Fiber optic

Optical bare fiber is most commonly made of silica and has three components. The core is 50 microns in diameter but can be as small as 9 microns, then covered with another layer called cladding.

The cladding’s purpose is to keep the optical signal traveling within the core of the fiber. The cladding is then covered with an acrylate coating so that the glass fiber can be processed and spooled without breaking.