# Step-index profile

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Step-index profile

For an optical fiber, a step-index profile is a refractive index profile characterized by a uniform refractive index within the core and a sharp decrease in refractive index at the core-cladding so that the cladding is of a lower refractive index. The step-index profile corresponds to a power-law index profile with the profile parameter approaching infinity. The step-index profile is used in most single-mode fibers and some multimode fibers.

A step-index fiber is characterized by the core and cladding refractive indices "n1" and "n2" and the core and cladding radii a and b. Examples of standard core and cladding diameters 2a/2b are 8/125, 50/125, 62.5/125, 85/125, or 100/140 (units of µm). The fractional refractive-index change $riangle , = frac\left\{n_1 - n_2\right\}\left\{n_1\right\} ll 1$. n1 is typically between 1.44 and 1.46, and$riangle ,$is typically between 0.001 and 0.02.

Step-index optical fiber is generally made by doping high-purity fused silica glass (SiO2) with different concentrations of materials like titanium, germanium, or boron.

ee also

*Critical Angle
*Numerical aperture

ee also

*Federal Standard 1037C
*MIL-STD-188

References

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

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