Optical fibres are flexible, transparent rods of small diameter that exploit the reflection and refraction of light, using materials that can change the path of a beam of light inside them. When a beam of light is applied to one end, the light travels along the whole length of the fibre and is emitted from the other end. The operating principle of optical fibres was discovered in Victorian times, but the first modern lighting applications using them appeared in the early 1950s.
Fibre optic lighting systems usually consist of a light source, the optical fibres and luminaires. The light source is usually a halogen or metal halide (HQI) lamp, housed in a “box” where it is connected to the fibres, together with dimming controls. The fibres themselves are usually made of either plastic or glass.
One of the most important advantages of optical fibres is that they carry light rather than electric current. This makes them particularly suitable for spaces such as the bathroom or kitchen: because they separate the lighting effect from the power supply, they meet the special safety requirements of these areas. They can, for example, even be installed inside the bathtub area.
Optical fibres offer an incredible range of possibilities for modern lighting. Their low to zero maintenance costs and their striking applications offset the relatively high cost of fibre optic lighting systems. Moreover, with just a single light source, optical fibres can create multiple lighting effects, which in many applications means energy savings that people do not usually expect.
Another major advantage of optical fibres is that they can be used in lighting applications that need to remain “enclosed” within a space, since there is no need to worry about access for replacing lamps. As long as access to the light source is ensured, they are suitable even for lighting fixed points in the ceiling, the insides of structures or walls, the inside of staircases, and so on.
Another important characteristic of optical fibres in lighting applications is that they do not allow any loss of light intensity, making it possible to carry light over long distances, however far from the light source. In general, the light output of optical fibres is not affected by ambient lighting or radiation.
Optical fibres also offer countless possibilities for playing with the colours of light: by changing the colour of the source, you can create different colour effects through the fibres without even changing the lamp.
In some buildings, fibre optic technology is used to channel sunlight from the roof to other parts of the building. Other applications can be found in signs, works of art and artificial Christmas trees. Finally, Svarovski boutiques commonly use fibre optic lighting systems to illuminate their crystal displays from many different angles, using just a single light source.
To close this overview of fibre optics in lighting, have you ever wondered how information travels back and forth when you phone your family? Or how data is carried over high-speed Internet connections? For those who may not know, lighting is only one dimension of fibre optic technology. Today, optical fibres are the backbone of telecommunications systems.
