Step-Index Fiber

Application ID: 145


The transmission speed of optical waveguides is superior to microwave waveguides, because optical devices have a much higher operating frequency than microwaves, enabling a far higher bandwidth.

This model is an example of a single step-index waveguide made of silica glass. The inner core is made of pure silica glass with refractive index n1 = 1.4457 and the cladding is doped, with a refractive index of n2 = 1.4378. These values are valid for free-space wavelengths of 1.55 micrometers. The radius of the cladding is chosen to be large enough so that the field of confined modes is zero at the exterior boundaries.

This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products: