Optical Fibres

Optical fibres carry telecommunication signals in the form of pulses of light that we rely on for phone and the internet. Millions of miles of fibres have been laid across the seabed, enabling fast global telephony and internet access. They’re composed of a solid glass core, which traps and reflects light along it so that the light follows the curve of the optical fibre. Layers of external cladding are often additionally applied to protect the fibre from damage. Because optical fibres can be used to trap light at one end and then emit it at the other, another application for them is in key-hole surgery, which sees optical fibres being inserted into the body to allow surgeons to clearly see what’s going on inside.