Optical fibres are made from extremely thin, flexible hairlike strands of glass. They allow light to be sent over great distances and round corners.
This makes possible devices such as the medical endoscope (or fibrescope) and various high capacity data communications. In communications applications, fibre optics have several advantages over copper wires - they are lighter in weight, more difficult to eavesdrop and require far fewer booster stations. Optical fibres rely on the principle of total internal reflection for their operation.
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"Optical fibres" is in the CPC Code "48311"
Optical fibres and optical fibre bundles; optical fibre cables (except those made up of individually sheathed fibres); sheets and plates of polarizing material; lenses, prisms, mirrors and other optical elements (except of glass not optically worked), whether or not mounted, other than for cameras, projectors or photographic enlargers or reducers
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Enlargers (Enlargers are identified as optical devices used ...)