Because multi mode fiber has a larger core size than single mode fiber it supports more than one propagation mode.
Single mode vs multimode fiber table.
Compared to the multimode fiber the single mode patch cords carry a higher bandwidth but it requires a light source with a narrow spectral width.
Hence it is limited by modal dispersion while single mode is not.
The differences between single mode and multimode fiber mainly lies in fiber core diameter wavelength light source bandwidth color sheath distance and cost.
Single mode fiber covers distance greater than 10miles.
The light propagation between single mode fiber and multimode fiber is totally different.
It uses costly laser diode as optical transmitters.
The cost of single mode fiber is reduced by half when constructing a 1g fiber optic network in hopes of it becoming 10 g or faster ultimately while the cost of om3 or om4 multimode increases roughly 35 for sfps.
Multimode fiber has two types of light propagation step index and graded index while single mode fiber has only one step index.
Generally single mode fiber is more affordable than multimode.
Although single mode systems are more costly that does not compare to the labor costs of repairing the multimode system being remarkably greater particularly if they were formatted as om1 om2 om3 om4.
Multimode fiber optic cables.
Multimode fiber optic cable.
Single mode means the fiber enables one type of light mode to be propagated at a time.
Multimode cables are made with thicker cores than single mode cables typically around 50 60 μm.
These larger cores have more space for bouncing lasers down the length of the cable which increases signal speed.
This means that the core to cladding diameter ratio is 9 microns to 125 microns.
Designed for long distance communication a single mode fiber cable allows light signals to travel more than 10 miles a much longer distance than multimode.
Single mode fiber also accommodates much higher bandwidths than multimode.
Transmission rate of single mode fiber is higher than the multimode fiber.
Multimode fibers use cheaper optical transmitters receivers.
Overview of single mode vs multimode fiber.
The led light sources sometimes used with multi mode fiber produce a range of wavelengths and these each propagate at different speeds.
Multimode optic fiber permits the signal transmission up to the distance of about 10miles.
While multimode means the fiber can propagate multiple modes.
While multimode is faster than single mode it also has a shorter maximum distance.
Multimode fiber optic cable has a large diametral core that allows multiple modes of light to propagate.