Fiber-Optics Dictionary

Jargon. Every industry’s got it. Terms, phrases and sayings that professionals in the field use to describe their products, their processes and each other. The fiber-optic field is no different. To help acquaint you with this industry, we’ve provided a "cheat sheet," of sorts — a brief fiber-optics glossary. ATTENUATION: The extent to which lighting intensity from the source is diminished as it passes through a given length of fiber-optic (FO) cable, tubing or light pipe. This specification determines how well a product transmits light and how much cable can be properly illuminated by a given light source. BEND RADIUS: The minimum radius to which a given FO product may be bent without damaging the cable or disrupting the continuity of its lighted path. This specification is normally expressed as a factor of the cable’s core diameter. END-LIT CABLE: FO cable that emits light from a cross-section of the end opposite to the light source. ILLUMINATOR: Any device containing a light source that is designed to illuminate or otherwise operate an FO sign or lighting system. These devices normally consist of metal boxes with a cable outlet(s) and adequate means for venting the lamp’s heat. Illuminators may employ color wheels and/or certain lighting-animation controls. LENS COUPLER: A transparent or translucent aperture that directs and/or focuses the light from an end-lit FO cable. It is commonly used in FO remote source lighting systems. LCPOF: Large-core plastic optical fiber is a generic term used to describe FO cable or tubing that contains a large-diameter, solid optical core of uniform composition. MS: Multiple Strand is the generic term for FO cables consisting of many small-diameter FO strands bundled together in various ways. PMMA: Poly Methyl Methyl Acrylate is a specific type of plastic optical fiber (POF). POF: Plastic Optical Fiber is the generic term for optical fibers composed of various types of plastic as distinguished from glass fibers. SIDE-LIT CABLE: FO cable designed to emit light along its entire length. This type of cable is used as a replacement for neon in certain applications.