According to a study initiated by the ElectroniCast Consultants, U.S.A fiber optic collimator sales are expected to surge over a five year period from 2013 right through to 2018. The hard numbers say that the average spike every year can be as high as 45%.
This phenomenal growth mustn’t be viewed in isolation as it doesn’t do justice to the real impetus behind the sudden expansion. Collimators are an integral part of any fibre optic assembly! Be it a modulator or a transmitter, a parallel beam of light which can be controlled in terms of size and spot diameter (right up to a fraction of a millimetre) is an important asset.
Why is a fiber optic collimator of great use?
Optical communication involves using an extruded plastic or fibre cable as the medium for transmission of photonic (light) signals. It is a present day rage and has completely revolutionized the communication industry. With the help of the right kind of transducer, electrical, pressure or even sound inputs are converted into light waves and these are transmitted through the fibres at great speed, cutting down attenuation (energy loss) and distortion (corruption) to a large extent.
However most of these devices work well only when light emerges from the fibre as a parallel (collimated) beam whose intensity and other physical traits can be easily defined by a Gaussian equation. Of particular importance is the critical juncture when the output of one device has to become the input of another. Even the most carefully sealed laboratory rooms are not free of dust particles which serve to scatter rays of light. This is where a collimator (comprised of a single lens or an array of lenses) comes into play. It maintains the parallel form of the photonic signal and cuts down data loss.
Some collimators are even coupled in order to create custom beams to serve special purposes and the efficiency of this coupling is a key performance criterion that must be scrutinized upon purchase.
Thus the boost in collimator sales
Is simply a side-effect of the greater adoption of optical communication technology and larger investment made in the research and development of this sector.
In 2013 alone the fibre optic collimator market touched a high of $264.2 million. Substantial growth is predicted for both 2 to 12 lens collimators and more than 12 lens collimators, in keeping with larger and more sprawling global projects expressing interest in the affordable and infinitely superior medium of optical fibres.
Swiss Precision Machining, LLC is proud to be the purveyor of quality fibre optic collimators. We can manufacture numerous parts for the fibre optic industry such as connectors, ferrule holders, etc. With an Industrywide estimated revenue generation of 350 million dollars in 2015, this trend will snowball into a global phenomenon and we are equipped to serve your needs!
