Glossary
- Fiber optic: long cylindrical optical component guiding light
- Multimode fiber optic: fiber optic enabling the propagation of several transverse modes
- Single mode fiber optic: fiber optic enabling the propagation of only one transverse mode ( the fundamental mode )
- Refraction index: for a transparent medium, ratio between the light speed in the air and the light speed in the medium ; for a reflective surface in the air or vacuum, the refraction index is « - 1 »
- Core: central part of a fiber optic in which lightwaves are guided
- Cladding ( fiber optic ): part of a fiber optic surrounding the core
- Wavelength ( of a light wave ): distance between two consecutive identical states of the electric ( or magnetic ) field
- V number: parameter depending on the wavelength and on the characteristics of a fiber optic, enabling to determine if the fiber optic is single-mode or multimode