Question

Compared to single-mode fibers, multimode fibers have

• A. Higher bandwidth
• B. Lower dispersion
• C. Larger core diameter
• D. Lower numerical aperture

Hint:

Comparison of optical fibers: \[ \boxed{ \begin{aligned} \text{Single-mode} &\rightarrow \text{Small core, high bandwidth} \text{Multimode} &\rightarrow \text{Large core, higher modal dispersion} \end{aligned} } \]

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Compare single-mode and multimode fibers. Multimode fibers have a much larger core diameter than single-mode fibers, allowing multiple propagation modes. Typical values are \[ \begin{aligned} \text{Single-mode:} &\quad 8\text{--}10\ \mu\text{m}, \text{Multimode:} &\quad 50\text{--}62.5\ \mu\text{m}. \end{aligned} \]

Step 2: Identify the correct option. Hence, \[ \boxed{\text{Larger core diameter}} \] is the distinguishing feature of multimode fibers. Therefore, \[ \boxed{(C)} \] is the correct answer.