What materials are mainly used in Fiber Optic Structured Cabling systems to create the infrastructure for network and voice communications?

The core of Fiber Optic Structured Cabling systems is to use fiber optic cables to build efficient and stable data and voice communication infrastructure. Fiber optic cables are mainly composed of three parts: core, cladding and sheath, among which the core and cladding constitute the basic transmission unit of optical fiber.
The core of the optical fiber is the main channel for transmitting optical signals, usually made of high-purity glass (silicon dioxide) or special plastics. These materials have excellent light transmittance, allowing optical signals to be transmitted over long distances and with low loss in a total reflection manner inside. Depending on the transmission mode, the optical fiber core can be divided into single-mode optical fiber and multi-mode optical fiber. The core diameter of single-mode optical fiber is small (usually about 9 microns), which only allows one mode of optical signal transmission, and is suitable for long-distance, high-bandwidth communication; while the core diameter of multi-mode optical fiber is large (50 or 62.5 microns), allowing multiple modes of optical signals to be transmitted simultaneously, and is suitable for short-distance, low-cost communication.
The cladding is tightly wrapped around the core, and its refractive index is slightly lower than that of the core, ensuring that the optical signal is fully reflected at the interface between the core and the cladding, thereby transmitting along the core. The material of the cladding is usually the same or similar to the core, but different elements are doped to adjust its refractive index. The sheath is the outermost layer of the optical fiber cable, mainly made of materials such as plastic or rubber, which is used to protect the optical fiber from mechanical damage, moisture erosion and chemical corrosion. The sheath may also contain structures such as reinforcing cores and buffer layers to enhance the tensile strength and bending performance of the optical fiber.
In addition to the optical fiber cable itself, the optical fiber structured cabling system also requires a series of supporting components to achieve effective connection and management of optical fibers. Fiber optic connectors are key components for achieving optical signal transmission between optical fiber cables and equipment or between optical fiber cables. Common optical fiber connectors include ST, SC, LC and other types, which have different structures and sizes and are suitable for different application scenarios. The connector usually contains a precision alignment mechanism to ensure low-loss docking between the optical fiber end faces.
The optical fiber distribution frame is one of the core devices in the optical fiber wiring system, which is used to centrally manage and connect optical fiber cables. The distribution frame is usually equipped with multiple optical fiber adapters or couplers for inserting and fixing optical fiber connectors, thereby achieving flexible connection and switching between optical fiber cables.
Fiber optic patch cords are short sections of fiber optic cables, usually with connectors at both ends, used to establish temporary or permanent connections between devices such as patch panels, fiber optic switches, routers, etc. Fiber optic patch cords are flexible and easy to install, and are an indispensable component of fiber optic cabling systems.
Fiber optic couplers are passive devices used to combine or separate optical signals from multiple fiber optic cables. In Fiber Optic Structured Cabling systems, couplers are often used to implement functions such as branching, multiplexing, or redundant protection of optical signals.