valokuitutietoliikenne

Valokuitutietoliikenne refers to the use of optical fiber cables for the transmission of data and telecommunications signals. In optical fiber, information is conveyed as pulses of light generated by laser diodes or light‑emitting diodes and detected at the receiving end by photodiodes. The core of the fiber is made of silica glass or plastic, surrounded by cladding with a lower refractive index, which causes total internal reflection and confines the light within the core. Because light propagates with minimal loss and is immune to electromagnetic interference, fiber optics can support very high bandwidth, long‑range, and low‑latency communications.

The concept of fiber optics emerged in the early 20th century, but commercial exploitation began in the 1970s when inexpensive semiconductor lasers and photodetectors were developed. The first long‑haul fiber‑optic links appeared in the 1980s, replacing copper cables in many backbone networks. Since then, fiber‑optic technology has become the foundation of modern telecommunications, internet backbones, and high‑speed data centers. Typical transmission rates range from 10 megabits per second to tens of terabits per second in the latest multimode and single‑mode equipment.

Key applications of valokuitutietoliikenne include telephone networks, broadband internet, cable television distribution, and data communication in enterprise and cloud infrastructures. In addition, fiber is increasingly used in medicine, retail monitoring, and smart city networks, where short‑wavelength infrared or ultraviolet links serve specific functions. Recent advances focus on photonic integration, wavelength‑division multiplexing, and quantum key distribution over fiber, which promise further capacity expansion and enhanced security.