Fiber optic cables are made of several components, including:
Core: A solid, ultra-thin, continuous strand of glass that transmits light pulses
Cladding: A glass coating that surrounds the core and reflects light back into it
Jacketing: A glass coating within the core
Kevlar: A strong synthetic material that protects the glass fiber core
Strength members: Other components of the cable
Fiber optic cables are made from a variety of materials, including:
Silica
A thin filament made from silicon dioxide (SiO2), the same compound found in sand
Plastic
Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), a 96% hybrid blend of materials that makes up the optical fiber core
Germanium
A chemical element similar to tin that acts as a dopant to increase the refractive index of the core glass
Boron or fluorine
Can be added to reduce the refractive index of the cladding glass
Fiber optic cables are used in industrial communications settings, telecommunications networks, medical lasers, and military laser defense systems. They are environmentally friendly because they are made of glass or plastic, which are finite resources.