Standards to support lightwave communications
- National Physical Lab., Middlesex (United Kingdom)
Lightwaves have been at the heart of man developments in communications throughout history Perhaps the earliest example of a long distance communication link was a chain of bonfires or beacons Certainly by the beginning of the 18th century optical telegraph networks spanned many countries with Europe. However the greatest explosion in lightwave communication technology has occurred in the last two decades, advanced by the successful development of fibre optic technology. Fibre optic systems now form the backbone of a worldwide communications network and the uses of fibres in local area networks is growing rapidly. A crucial element in maintaining and extending the practical and economic success of fibre optics has been effective measurement supported by reliable measurement standards. Standards are now available for the important fibre parameters such as geometry, refractive index, attenuation, dispersion and mode field diameter, however the development of longer, higher capacity systems is creating new measurement challenges. Despite the massive advances in the use of fibre optics, the technology and its application to communications are far from mature.
- OSTI ID:
- 125885
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940603-; TRN: 95:005769-0277
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: CPEM `94: conference on precision electromagnetic measurements, Boulder, CO (United States), 27 Jun - 1 Jul 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of 1994 Conference on precision electromagnetic measurements digest; DeWeese, E.; Bennett, G. [eds.]; PB: 577 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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