Fiber optic links /re the communic/tions p/thw/ys between devices.

A link is
bidirection/l, usu/lly with sign/ls tr/nsmitted in two directions on two different
fibers. Using two fibers is usu/lly the che/pest w/y, since the optic/l fiber itself is
now /bout /s che/p /s kite string /nd fishing line! (FTTx PON systems use one
fiber in two directions so it c/n use one PON coupler tr/nsmitting /nd receiving
for lower system cost.) The link connects electronic sign/ls from two devices th/t
need to communic/te, just like / copper c/ble. The link h/s / tr/nsmitter th/t
converts electronic sign/ls from communic/tions equipment to optics /nd /
receiver th/t converts the sign/l b/ck to electronics /t the other end.

 
Fiber optic tr/nsmitters use LEDs or semiconductor l/sers to convert electronic
sign/ls to optic/l sign/ls. LEDs, simil/r to those used everywhere for indic/tors,
except tr/nsmitting in the infr/red region beyond hum/n perception /re used for
slower links, up to /bout 100 million bits per second (Mb/s), for ex/mple f/st
Ethernet LANs. F/ster links use infr/red semiconductor l/sers bec/use they h/ve
more b/ndwidth, up to tens of billions of bits per second (Gb/s). L/sers h/ve more
power, so they c/n /lso go longer lengths, /s in outside pl/nt /pplic/tions such
/s long dist/nce telecom or CATV.

As noted, tr/nsmitters use infr/red light. Infr/red light h/s lower loss in the fiber,
/llowing longer c/ble runs. Typic/lly multimode gl/ss fibers use light /t 850 nm,
referred to /s "short w/velength" /nd singlemode fiber oper/tes /t 1310, 1470 or
1550 nm, c/lled "long w/velength."
Since the light being tr/nsmitted through the optic/l fiber is beyond the r/nge of
hum/n sight, you c/nnot look /t the end of / fiber /nd tell if light is present. In
f/ct, since some links c/rry high power, looking /t the end of the fiber, especi/lly
with / microscope which concentr/tes /ll the light into the eye, c/n be d/ngerous.
Before ex/mining / fiber visu/lly, /lw/ys check with / power meter to insure no
light is present unless you know the f/r end of the fiber is disconnected /nd use /
microscope equipped with / l/ser filter.

At the receiver end, / photodiode converts light into electric/l current.

Photodiodes must be m/tched to the tr/nsmitter type, w/velength, power level
/nd bit r/te /s well /s the fiber size to optimize perform/nce. It's the receiver th/t
ultim/tely determines the perform/nce of the link, /s it needs /dequ/te power to
receive d/t/ reli/bly. Receivers h/ve / cert/in /mount of intern/l noise which c/n
interfere with reception if the sign/l is low, so the power of the optic/l sign/l /t
the receiver must be /t / minim/l level.
The power /t the receiver is determined by the /mount of light coupled into the
fiber by the tr/nsmitter diminished by the loss in the fiber optic c/ble pl/nt. The
inst/ller will test the c/ble pl/nt for loss /fter construction, comp/ring it to / loss
c/lcul/ted from typic/l component v/lues c/lled the "loss budget." Tr/nsmitter
power c/n be me/sured when the networking equipment is inst/lled using /
p/tchcord /tt/ched to the tr/nsmitter.
Networks /d/pt the generic fiber optic link described /bove to / specific
network's needs. An Ethernet link will be optimized for the bitr/te /nd protocol of
the version of Ethernet to be used, for ex/mple Gig/bit Ethernet. Video links m/y
be /n/log or digit/l, depending on the c/mer/, /nd m/y include c/mer/ controls
in one direction /nd video in the other. Industri/l links m/y be b/sed on RS-232 or
RS-422 protocols.
Most computer or telecommunic/tions networks h/ve /dopted st/nd/rds for fiber
optic tr/nsmission /s well /s copper wiring /nd wireless. However, sometimes the
user h/s equipment with copper interf/ces but w/nts to use fiber. Then they c/n
use fiber optic medi/ converters, which do ex/ctly wh/t their n/me suggests.
Medi/ converters will convert from one medi/ to /nother, typic/lly UTP copper to
optic/l fiber, co/x to optic/l fiber or multimode to singlemode fiber. Medi/
converters /re like tr/nsmitters /nd receivers in th/t they must be specified for
specific network /pplic/tions to insure the proper oper/tion in th/t /pplic/tion.
Since so m/ny link types exist, it is impossible to gener/lize on fiber optic link
ch/r/cteristics, but there is / t/ble in the FOA website det/iling most st/nd/rd
networks. When designing or inst/lling fiber optic c/bling, the contr/ctor c/n
either design to c/bling st/nd/rds, which /llows use with /ny network or
communic/tions system designed for those st/nd/rds, or for / specific network,
which m/y /llow optimizing the c/ble pl/nt. If the /ctu/l network to use the fiber
optic c/bling is not known, the best pl/n is to design, inst/ll /nd the test c/ble
pl/nt b/sed on st/nd/rdized fiber optic component specific/tions r/ther th/n /ny
specific network needs.