Elenco Fiber Optics Voice Data Kit - Manual (Page 12)

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Unusual effects can be created by modifying optical fiber
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In this activity we will experiment with an optical fiber to create special visual effects. You can
use these effects later in some of the projects which follow our experiments, or for projects that you
may design on your own. These special effects and procedures should be used
only with plastic optical
fiber.
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Penlight with batteries
Black rubber penlight boot
2 mm (.08 inches) diameter optical fiber, 50 cm (20 inches) long
Single-edge razor blade or sharp knife*
Soldering iron, alcohol lamp, Bunsen burner or propane torch*
Blow dryer*
Hot glue gun or clear silicone glue in a tube*
Aluminum foil*
* Not contained in this kit.
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These effects will be most impressive if viewed in a darkened room.
First modify the fiber as instructed below, then insert one end of the fiber in
the penlight boot and turn the light on.
#1 To increase the angles of light exiting the optical fiber, turn on your
heat source and slowly move the end of the fiber toward the heat
until the fiber begins to melt, and forms a small ball at the tip.
#2 Cutting the fiber end at an angle with a sharp knife or razor blade will
make light emerge from the fiber at an angle.
#3 If you coil the fiber around a spool, then heat it with a blow dryer,
when cooled it will retain a coiled shape.
#4 To create tiny sparkling points of light on your plastic fiber to enhance
light effects, lightly create very small nicks in the fiber's cladding with
razor blade or sharp knife. To create a "line of light," scrape along the
length of the fiber.
#5 To reflect the light coming out of the fiber end and back into it (and
to make the entire fiber length more visible), place a small drop of hot
glue (or silicone) on the fiber tip and attach a small piece of aluminum
foil to the glue while it's still hot. (If using silicone, wait several hours
for it to harden.)
#6 To make a right-angle bend in the fiber, hold the fiber in one hand
using thumb and forefinger to form a 4 cm (1.5 inches) arc. Apply
heat at the point where you wish the angle to be formed. When the
plastic becomes very flexible, bend the fiber into the shape you want,
remove the heat source and let the fiber cool.
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Creating a mini-ball at the fiber tip will make the light leaving the fiber
visible over a greater viewing angle. Each time you nicked and scrapped off
the fiber's cladding, a small amount of light escapes at those points. Heating
the optical fiber and allowing it to cool when positioned in a particular
shape results in the fiber assuming that shape.
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