Single-mode optical fibers are designed to allow only one path (or mode) of light to propagate through the fiber core. This ensures minimal signal distortion and maximum transmission quality, especially over long distances.
Key Features:
- Very narrow core (typically ~8–10 micrometers in diameter)
- Supports only the fundamental mode of light
- Greatly reduces modal dispersion, which occurs when different paths cause signal spreading in multi-mode fibers
Benefits:
- High bandwidth and long-distance transmission
- Low attenuation and minimal signal degradation
- Ideal for telecommunications, long-haul data links, and internet backbone infrastructure
By maintaining a single, well-defined light path, single-mode fibers provide the clearest and most accurate signal transmission available in fiber optics.