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fiber optics Article

What are the optical fibers used in fiber optics made of?

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The optical fibers used in fiber optics are sometimes made of plastic but most often are made of glass. A typical glass optical fiber has a diameter of 125 micrometers (μm) or 0.125 mm (0.005 inches). Plastic fibers are made of polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene, or polycarbonate. These are cheaper to produce and more flexible than glass fibers, but their attenuation of light restricts their use to shorter links.

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