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Specialty Optical Fibers Redefine the "X" in FTTX

The term FTTX, shorthand for fiber to a particular destination like to the desk or to the home, is taking on new meaning as optical fiber is found in many new and challenging places. In other words, the "X" in FTTX means even more.

New developments in optical fiber technology enable increasingly sophisticated applications in ever more challenging environments. These applications include making windmills and oil wells more efficient, reducing vehicle traffic and pollution, putting better tools in the hands of surgeons, and even improving the basic chicken coop.

Green power. Wind turbines are a growing application for optical fiber. In order to maximize efficiency, windmills have internal computers to monitor the speed and direction of the wind, and transmit this data to a remote control station that analyzes the data, makes adjustments to the windmill settings, and provides intelligence to operations and maintenance. This data acquisition and transfer is facilitated by optical fiber that is impervious to electromagnetic and radio frequency disturbances (EMI/RFI) and meets the requirements for bandwidth, mechanical properties, and environmental conditions that are unique to wind power generation. Hard Clad Silica (HCS^®) optical fibers offer exceptional durability in remote and often rugged land-based and offshore locations where wind farms are typically located, and where servicing a damaged component is an expensive proposition.

Efficient wells. Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) technology is an essential part of oil and gas production, providing engineers with detailed temperature profiles anywhere within a well – even thousands of meters underground. DTS enables real-time well management. Instead of using an electronic device or single-point fiber optics, DTS technology measures temperatures over the entire length of the installed fiber using optical time-domain reflectometry. When laser pulses are sent through the fiber, light is backscattered as the pulse propagates down. Since the velocity of light propagation in the optical fiber is known, distance can be determined. And, because some of the backscattered light is affected by temperature, it is possible to determine the precise temperature at specific points along the entire length of the fiber. Fiber has a significant advantage over electronics in a very rough environment where pressures can reach as high 30,000 psi and temperatures as high as 200°C are not uncommon. In addition, shock and vibration that can damage an electronic gauge have no impact on optical fiber.

Smart highways. The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is an initiative to add information and communications technology to traffic control systems, including sensors, signals, and variable message signs. The intelligent highway will be able to give advance warnings to motorists about delays, stopped vehicles, and other emergencies. Optical fiber can be used to measure traffic flow, as well as to provide lane-by-lane vehicle speeds, counts and occupancy readings.  Advances in data gathering and transmission make practical the widespread deployment of CCTV and systems that integrate data from numerous sources to support comprehensive traffic management.  

Smart vehicles. Optical fiber is now poised to enter new automotive applications that are defined by the Media Oriented System Transport (MOST) protocol. MOST encompasses new classes of multimedia applications in automobiles, such as advanced vehicle sensors, GPS navigation with intelligent route finding, integrated mobile communications, and multimedia entertainment. The data transmission requirements of the MOST protocol and the often harsh automotive environment, with its extremes of temperature, vibration, and the presence of EMI/RFI, point to optical fiber as the logical choice as a data transmission medium. The high bandwidth of optical fibers, combined with resistance to heat, moisture, and fatigue, provide the durability and long-term reliability that are essential to controlling warranty-related costs.

Safer surgery. Silica optical fibers have a very long history of delivering laser energy for a variety of medical applications. However, today’s lasers utilize higher power levels than in the past, and the scopes used to introduce and direct the fiber are more flexible than earlier semi-rigid devices. For example, one of the most common laser-based medical procedures is laser lithotripsy where an endoscope containing an optical fiber delivers high-power laser energy at 2140 nm wavelength that disintegrates kidney or bladder stones. The fiber can undergo bends as sharp as 1 cm to reach stones in the lower portions of the kidney. Standard optical fiber – and the scope used to introduce it into the body – can be damaged when the fiber is bent while transmitting high power laser energy. New developments in fiber structure, such as HCXtreme™ optical fibers, and coating technology have been shown to significantly reduce damage.

No fried eggs. Optical fiber helps farmers monitor temperature and other environmental conditions in the coops. This data tells harvesters when the eggs are ready, how many there are, even whether they’re extra large or jumbo. It may not be top-of-mind at the breakfast table, but optical fiber also helps keep chickens from getting electrocuted when lightning strikes.