Fiber Optic Decorations

Light is sent into a thin fiber.  When light strikes a surface two things can happen, it can exit the first material or reflect back.  If the light is in a material with a higher index of refraction, think of glass as higher than air, then the light that exits bents closer to the surface.  If the light is initially traveling at an angle close to parallel to the surface, there is no way to have the light bend enough, so a full reflection occurs.  So, light in a thin fiber reflects back into the fiber, since the light strikes the walls of the fiber at small angles.

In communication the frequency of a laser is used to determine which conversation is which.  The lasers change frequency rapidly in response to voltage changes, and hence can carry many signals at once.  The signals are chopped into pulses, or digitalized, so one fiber can carry thousands of signals with pulses of different frequencies following each other.  The original wave an be reconstructed from these pulses.

In decorations the signal does not need to carry communications, so there is no need for a laser.  An LED will do just fine.  The light travels through the fiber even if it is bent.  The reflections still direct the light along the fiber through the bends.  Actually, this also happens in communication fiber optics.

Unlike communication fibers, air is fine to replace the second layer of glass, called cladding.  The cladding protects the fiber from loss due to things like drops forming on the glass, but in decorations a little light escaping is no big concern.

Also unlike communication fibers, the fibers used as decorations work with all colors.  Color is determined by the frequency of the light.  Communication fibers do not use two bands of frequencies because the light is absorbed for them.  But, since decoration fibers are short enough all frequencies of light get through.  The absorption is caused because glass making uses water, and the water cannot be totally removed from the fiber.  Some of the water breaks down, and the hydroxyl is what does the absorbing.

Fiber optic decorations also do not suffer from scattering, it actually is what makes the fiber visible.  In communication, the loss due to scattering is a problem.  So, special glass is not needed for decorations.

So, fiber optic decorations can be made cheaper than fiber optic communication cables with less attention to detail.  Actually, it is better to have scattered light in decorating.

A lighted piece, especially a centerpiece, adds a unique touch.  And, if LEDs are used they require such a small amount of power that batteries can be used to provide the electricity.  This eliminates the need to be near an electrical outlet, so tables in the canter of a room can be easily decorated with LEDs lighting up fibers.

Some fiber optic decorations are used primarily for parties.  These can get people talking about the event for weeks, especially if they have not yet seen similar lighting.  And there are cheap fiber optic decorations, so they can be used at a party even if there is a budget.  Luaus and showers are two events that can benefit from fiber optic decorations.

LEDs can even come with color changing ability, or several LEDs of different colors can send light through different fibers.  This means multicolored displays are possible.

Solar power can recharge batteries, and the lights connected to those batteries can light up at night.  Again, LED lights use little power, so the lights can stay bright well into the night.  Lights on stakes can add a special touch to a garden, or to a path that leads to a home.  

There are many fiber optic Christmas trees available, and they come in a multitude of sizes.  The smaller ones make a good addition to a child’s room.  When I was a child we did not have these, but each year I would be given a branch cut from the bottom of the Christmas tree and a few unbreakable Christmas ornaments to have my own decoration.  In the age of artificial trees cut branches no longer are an option, but a small, inexpensive fiber optic Christmas tree will do just fine for a child to have a personal Christmas decoration.

In addition to Christmas trees, fiber optic Christmas decorations are easily found.  Lighted houses that can be set out for a Christmas village certainly can easily be found.  We have a couple of fiber optic pieces that my wife got from Avon, and they have lasted for years.  They are used to decorate small end tables that are located at the ends of the living room sofa.  These have changing color, so they get quite a bit of attention.

Thanksgiving fiber optic decorations are few, but the one shown below is particularly nice.

Fiber Optics can be used in Halloween decorations.  They can provide an unexpected eerie look, and that can be scary if done right.  There are table pieces that can be used as Halloween decorations, whether or not you are having a Halloween party.

Decorating can be fun, and using fiber optic decorations can give a unique look that will impress your guests.  

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