Bandwidth.
The transmission capacity of a system.
Buffering.
1. A protective material extruded directly on the fiber coating to protect the fiber from the environment (tight
buffering). 2. Extruding a tube around the coated fiber to allow isolation of the fiber from stresses on the cable (loose
buffered)
Buffer Tubes.
Loose-fitting covering over optical fibers used for protection and isolation.
Bundle.
Many individual fibers contained within a single jacket or buffer tube. Also, a group of buffered fibers
distinguished in some fashion from another group in the same cable core.
Cladding.
The outer concentric layer that surrounds the fiber core and has a lower index of refraction.
Connector.
A mechanical device used to provide a means for aligning, attaching, and achieving continuity between fibers.
Consolidation Point.
A location for interconnection between horizontal cables that extend from building pathways and
horizontal cables that extend into work area pathways.
Core.
The central, light-carrying part of an optical fiber; it has an index of refraction higher than that of the surrounding
cladding.
Cross-Connection.
A connection scheme between cabling runs, subsystems, and equipment using patch cords or jumpers
that attach to connecting hardware on each end.
Decibel (dB).
In fiber optics, a standard logarithmic unit for the ratio of the power that was received over the power that
was originally sent.
dBm.
Decibel referenced to a milliwatt.
dBµ.
Decibel referenced to a microwatt.
Detector.
An optoelectronic transducer used in fiber optics for converting optical power to electric current. In fiber optics,
usually a photodiode.
Diffraction.
The bending of radio, sound, or light waves around an object, barrier, or aperture edge.
Dispersion.
A general term for those phenomena that cause a broadening or spreading of light as it propagates through
and optical fiber. the three types are modal, material, and waveguide.
Entrance Facility.
An entrance to a building for both public and private network service cables including the entrance point
at the building wall and continuing to the entrance room or space.
Equilibrium Mode Distribution (EMD).
The steady modal state of a multimode fiber in which the relative power distribution
among modes is independent of fiber length.
Appendix C - Glossary, cont.
4-3
UNIT 3
APPENDICES
APPENDICES
UNIT 4
