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Polymer optical fibers (POFs) are playing an important role in industrial applications nowadays due to their ease of handling and resilience to bending and environmental effects. A POF can tolerate a bending radius of less than 20 mm, it can work in environments with temperatures ranging from −55 °C to +105 °C, and its lifetime is around 20 years. In this paper, we propose a novel, rigorous, and efficient computational model to estimate the most important parameters that determine the characteristics of light propagation through a step-index polymer optical fiber (SI-POF). The model uses attenuation, diffusion, and mode group delay as functions of the propagation angle to characterize the optical power transmission in the SI-POF. Taking into consideration the mode group delay allows us to generalize the computational model to be applicable to POFs with different index profiles. In particular, we use experimental measurements of spatial distributions and frequency responses to derive accurate parameters for our SI-POF simulation model. The experimental data were measured at different fiber lengths according to the cut-back method. This method consists of taking several measurements such as frequency responses, angular intensity distributions, and optical power measurements over a long length of fiber (>100 m), then cutting back the fiber while maintaining the same launching conditions and repeating the measurements on the shorter lengths of fiber. The model derivation uses an objective function to minimize the differences between the experimental measurements and the simulated results. The use of the matrix exponential method (MEM) to implement the SI-POF model results in a computationally efficient model that is suitable for POF-based system-level studies. The efficiency gain is due to the independence of the calculation time with respect to the fiber length, in contrast to the classic analytical solutions of the time-dependent power flow equation. The robustness of the proposed model is validated by calculating the goodness-of-fit of the model predictions relative to experimental data.
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A Novel Optical Test Bed for Measuring the Light Transmission Properties of Plastic Optical Fiber Under Bending
Plastic optical fibers (POF) possess the potential to occupy a distinctive role in contemporary communication systems, bridging the gap between the attributes of copper cable and glass fiber. POF stands out as a more lightweight and cost-effective alternative to glass fiber, while concurrently offering significantly enhanced communication bandwidth compared to traditional copper cables of equivalent cost or weight. However, the novelty of this technology introduces a challenge, as there is limited understanding of how POF cables may behave under specific bending conditions, particularly in the case of the latest multi-core fibers. This paper outlines a research endeavor aimed at establishing a cost-effective and reproducible testing framework for assessing the light transmission properties of plastic optical fibers during various bending conditions. The methodology involves partial automation using National Instruments LabVIEW for servo motor control, and optical power measurements were taken using the Thorlabs PM100USB. The investigation encompassed measurements across diverse bending angles and radii for five distinct types of fibers: Eska MH, Eska BH, Eska GH, a Graded Index fiber, and a Multi Core Fiber.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2153667
- PAR ID:
- 10537871
- Publisher / Repository:
- 2024 IEEE Southeast Conference
- Date Published:
- ISBN:
- 979-8-3503-1710-7
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 581-585
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) Step Index (SI) Graded Index (GI) Multi Core (MC) Bending
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- Atlanta, GA
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Proceeding:
- The DOI is not currently available.
