic Optical Fiber Plastic
Plastic Optical Fiber
Quartz
Plastic Optical Fiber		 Polymer Clad Plastic Optical Fiber Multicomponent Glass
Plastic Optical Fiber
PCF HPCF
Core Quartz Quartz Quartz Multicomponent Glass PMMA
Cladding Quartz Silicone Fluorine-containing
Polymer		 Multicomponent Glass Fluorine-containing Polymer
Transmission Loss
(Wavelength)		 0.5 dB/km
(@1,310 nm)		 10 dB/km
(@850 nm)		 5 dB/km
(@850 nm)		 15 dB/km
(@850 nm)		 150 dB/km
(@650 nm)
Applications Long Distance Communications
(Public Network)		 Short to Intermediate Range Communications
(up to 500 m)		 Intermediate Range Communications
(up to 2 km)		 Short to Intermediate Range Communications
(up to 300 m)		 Short Range Communications
(up to 50 m)
Industrial lighting/decoration

About Plastic Optical Fiber

Toray RAYTELA™ is a multimode/step index plastic optical fiber.
The polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) that makes up the core portion uses a clean polymer made with integrated manufacturing from monomer to fiber production. A special fluorine containing polymer is used for the cladding.

Comparison with electrical wire
  1. Wide transmission band
  2. Noise Resistance
    Is not affected by external electromagnetic interference
  3. Explosion-proof
    No short circuits
  4. Lightweight
  5. Complete prevention of crosstalk
Comparison to Quartz Plastic Optical Fiber
  1. High Light Transmission
    Large diameter, high core proportion
    100 µm: 96% (Quartz type 125 µm: 0.6%)
  2. Flexibility (not easily broken)
  3. Handling
    Does not require special technology/tools
  4. Low Cost Light Transmission System
    Red LEDs, resin connector

Plastic Optical Fiber (RAYTELA™)