When shopping for fiber optic cable, you might be wondering whether to choose single-mode or multi-mode. All fiber optic cable is made of ultra-thin strands of a transparent material, such as glass. With these strands, they can transfer data in the form of light. Fiber optic cable, however, is available in both single mode and multi mode. What’s the difference between single-mode and multi-mode fiber optic cable exactly?
What Is Single-Mode Fiber Optic Cable?
Single-mode fiber optic cable is characterized by its ability to propagate a single type or mode of light at any given time.
As previously mentioned, fiber optic cable transfers data in the form of light. Light pulses are used to simulate the binary format of data. Light pules will travel from one device to another device via the fiber optic cable. The specific pulses of this light will determine the type of data that’s transferred. Single-mode fiber optic propagates a single type or mode of light at any given time.
What Is Multi-Mode Fiber Optic Cable?
Multi-mode fiber optic cable is characterized by its ability to propagate multiple types or modes of light simultaneously.
Multi-mode fiber optic cable is still made of the same type of transparent material as single-mode fiber optic. Most of them are made of strands of glass, though you can find both types of fiber optic cable in silica strands as well. Regardless, multi-mode fiber optic cable can propagate multiple types of modes of light simultaneously. It’s not restricted to a single type or mode of light.
Differences Between Single-Mode and Multi-Mode Fiber Optic Cable
Single-mode fiber optic cable can only propagate a single type or mode of light at any given time, whereas multi-mode fiber optic cable can propagate multiple types or modes of light simultaneously.
With its ability to propagate multiple types or modes of light simultaneously, multi-mode fiber optic cable is thicker than its single-mode counterpart. Both types of fiber optic cable have a core, which is compromised of strands of transparent material in a tight bundle. The core of single-mode fiber optic cable typically measures about 8 to 10 micrometers in diameter, whereas the core of multi-mode fiber optic cable measures about 50 micrometers in diameter.
Single-mode fiber optic cable typically allows for a higher bandwidth than single-mode fiber optic cable. However, multi-mode fiber optic is better suited for long distances. To transmit data short distances, single-mode fiber optic cable is typically used. To transmit data long distances, multi-mode fiber optic is typically used.