Question

Optical fibers rely primarily on:

• A. Electron tunneling
• B. Magnetic hysteresis
• C. Total internal reflection
• D. Photoluminescence

Hint:

The principle of total internal reflection} is what enables optical fibers to guide light over long distances with minimal loss. Ensure that the core material's refractive index is higher than that of the cladding for this process to work.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Optical fibers are used for transmitting light signals over long distances. The primary mechanism behind this transmission is total internal reflection.
Total internal reflection occurs when light traveling through a medium (like the core of an optical fiber) hits the boundary of a less dense medium (like the cladding surrounding the fiber) at an angle greater than the critical angle. When this happens, the light is completely reflected back into the core, rather than passing through the boundary. This process allows the light to be transmitted along the length of the fiber without significant loss.
The other options are not relevant to the basic functioning of optical fibers:
- Electron tunneling involves quantum mechanics and is not the mechanism responsible for light transmission in fibers.
- Magnetic hysteresis refers to the lag between changes in a magnetic field and the material's magnetic response, which does not apply to optical fibers.
- Photoluminescence is the emission of light from a material when it absorbs photons, but it is not the primary mechanism in fiber optics.
Thus, optical fibers rely primarily on total internal reflection.