Abstract
Our aim is to characterize curvatures using a methodology previously applied to other localized disturbances in plastic optical fibers (POFs). The effects of several curvature radii and turn angles have been analyzed, so that for each condition, angular dependent attenuation and diffusion are obtained from experimental measurements to construct a matrix that accounts for the global effects of power loss and mode mixing introduced by the curvature over the angular power distribution. Power loss as a function of bend radius was calculated using the characteristic matrices and compared to experimental results to validate the model. This curvature model can be a useful tool to predict the impact of bends on transmission properties as is demonstrated in the example of a small network in a domestic environment.
Highlights
The layout of plastic optical fibers (POFs) for their usual short-range applications in reduced environments as cars, planes and houses requires a number of bends that often have very small radii
POFs are more resistant to bending loss than glass fibers, reported curvature losses can reach several dBs for radii below 20 mm depending on the fiber index profile, its numerical aperture and the curvature configuration [1]
Another approach based on segmentation of the time-independent power flow equation is able to estimate the changes in the angular power distribution produced by a given curvature but so far it has only been tested for radii larger than 10 cm [3]
Summary
The layout of POFs for their usual short-range applications in reduced environments as cars, planes and houses requires a number of bends that often have very small radii. A model that accounts for power loss and mode mixing caused in small bends is needed to incorporate the effects of curvatures into network simulations. In this line, ray-tracing models that account for mode mixing in curvatures are able to give good predictions at the cost of long calculation time [2]. Ray-tracing models that account for mode mixing in curvatures are able to give good predictions at the cost of long calculation time [2] Another approach based on segmentation of the time-independent power flow equation is able to estimate the changes in the angular power distribution produced by a given curvature but so far it has only been tested for radii larger than 10 cm [3]
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