Final answer:
The buffer diameter of a fiber in tight buffered cable is typically around 900 micrometers and is crucial for protecting the optical fiber and maintaining light transmission through total internal reflection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The buffer of a fiber used in tight buffered cable or cordage is typically around 900 micrometers in diameter and is applied directly to the outer coating layer of the optical fiber. This buffer layer serves to both protect the fiber from physical damage and prevent light leakage, leveraging the principle of total internal reflection.
It is important to note that in a fiber optics system, this buffer is critical for ensuring the integrity and performance of the optical fiber by maintaining proper light transmission within the core.
The cladding, which has a lower index of refraction compared to the core, and the buffer layer together make the optical fibers both durable and flexible while ensuring that most of the light is propagated along the length of the fiber.
The buffer of a fiber used in tight buffered cable or cordage is typically diameter of the fiber in diameter and is applied directly to the outer coating layer of the optical fiber.
Optical fibers in bundles are surrounded by a cladding material that has a lower index of refraction than the core. The cladding prevents light from being transmitted between fibers in a bundle. Without cladding, light could pass between fibers in contact, since their indices of refraction are identical.
The cladding and an additional protective layer make optical fibers durable as well as flexible.