Page 29 of 69 USER MANUAL
5.1 Structure of an Optical Fiber
The structure of an optical fiber normally consists of three main components:
Quartz/silica fiber or fiber core
Figure 5 The structure of an optical fiber.
Jacket
Jacket is the basic protective cover for the fiber cable and usually is made of a
synthetic material that is normally clear or white in color. There can be other colors
used but there are no standardized color systems to denote the diameter of the fiber
core or its use.
When in operation, the jacket is stripped off on the working tip of the handpiece. A
special tool is used for doing this.
Cladding
Cladding is the material on the outside of the quartz/silica fiber core that is used to
block the lateral escape of laser energy as it traverses the fiber.
During stripping, you may “nick” the cladding and you will likely see the red aiming
beam light as it escape the site of the damage. This is not a danger if all people in the
area have the appropriate safety eyewear.
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