← All apps Optical Fiber Simulator
Education
Launch a light ray into a fiber and watch total internal reflection guide it down the core — or fail to, if the entry angle falls outside the fiber's acceptance cone, in which case the ray visibly leaks out into the cladding instead. The numerical aperture and critical angle are computed live from the core and cladding refractive indices, with the acceptance cone rendered right at the fiber's entrance face so you can see exactly which launch angles will and won't guide. A simplified mode-profile view rounds it out with an illustrative look at what the light's cross-sectional intensity pattern looks like inside.
Open Optical Fiber Simulator (opticalfiber.apps.vtc.com)
About Optical Fiber Simulator
Optical Fiber Simulator is an interactive learning tool on VTC. Launch a light ray into a fiber and watch total internal reflection guide it down the core — or fail to, if the entry angle falls outside the fiber's acceptance cone, in which case the ray visibly leaks out into the cladding instead. The numerical aperture and critical angle are computed live from the core and cladding refractive indices, with the acceptance cone rendered right at the fiber's entrance face so you can see exactly which launch angles will and won't guide. A simplified mode-profile view rounds it out with an illustrative look at what the light's cross-sectional intensity pattern looks like inside. It runs in your web browser and is free to use, and suits students, teachers and self-learners.
Who it's for: Students, teachers and self-learners
Features
- Launch a light ray into a fiber and watch total internal reflection guide it down the core
- Or fail to, if the entry angle falls outside the fiber's acceptance cone, in which case the ray visibly leaks out into the cladding instead
- The numerical aperture and critical angle are computed live from the core and cladding refractive indices
- The acceptance cone rendered right at the fiber's entrance face so you can see exactly which launch angles will and won't guide
- Free to use in your browser
Frequently asked questions
What is Optical Fiber Simulator on VTC?
Optical Fiber Simulator is an interactive learning tool on VTC. Launch a light ray into a fiber and watch total internal reflection guide it down the core — or fail to, if the entry angle falls outside the fiber's acceptance cone, in which case the ray visibly leaks out into the cladding instead. The numerical aperture and critical angle are computed live from the core and cladding refractive indices, with the acceptance cone rendered right at the fiber's entrance face so you can see exactly which launch angles will and won't guide.
Is Optical Fiber Simulator free to use?
Yes. The VTC app catalog lists Optical Fiber Simulator at no cost, and it runs in your web browser with nothing to install.
Who is Optical Fiber Simulator for and how do I start?
It is aimed at students, teachers and self-learners. To start, open https://opticalfiber.apps.vtc.com in your browser.