The Nature of Light and the Laws of Geometric Optics

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Section 35.8

Slide 58

Fiber Optics

An application of internal reflection

Plastic or glass rods are used to “pipe” light from one place to another.

Applications include:

Medical examination of internal organs

Telecommunications

Section 35.8

Slide 59

Construction of an Optical Fiber

The transparent core is surrounded by cladding.

The cladding has a lower n than the core.

This allows the light in the core to experience total internal reflection.

The combination is surrounded by the jacket.

Section 35.8

Slide 60

Fiber Optics, cont.

A flexible light pipe is called an optical fiber.

A bundle of parallel fibers (shown) can be used to construct an optical transmission line.

Section 35.8