Fiber optics has been considered one of the central areas of development in the field of communication technology for many years. Specialists initially pinned great hopes on this concept, which to this day are only confirmed by periodic successes in laying communication networks of various sizes. In particular, fiber-optic communication has already demonstrated its effectiveness on the example of the Pacific communication lines, and in the future this basis is planned to be used in laser and sensor systems.
What is fiber?
Communication based on fiber-optic networks is formed on the principle of electromagnetic radiation, due to which a signal is transmitted. The physical carrier is light guides, which are characterized by resistance to interference and high bandwidth. So, what is a light guide and what does it have to do with data transmission? This fiber is made from glass withsome additives, thanks to which the manufacturer can vary individual optical characteristics. At a minimum, a polymer coating is required to protect the fiber from external damage. Actually, this fiber is also heterogeneous in its structure. It consists of a core with a diameter of about 8-10 microns, as well as a surrounding shell that forms a cylinder with a thickness of about 100-125 microns. The principle of operation of an optical fiber communication channel lies in the ability of the light guide to provide internal reflection of electromagnetic waves with certain refractive indices. A conditional beam of light in the process of movement inside the optical fiber is reflected from the shell from the inside, without leaving the circuit. In this way, a signal is delivered with different loss values.
Performance characteristics of fiber optic networks
The main positive aspects of the operation of fiber optic lines are associated with a high speed of information delivery. Until recently, this value was expressed as a record figure of 1 Terabit per second. However, even now these data are considered irrelevant in terms of record figures. Thus, new technologies of wave multiplexing systems have allowed optical fibers to provide a signal service rate of 15 Tbps. Large telecommunications corporations practice the use of multi-channel fiber-optic communication over distances up to 10,000 km with support for speeds of 100 Gbps. By the way, one trace can contain up to 150-200 channels, whichdue to the small diameter of the fibers. One trunk line without an outer protective sheath has a thickness of no more than 1 cm. As for the amount of attenuation, which affects not only the speed, but also the overall quality of signal transmission, this figure in the case of optical fiber is 5 dB / km. This is an extremely good indicator compared to traditional electrical networks, which makes it possible to lay lines for 100 km or more without intermediate signal conversion points.
Pros of technology
Along with high transmission speed and low attenuation effect, fiber optics have the following advantages:
- Durability of line operation.
- Process reliability.
- Protection from external electromagnetic influences.
- High level of signal coding, virtually eliminating the possibility of data interception.
- Broadband.
- Light weight and modest size.
The extent to which the above advantages will be revealed in a particular fiber-optic communication line depends on the methods of its laying and the quality of the material. So, for example, one of the most important obstacles to a mass transition to this method of organizing communications in Russia is the low level of specialists in this field and the unsatisfactory quality of consumables.
Cons of technology
There are also characteristic disadvantages of fiber optic networks, which can even appearregardless of the quality of the technical implementation of communication channels. Among them is noted:
- High cost. Both at the stage of organizing the technical infrastructure and in the process of maintaining it, the costs still exceed the costs of setting up and operating more familiar communication lines.
- The fragility of the structure. One of the most sensitive disadvantages of optical fibers is their installation limitations. It is possible to ensure the durability of high-level fiber-optic communication only if the lines are laid directly. However, this problem is gradually being solved precisely by introducing special additives into the structure of the fiber core.
- High demands on telecommunications infrastructure. Again, you can count on high performance when using fiber optic lines only if the system is organized on modern network equipment.
Application of fiber-optic communication in Russia
As in other countries with advanced technological development, in Russia fiber optics primarily finds its place in the telecommunications industry. However, this is not the only area mastering this technology. Optical fibers are used in measuring equipment, X-ray machines (including MRI), gyroscopes and security alarm systems. At the same time, technical integration methods are often of a similar nature, which is also confirmed by the range of required workers for organizing such systems. In particular, vacancies for fiber optic communicationincludes jobs for welders, fitters and system engineers Same goes for fiber optic infrastructure maintenance.
Problems in the implementation of fiber-optic communications
A number of large Russian providers working in the field of telecommunications are experiencing financial difficulties with the transition to new technologies for organizing networking. This is partly due to the high costs of technical renewal of networks with the complete replacement of both signal carriers and operational equipment. The metropolitan company MGTS considers fiber-optic communications as one of the key areas of development today, but at the same time, its representatives also note the difficulties associated with the unwillingness of the subscribers themselves to switch to new technological means. Many users are satisfied with the traditional copper wire network, which provides sufficient consumer data transmission characteristics. They do not want to overpay for innovations, which forces the operator to bear the costs of servicing two types of telecommunications networks.
Prospects for the development of fiber optic communication
If the mass consumer market is still reservedly tuned to the evolutionary process of transition to fiber optics, then the world's leading corporations are already looking into the future, which is opened up by fiber-optic communication technologies in various fields. CurrentlyThe most promising areas include distributed sensor systems and fiber optic lasers. The first technology will make it possible to carry out non-destructive testing of building and engineering structures with a wide range of analysis output data - in particular, with accurate indicators of temperature, pressure and deformation processes of the object. As far as fiber lasers are concerned, their properties and emitted wave characteristics can provide unprecedented opportunities in the physical processing of solid materials.
Conclusion
Communication based on fiber optic technology, with all the negative factors of application, is expanding its range of coverage. To a large extent, this was facilitated by the technological format of the GPON network, which is an optimized concept of fiber-optic trunk lines. Rostelecom, as one of the largest telecommunications companies in Russia, has taken a big step in the technological development of this format. Today, it performs laying lines without intermediate amplifying nodes over distances from 20 to 60 km with support for speeds up to 1.25 Gb / s. And this is just one of the possible formats for using fiber in the telecommunications industry today.
