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Question:

can i use a plastic acrylic (case) tube as an optical fiber?

i'm just curious but, is it possible to use a plastic (case) tube as an optical fiber? i was searching and found this product that i had for along time now and it is a Eyeglass Repair Kit which has a plastic tube (case). is it possible to use this as a plastic acrylic tube?

Answer:

not ossible
Optical waveguides work by total internal reflection, which occurs when light attempts to exit a dense medium into a less dense one. Optical fibers are constructed with a high-index-of-refraction material coated with a material with a slightly lower index. Light striking the wall of a hollow tube will pass into the tube wall. If you metalize the inside of the tube you can get a waveguide of a sort, but it will only work over a short distance because of lossy reflection. You're not remotely close to having anything you could make into a phase conjugate mirror, unless you have discovered some amazing new optical trick.

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