Related Communication Terms and Definitions. For a complete list go to our
Terms and Definitions Page.
Chirp A change in the optical frequency caused by direct modulation of the laser. A chirp is a signal in which the frequency increases ('up-chirp') or decreases ('down-chirp') with time. In some sources, the term chirp is used interchangeably with sweep signal.
Nanometer (nm) A unit of measure used to measure wavelength of light, meaning one one-billionth of a meter
Singlemode Fiber Singlemode Fiber has a small core, only about 9 microns, and is used for telephony and CATV with laser sources at 1300 and 1550 nm. It can go very long distances at very high speeds. Both multimode and singlemode fiber have an outside diameter of 125 microns - about 5 thousandths of an inch - just slightly larger than a human hair.
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