Fiberscope
Purpose
A coherent fiber bundle transmits images via total internal reflection, with each of its 52 fibers acting as one pixel. Students see how spatial information is preserved through aligned fibers and observe the resolution limits of fiber-based imaging.
Figure 1:
The fiberscope consists of 52 optical fibers aligned between two end blocks. The visible sag in the fiber bundle demonstrates the mechanical flexibility while light transmission remains intact through total internal reflection.
Figure 2:
The input end shows the arranged fiber bundle with individual fiber cores visible. Each fiber maintains its specific position in the bundle to preserve spatial image information across the transmission path.
Figure 3:
Comparison of unlit (left) and illuminated (right) fiber bundle demonstrating image transmission. The backlit LCD produces a visible color image at the output, clearly showing the pixelated nature and limited resolution of the 52-fiber bundle.
Demo Apparatus
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