Fiber Optics Interview Questions & Answers
1. What is fiber optics?
Answer: Fiber optics is a technology that uses thin strands of glass or plastic (called optical fibers) to
transmit data using light signals instead of electrical signals.
2. How does fiber optic communication work?
Answer: A light source (like a laser or LED) sends light pulses through the fiber. These pulses carry
the data, which is detected at the other end by a photo detector.
3. What are the main types of optical fibers?
Answer: 1. Single-mode fiber (SMF): Thin core, long-distance.
2. Multi-mode fiber (MMF): Thick core, short-distance.
4. What is the core and cladding in fiber optics?
Answer: Core: Center part where light travels.
Cladding: Reflects light back into the core using total internal reflection.
5. What is total internal reflection?
Answer: The principle that keeps light signals bouncing inside the core without escaping, allowing
data to travel.
6. What are the advantages of fiber optics over copper cables?
Answer: Higher bandwidth, faster data transmission, long-distance capability, immune to EMI,
lightweight, and secure.
7. What are the typical wavelengths used in fiber optics?
Answer: 850 nm (multi-mode), 1310 nm & 1550 nm (single-mode)
8. What are the losses in optical fiber?
Answer: Attenuation, Dispersion, Bending Loss.
9. What is the difference between attenuation and dispersion?
Answer: Attenuation: Signal power loss. Dispersion: Signal spreading over time.
10. What is OTDR?
Answer: OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer) tests fiber integrity, locates faults, and
measures losses.
11. What is the numerical aperture (NA) of a fiber?
Answer: NA defines the light-gathering ability of a fiber.
12. What is splicing in fiber optics?
Answer: Joining two optical fibers. Types: Fusion and Mechanical splicing.
13. What is the role of a transceiver in fiber communication?
Answer: Converts electrical signals into optical and vice versa.
14. What is DWDM?
Answer: Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing sends multiple light signals on different
wavelengths through a single fiber.
15. What causes signal degradation in optical fibers?
Answer: Impurities, bending, connector/splice loss, dispersion, attenuation.
16. What are the components of a fiber optic communication system?
Answer: Transmitter, Optical Fiber, Receiver, Connectors/Splices, Optical Amplifiers.
17. What is the typical range of data rates in fiber optic systems?
Answer: 100 Mbps to over 100 Gbps.
18. What is the function of an optical amplifier?
Answer: Boosts light signal directly without converting to electrical signal.
19. What is a mode in fiber optics?
Answer: Path that light follows in the fiber. Single-mode or Multi-mode.
20. What is modal dispersion?
Answer: Happens in multi-mode fibers where light modes arrive at different times.
21. What is chromatic dispersion?
Answer: Different wavelengths travel at different speeds, causing signal distortion.
22. What is the difference between step-index and graded-index fibers?
Answer: Step-index: Sudden index change. Graded-index: Gradual change, less dispersion.
23. What is bending loss in optical fiber?
Answer: Loss due to excessive bending. Types: Micro-bending and Macro-bending.
24. What is the cladding made of, and why is it used?
Answer: Made of silica with lower refractive index to enable total internal reflection.
25. What is the role of the jacket in an optical fiber?
Answer: Protects from damage and environmental factors.
26. Can fiber optics be used for sensing?
Answer: Yes, used for temperature, pressure, strain sensing in structures.
27. What is the maximum distance a signal can travel in optical fiber without amplification?
Answer: Single-mode: up to 100 km. Multi-mode: 2-3 km.
28. What is the difference between LED and Laser sources in fiber optics?
Answer: LED: Low cost, short distance. Laser: High speed, long distance.
29. What is a fiber optic connector? Name a few types.
Answer: Joins fiber ends. Types: SC, LC, ST, FC.
30. Why is fiber optics more secure than copper?
Answer: It doesn't radiate signals, making it hard to tap or intercept.
