Polymer optical fibres : fibre types, materials, fabrication, characterisation and applications / edited by Christian-Alexander Bunge, Thomas Gries and Markus Beckers.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Front Cover; Polymer Optical Fibres; Related titles; Polymer Optical Fibres: Fibre Types, Materials, Fabrication, Characterisation and Applications; Copyright; Contents; List of contributors; Woodhead Publishing Series in Electronic and Optical Materials; Foreword; Yet another book about polymer-optical fibres?; The right book at the right time; 1 -- Introduction -- why we made this book; 1.1 Historical background; 1.1.1 Development of optical communication; 1.1.2 Development of glass-optical fibres; 1.1.3 Development of polymer-optical fibres; 1.2 Why we made this book; 1.3 Summary; References

2 -- Basics of light guidance2.1 Introduction and overview; 2.1.1 Unit system and conventions; 2.1.2 Spectrum of electromagnetic waves; 2.2 Fundamentals of electromagnetic waves; 2.2.1 Maxwell's equations and wave equations; 2.2.1.1 Maxwell's equations; 2.2.1.2 Wave equations; 2.2.2 Energy flow in media; 2.2.2.1 Poynting vector; 2.2.2.2 Speed of light; 2.2.2.3 Phase and group velocity; 2.3 Propagation of electromagnetic waves in transparent media; 2.3.1 Oscillator model and refractive index; 2.3.1.1 Complexity of a quantum-mechanical approach

2.3.1.2 Harmonic oscillator model and wavelength dependency of refractive index2.3.2 Scattering phenomena; 2.3.2.1 Mie scattering; 2.3.2.2 Rayleigh scattering; 2.4 Boundary surface phenomena and geometrical optics; 2.4.1 Reflection and transmission on optical boundary surfaces; 2.4.1.1 Snell's law and reflection of light; 2.4.1.2 Fresnel equations; 2.4.2 Special cases of optical transition; 2.4.2.1 Total internal reflection; 2.4.2.2 Brewster angle; 2.4.3 Superposition of electromagnetic waves; 2.4.3.1 Interference; 2.4.3.2 Coherence; 2.4.3.3 Antireflective systems; 2.4.4 Geometrical optics

2.4.4.1 Principle of geometrical optics2.4.4.2 Principle of Fermat; 2.5 Anisotropic effects; 2.5.1 Anisotropic effects and their application; 2.5.1.1 Polarisation; Linearly polarised light; Nonlinearly polarised light; 2.5.1.2 Physical basics; Optically isotropic materials; Crystalline solids with one optical axis; Crystalline solids with two optical axes; 2.5.1.3 Applications; 2.6 Chromatic dispersion in real media; 2.6.1 Physical basics; 2.6.2 Effects in real media; 2.6.2.1 Modal dispersion; 2.6.2.2 Chromatic dispersion; 2.6.2.3 Polarisation-mode dispersion; 2.7 Summary

This book explores polymer optical fibers, specifically their materials, fabrication, characterization, measurement techniques, and applications. Optical effects, including light propagation, degrading effects of attenuation, scattering, and dispersion, are explained. Other important parameters like mechanical strength, operating temperatures, and processability are also described.