A fiber-optic cable, also known as an optical-fiber cable, is an assembly similar to an but containing one or more that are used to carry light. The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for the environment where the cable is used. Different types of cable are used for in different applications, for exa. Glass optical fibers are almost always made from, but some other materials, such as,, and as well as crystalline materials like, are used for longer-wavelength infrared or other specialized applications. Silica and fluoride glasses usually have refractive indices of about 1.5, but some materials such as the can have indices as high as 3. Typically th.
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