Abbreviated as POF,
plastic optical fiber is a type
of
optical fiber that uses
polymethylmethacrylate (
PMMA) as the core material that
allows the transmission of light. POF is often called
consumer optical fiber
as it is a low-cost optical fiber alternative that is easier to use than
glass optical fiber. It sustains a data transfer speed of 2.5GB/s, which
isn't as fast as glass optical fiber, but is much faster than
traditional copper wire.
In comparison to traditional optical fiber, PoF is much larger in diameter
which results in lower data rates making it most suitable for high
bandwidth signal transmission over short
distances. Unlike glass, plastic fiber can easily be cut and bent to fit in
hard-to-reach places and the larger core also allows for slightly damaged fiber
to work. POF products are most commonly used in medical,
automotive, home networks, as well as digital audio and video interfaces.
See also fiber optics.
