What is chromatic dispersion in fiber optics?

Chromatic dispersion in fiber optics refers specifically to the phenomenon where a light pulse spreads out over time as it travels through the fiber. This occurs because different wavelengths of light travel at different speeds within the fiber. As a result, when a light pulse is introduced, the components of the pulse corresponding to various wavelengths arrive at the destination at slightly different times, causing the overall pulse to widen or spread out.

This spreading can lead to issues in signal integrity, particularly in high-speed data transmission, because it may cause overlapping of pulses, which can result in errors during data reconstruction. Understanding chromatic dispersion is essential for optimizing fiber optic communication systems, especially as data rates continue to increase. This concept is critical for engineers and technicians designing and maintaining fiber optic networks.

The other presented options relate to different phenomena in fiber optics, such as signal strength loss, light bending, and interference patterns, but do not accurately define chromatic dispersion.