The first person that was credited on the research of total internal reflection was John Tyndall. In 1854, he demonstrated that light used internal reflection to follow a specific path by using a jet of water that flowed from one container to another with light that was made incident at a glancing angle. This simple experiment marked the first research into the guided transmission of light.

In 1880, Alexander Graham Bell invented “photophone”. This device allowed for the transmission of sound on a beam of light by projecting voice through an instrument toward a mirror demonstrating the basic principle of optical communications. (Bell transmitted his voice as a telephone signal through about 600 feet of free space (air) using a beam of light as the carrier). It functioned similarly to the telephone, except the photophone used light as a means of projecting the information, while the telephone relied on electricity. This type of transmission was rather ineffective due to outside interferences such as clouds or trees that disrupted transport but it is recognized as the progenitor of the modern fiber optics.

The invention of the laser in the 1960’s developed by Theodore Maiman embarked a widespread interest in optical systems for data communications. It prompted researchers to study the potential of fiber optics for data communications, sensing, and other applications. Laser systems could send a much larger amount of data than telephone, microwave, and other electrical systems. Laser was very important to advancing fiber optic technology because it made it possible to have a coherent light source. (A coherent light source consists of a light beam of a single wavelength.)

Developments in semiconductor technology, which provided the necessary light sources and detectors, furthered the development of fiber optics. Conventional light sources, such as lamps or lasers, were not easily used in fiber optic systems. These light sources tended to be too large and required lens systems to launch light into the fiber and is unsuited for open-air transmission because it is adversely affected by environmental conditions. So in 1971, Bell Laboratories developed a small area light-emitting diode. This light source was suitable for low-loss coupling to optical fibers.

Some topics in this essay:
Graham Bell, Theodore Maiman, Internet Nearly, John Tyndall, Graham Bells, Charles Kao, Richmond VA, Narinder Kapany, Fiber Optic, Peter Schultz, fiber optic, fiber optics, optical fiber, light sources, beam light, light source, optical fiber cladding, optic communication, form glass, fiber cladding, decibel meter, suitable medical purposes, coherent light source, fiber optic communication,