Communicating with light – fibre optics
Useful Sites
How fiber optics work (How Stuff Works, USA)
A good introduction to fibre optics, with helpful illustrations. Some explanations (eg. 'How are optical fibers made?') are technical.
The story of communications by light beam (Telstra Learning Centre, Australia)
Provides the history of experimentation with light and its uses as a signalling device in telecommunications. Also includes an introduction to optical fibre and its applications.
A brief history of fiber optic technology (Fiberoptics.info)
Includes the history of the technology as well as current and future applications.
A fiber optic chronology (Jeff Hecht, USA)
A timeline compiled by science and technology writer Jeff Hecht. This chronology is an early version of the one that appears in his book 'City of Light: The Story of Fiber Optics', published by Oxford University Press as part of the Sloan Technology Series.
Optic fibre FAQs (m2m, University of Southampton, UK)
Click on a question to find out more about optical fibres.
Modern communication: The laser and fibre-optic revolution (Beyond Discovery, National Academy of Sciences, USA)
Describes how basic research into laser and optical fibres has led to important practical applications. (A PDF file of the complete article is available.)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (transcripts)
Developments in fibre optics (The Science Show, 28 May 2005)
Researchers at Adelaide University are developing a new kind of optical fibre with holes which will be able to carry more information.
Is fibre optics the technology of the future? (In Depth, 23 April 2009)
Argues that fibre optics technology is the only effective way to establish the National Broadband Network.
Page updated July 2009.