History About Fiber Optics

Optical Fiber Transmission refers to the transmission of signals for communications using light frequency (10 raised to 14 - 10 raised to 15) carrier with extremely high bandwidth through a low-loss glass optical waveguide.

• "Smoke Signals" - the "first optical signal" used by North American Indians, Chinese, Egyptians, Assyrians and Greeks. They vary messages by changing color (burning barks), vary size and space (period) between each puff. During night time, combinations of torches on high mountain peaks are used.
• In 1893, Claude Chappe (a French doctor) developed the "OPTICAL TELEGRAPH"
• In 1850, Electric Morse Telegraph was invented, which eventually replaced the optical telegraph.
• In 1870's, the English inventor Tyndall, demonstrated that "light could be made to travel through a bent water jet". This established the principle of optical transmission in light conductors.
• In 1930
  
• In 1880, Alexander Graham Bell first attempt at using a beam of light for carrying information with his "Photophone". The maximum transmission of light waves for any useful distance through earth's atmosphere is impractical because of
  
1. Water Vapor
2. Oxygen
3. Air particles that absorb and attenuate the signals at light frequencies.
• In 1930, J.L. Baird (English) & C.W. Hansell (American) received the patents for scanning and transmitting television images through "uncoated fiber cables".
• In 1958, Charles H. Townes (American) & Arthur L. Schawlow (Canadian) wrote a paper regarding the use of "LASER" and "MASER".
• In 1962, "semiconductor LASER" was invented.
• In 1967, K.C. Kao & G.A Bockham of England proposed the "cladded fiber cables". During that time, fiber optic cables limited optical transmission to short distances due to high looses 1,000 dB/km.
• 1970, Kapron, Keck and Maurer of Corning Glass Works in USA developed an optical fiber with losses of less than 2 dB/km.
• Now, Fiber Optic Cable (FOC) loss is less than 0.2 dB/km.