Final answer:
Single-mode fiber optic cabling is known for low loss and reduced crosstalk, making it suitable for long-distance communications and backbone cabling. They rely on laser technology and have a cladding that facilitates total internal reflection, leading to minimal signal loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristics of single-mode fiber optic cabling include that they are a preferred choice for long-distance communication due to their ability to maintain the quality of the signal over long distances, which is a feature known as low loss. Unlike copper cabling, fiber-optic cables do not conduct electricity and have reduced crosstalk, ensuring optical signals in one fiber do not interfere with those in adjacent fibers. Single-mode fibers typically use laser technology for signal transmission, which is suited for their narrow core diameter, while multimode fibers often utilize LEDs and are designed for shorter distances with a wider core.
Single-mode fiber-optic cables are indeed primarily used as backbone cabling in telecommunications networks due to their high bandwidth capability, which allows for a greater number of conversations or data transmissions to occur simultaneously through a single optical fiber. The optical fibers in the cables have a cladding material with a lower index of refraction than the core, facilitating total internal reflection which minimizes signal loss and maintains signal integrity, making them durable and flexible.