New Fiber Optic Technology

By twisting fiber optic strands into helical shapes, researchers have created unique structures that can precisely filter, polarize or scatter light. Compatible with standard fiber optic lines, these hair-like structures may replace bulky components in sensors, gyroscopes and other devices.

While researchers are still probing the unusual properties of the new fibers, tests show the strands impart a chiral, or "handed," character to light by polarizing photons according to certain physical properties.

In conventional optical fibers, light is transmitted from one end to the other through a round core housed within a concentric outer cladding. But, because a circular core does not develop handedness when twisted, the research team wound rectangular-core fibers to create a double helix.

When the team tested the twisted fiber, they discovered that some photons left the core and entered the cladding. Photons with the same handedness as the fiber entered the cladding whereas photons with handedness opposite that of the fiber remained in the core.

This research was funded both NSF and the National Institute of Standards and Technology Advanced Technology Program.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Science
• Physics
• Fiber
• Optic
• Technology

[AZ377]

yeah ! WTF

I hear nothing

[Nivlac1982]

hey jack ass he was speaking gibberish

[hdtvproducts1]

thorfiber has excellent fiber optic transport

[Callofduty71282]

Is it just me or does this look kinda wrong......

[noomtrang]

เขียนอะไรกันอ่านไม่ออก



[david99275]

@lexichronicle2 it is not called cable it is called fiber there is a difference

[lexichronicle2]

The description explains that the helical shape is polarising the light travelling through it by selectively transmitting certain polarisations, like the polarisers in a monitor. This kind of thing is already done to some extent with normal fibres, which dump some of the noise / unwanted signal into the cladding by controlling how thick the core and cladding are in relation to each other. I think one possible use of this helix is a magnetic field sensor.

[AlphaPegasii]

LOL only one of them will get to fertilize the ovum!

[LANN98]

ironic that this was from earbot.com

[PlKatxu]

The audio span out of this video. YAY for twisted Fiber Optic, now i cant listen Fred's voice.

[vrshowdown]

so this is what going to make all them to spin in 1 direction?

[FrankaDith]

Is this a salt shaker?