Optical Communication Over Plastic Optical Fibers

Plastic or polymer optical fibers (POF) have emerging applications in communication systems. This chapter provides a general overview of the different types of POF existing at both a research and a commercial level. This chapter also discusses in detail the types of POF that are currently the most widely adopted for communications applications. Topics include material sets such as PMMA, step and graded indices POF, and the fiber’s properties including bend radius, mechanical performance, attenuation, and dispersion. POF link designs are considered, including sources and receivers, as well as link budget design considerations. Examples of commercially available products are discussed as well as speculation on future developments in the field.