Southgate School

Name: ________________________
TIR optical fibres
Class: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Time: 20 minutes

Marks: 16 marks

Comments:

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Q2. Figure 1 shows a cross-section through an optical fibre used for communications.

Figure 1

(a) (i) Name the part of the fibre labelled X.

...............................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) Calculate the critical angle for the boundary between the core and X.

answer = .........................degrees
(2)

(b) (i) The ray leaves the core at Y. At this point the fibre has been bent through an
angle of 30° as shown in Figure 1.

Calculate the value of the angle i.

answer = .........................degrees

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(1)

(ii) Calculate the angle r.

answer = .........................degrees
(2)

(c) The core of another fibre is made with a smaller diameter than the first, as shown in
Figure 2. The curvature is the same and the path of a ray of light is shown.

Figure 2

(c) State and explain one advantage associated with a smaller diameter core.

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

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Q5.The diagram below shows a section of a typical glass step-index optical fibre used for
communications.

(a) Show that the refractive index of the core is 1.47.

(1)

(b) The refracted ray meets the core-cladding boundary at an angle exactly equal to the
critical angle.

(i) Complete the diagram above to show what happens to the ray after it strikes
the boundary at X.

(2)

(ii) Calculate the critical angle.

critical angle = .........................degrees

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(1)

(iii) Calculate the refractive index of the cladding.

refractive index = .....................................

(c) Give two reasons why optical fibres used for communications have a cladding.

reason 1......................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................

reason 2......................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

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