Scribd
Upload
10K views4 pages

Numerical Aperture Experiment

The document describes an experiment to measure the numerical aperture of plastic optical fibers. It involves coupling a laser light source to a plastic optical fiber and measuring the diameter of the light pattern formed at different distances from the fiber end. These measurements are then used to calculate the numerical aperture according to the given formula. The experiment aims to demonstrate how optical fibers guide light via total internal reflection based on their numerical aperture value.

Uploaded by

Human Error (Sid)
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
10K views4 pages

Numerical Aperture Experiment

The document describes an experiment to measure the numerical aperture of plastic optical fibers. It involves coupling a laser light source to a plastic optical fiber and measuring the diameter of the light pattern formed at different distances from the fiber end. These measurements are then used to calculate the numerical aperture according to the given formula. The experiment aims to demonstrate how optical fibers guide light via total internal reflection based on their numerical aperture value.

Uploaded by

Human Error (Sid)
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Experiment No: 4 Date: 01-02-2023

Name : Siddhant Singh Bisht


Reg No : 22BCE10779

Measurement of Numerical Aperture of Plastic Optical Fibers


Aim:
Measurement of Numerical Aperture of Plastic Optical Fibers
Equipment:
Laser, Plastic optical fiber, Screen, Holder, Ruler
Theory:
An optical fiber is a thin,
flexible and transparent fiber made up
of glass (silica) or plastic. The optical
fiber consists of three layers (a) a
transparent core (b) transparent
cladding and (c) a protective outer
cover. The thickness of optical fibers Figure 1: Light Propagation through optical fiber
used in communications is normally in the order of millimeters. In the case of step-index fibers, the
refractive indices of the core and the cladding are different where the refractive index of the core is
greater than that of the cladding. This difference in refractive index is responsible for one of the
major phenomenon in fiber optics communication named Total Internal Reflection (TIR). In the case
of Graded-Index fibers, TIR is produced by a varying refractive index at the core. The propagation
of light in an optical fiber depends upon the conditions at the core-cladding interface. Hence, for
rays to transmit through optical fibers by total internal reflection, the rays must incident on the core
within an acceptance cone defined by the parameter known as the conical half angle (αmax). Thus,
αmax is the maximum angle to the axis at which light may enter the fiber in order to be propagated.
This angle is often referred to as the acceptance angle.

Numerical Aperture (NA) normally refers to the size or degree of openness of the input
acceptance cone. It is a measure of how much light an optical system can collect. Numerical

1
Signature:
Experiment No: 4 Date: 01-02-2023
Name : Siddhant Singh Bisht
Reg No : 22BCE10779

Aperture is directly related to the acceptance angle and the refractive indices of the media involved
in the optical fiber communication (core, cladding, and air).
The maximum angle for acceptance of light into the fiber can be mathematically express
using Snell’s law;

(
NA = n0 sin( max ) = n1 − n2
2 2
)
1
2
(1)

Where,
αmax is the half acceptance angle,
n0 the refractive index of air and n1 and n2 are the refractive indices of the core and the cladding
respectively.

If the incident angle α < αmax, then ray undergoes multiple internal reflections at the core and
the cladding interface and this is named as the guided ray. If α > αmax, the ray undergoes only partial
reflections at the core-cladding interface. In the case of short length straight fibers, the angle at which
the ray enters at the input end will be equal to the angle at which the ray exit at the output end.
Figure 2 shows the experimental setup to estimate the NA of a plastic optical fiber. The
experimental setup consists of a laser source, plastic optical fibers mounted properly on a fiber
holder and a screen to record the pattern formed at the output end of the fiber. The detailed
experimental procedure to measure the numerical aperture is explained in the procedure section.

Chucks
Laser

Objective
Fiber Screen

Figure 2: Experimental setup.

Procedures:
1. Set up the laser and objectives, optical fibers and screen as shown in Figure 2.

2
Signature:
Experiment No: 4 Date: 01-02-2023
Name : Siddhant Singh Bisht
Reg No : 22BCE10779

2. Couple the light from the laser source to the entrance end of the optical fiber using a
microscopic objective.

3. Place the screen at a distance from the exit end of the fibre. The screen should be aligned
perpendicular to the axis of the fibre.

4. Align the position of the screen with respect to the exit end of the fiber so as to obtain a
circular beam at the screen surface. Mark the circles as first, second, third circles and so on.

5. Measure the distance from the screen to the exit end of the fiber (L) and measure the
diameter of the circular ring formed at the screen (D).

6. Use the formula below to calculate NA

  D 
NA = n0 sin( max ) = sin tan −1  
  2 L 

OBSERVATION TABLE

Sl.No: The distance between The diameter of the Numerical Aperture


the exit end of the circular ring, D (mm) (NA)
optical fibre and screen,
L (mm)
1 100 D1= 2*14 = 28 0.304

D2= 2*29 = 58

D2 = 2*53 = 106

3
Signature:
Experiment No: 4 Date: 01-02-2023
Name : Siddhant Singh Bisht
Reg No : 22BCE10779

Calculation(s):

D average = (D1 + D2 +D3)/3


(14+29+53)/3
192/3 = 64mm
Tan θ = (D/2L) = 0.32
Tan-1 θ = 17.7
Sin θ =0.304

  D 
NA = n0 sin( max ) = sin tan −1   = 1*0.304= 0.304
  2 L 

Conclusion:

• We calculated the numerical aperture.


• We saw how the laser coming out of the optical fibre form concentric circles
• We measured these radius of the concentric circle
• We observed that optical fibre is able to transfer laser light from one end to another.

Precaution.

• Make sure you do not look directly at the laser.


• Make sure to take the distance between the end of optical fibre and the screen accurately.
• Make sure you properly measure the diameter of the concentric circles properly.
• Do the calculation for tan and sin properly.
• Laser light must be directed into glass optical fibre properly.
• Measure the centre of the concentric circles precisely.

4
Signature:

You might also like