When most people hear the term & “fiber optics” they naturally envision hair-thin strands of glass, the enablers of today’s high speed telecommunication and global internet. While that’s all true, it’s really just the beginning where the technology of fiber optics is concerned. In the Specialty Photonics Division of OFS we work in a world that extends well beyond telecommunications. Read More
HCS® (Hard-Clad Silica) is a problem-solving, polymer coated optical fiber system invented by us in the early years of the optical fiber industry. A proprietary polymer is applied to the pristine surface of pure, fused silica as we draw the glass down to its final, step-index, multimode optical fiber form. We then add additional buffer layers to improve chemical and abrasion resistance. This final step increases the finished diameter to a dimension that is easier for field-technicians to handle. Read More
In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s the Integrated Circuit (IC) industry fragmented as commercial use of these silicon devices grew. Electronics designers rapidly adopted IC’s and volume demands around individual applications grew to such levels that design of IC’s for discrete applications became practical. Thus, the Application Specific Integrated Circuit, or ASIC’s, industry emerged and continues to flourish. Rather than producing standardized integrated circuits that appealed to a broad series of markets, ASIC’s designers ushered in a still-growing era of circuitry that was purpose-built around niche applications. Examples of end products that use these include printers, digital timepieces, automotive controls, PLC’s and today’s tablet computers and smart phones. Read More…
