Photonics Dictionary: S

A type of interferometer in which two coils of optical fiber are arranged so that light from a single source travels clockwise in one, and counterclockwise in the other. Rotation of the coils causes...

Sapphire optical fiber is a type of optical fiber made from single-crystal sapphire, which is a form of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) that is highly transparent in the infrared region of the electromagnetic...

Measure of the interference fringe pattern produced by the forward scattering of light by an optical fiber; the fringe pattern is inversely proportional to the fiber diameter.

Second-harmonic generation (SHG) is a nonlinear optical process that occurs when two photons with the same frequency combine within a nonlinear material, resulting in the generation of a new photon...

Fiber optic cable that operates at the 1300-nm wavelength.

An arrangement of optical fibers in a bundle whereby the geometric configuration of the input end differs from that of the output end without changing the total area; for example, a circular bundle...

Self-phase modulation (SPM) is a nonlinear optical phenomenon that occurs when an intense laser beam passes through a medium, causing a change in the phase of the light due to its interaction with...

A device used in measuring attenuation in optical fiber. The loss caused by the bends in a short reference length of fiber approximates that of a much longer fiber under test.

A type of fiber optic cable that emits light from its sides along its length.

Calculation of peak and average transmission power at a given point along an optical fiber or cable.

A silicon photodiode is a semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current. It is a type of photodetector specifically designed for detecting and measuring light intensity. Silicon...

A fiber optic transmission system in which data can go in only a single direction.

An optical waveguide in which only the lowest order bound mode, which may consist of a pair of orthogonally polarized fields, can propagate at the wavelength of interest.

The method for measuring the index profile of an optical fiber by preparing a thin sample that has its faces perpendicular to the axis of the fiber, and measuring its index profile by interferometry.

The fiber optic connector developed and manufactured by Amphenol Fiber Optic Products.

In fiber optics, the condition in which each fiber of a bundle carries a separate channel.

A defect in the cleaved end face of an optical fiber in which the surface changes abruptly.

A passive fiber optic coupler that divides light from a single fiber into two or more fiber channels.

When splitting the output of a single optical fiber into two or more fibers, the difference in the maximum loss between any two channels.

The application of a constant stress to an optical fiber.

An optical fiber in which the core is of uniform refractive index.

A profile of an optical component, usually a fiber, in which the core is of uniform refractive index and the cladding or surrounding optical surface of a different, usually lower, index.

In Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS), an incident photon (usually laser light) interacts with acoustic phonons in a medium. The energy and momentum of the incident photon are transferred to the...

A strand of aramid yarn, steel or fiberglass in an optical cable intended to prevent bending or stretching that would damage the transport medium.

A type of fatigue found in optical fibers, caused by water or another corroding agent.

In polarization-preserving optical fibers, the element used to induce birefringence. The SAP is highly doped to provide a different coefficient of expansion from the rest of the fiber material; when...

A tool used to remove the outer cladding of an optical fiber without damaging the fiber core.

A type of sheathing for fiber optic cable that incorporates a coil of metal; often used in harsh environments.

Supercontinuum refers to a broad spectrum of light that spans a wide range of wavelengths, typically from the visible to the near-infrared or even mid-infrared regions of the electromagnetic...

A standard for fiber optic telecommunications interfaces, with a 1300-nm data link operating over single-mode fiber at data rates of 52, 155 and 622 Mb/s.