Characterization of Plastic Optical Fiber

Plastic optical fiber is mainly used for illumination and short distance communication. Due to the recent development of graded index fiber, it is particularly suitable for high speed communication for short to medium distances. Under many circumstances, plastic optical fibers (both step index and graded index) are going to be exposed to various challenging environments. Different optical, mechanical and environmental characterization of plastic optical fibers are carried out in this study to determine the feasibility of performing in various environmental conditions. The results of optical attenuation at 650nm and tensile strength of plastic optical fibers in ambient and after aging in various environments will be discussed.