What Is Polymer Optical Fiber?
Polymer Optical Fiber (POF) looks like a nylon rope and is transparent to visible light. Its core is typically made of Polymethyl Methacrylate Polymer (PMMA), and uses a fluorinated polymer as the cladding material. Light travels inside the core of a polymer optical fiber; the cladding is the external layer responsible for the light-guiding effect, which forces light to travel through the length of the fiber.
Advantages of POF
Polymer optical fiber is chosen by industrial and automotive markets due to its large core size, relaxed tolerances for connectorization, and reliability. Because POF transmitters and receivers work in the visible spectrum, it is possible to diagnose a cable’s connectivity simply by looking to see that light is coming out of its end.
In general, POF is more resilient than its alternatives, tolerating bend radii of less than 20mm, and works from -40°C to +85°C. Polymer fiber doesn’t oxidize, withstands humidity and salted atmospheres, and offers at least 20 years of working life.
Additionally, POF is: