Hello!
Attenuation in optical fiber is the loss of optical power as it propagate through the fibre.
It is also called as fiber loss.
~ Attenuation can be caused by three means :-
{1} Absorption losses :
• Absorption loss is the process where some of light energy is absorbed by the fiber material or the impurities in the material.
• The impurities in the fiber are metal ions such as iron, copper, cobalt in the glass of which the fiber is made of.
• Absorption loss depends upon the wavelength of the light and structure of the fiber.
• In absorption loss there are two types, intrinsic losses and extrinsic losses.
{2} Scattering losses :-
• Scattering loss is a process that occurs when light is scattered by the material or structure of the fiber or by impurities present in the fiber.
• When a light signal propagate through the fiber, they may scattered due to structure impurities present in the fiber or sharp change in reflective index of the core in the fiber.
• Scattering loss also depends upon the wavelength of the light and structure of the fiber.
• In scattering loss there are two types, linear losses and nonlinear losses.
{3} Radiation losses :-
• Radiation loss is the process that occur when light is lost due to radiation.
• Radiation loss is also created due to defects and irregularities in structure of the fiber so the light scatter out of the core.
• Radiation loss occur due to bending of the fiber or irregular reflection so they leak and scatter the out of the core.
• In radiation loss there are two types, macroscopic losses and microscopic losses.