| Feature | Glass Optical Fiber | Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) |
|---|---|---|
| Core Diameter | 8–10 µm (singlemode), 50–62.5 µm (multimode) | 1000 µm (1 mm) |
| Cladding Diameter | 125 µm (standard) | 2.2 mm (core + cladding + jacket) |
| Jacket Diameter | 250 µm to 900 µm (tight-buffered or loose tube) | 2.2 mm (same as outer diameter) |
| Bend Radius | ≥10× diameter (sensitive to bending) | Very flexible, tolerates sharp bends |
| Handling | Requires tools, fragile | Tool-less, easy to cut and use |
| Max Distance | 10s–100s of kilometers | Typically <100 meters |
| Bandwidth | Extremely high (Gbps–Tbps) | Lower (up to hundreds of Mbps) |
| Common Use Cases | Telecom, datacenters, internet infrastructure | Consumer electronics, automotive, DIY |
| Light Source | Laser (singlemode), LED (multimode) | LED (visible or IR) |
| Cost | Higher | Low cost |
🔍 Visual Size Comparison (Proportional to Scale)
| Fiber Type | Visual Size Representation |
|---|---|
| Singlemode Glass | ░ (8 µm core) |
| Multimode Glass | ▒ (50 µm core) |
| Plastic (POF) | █ (1000 µm / 1 mm core) |