What Does Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) Mean?
Photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is a kind of optical fiber that uses photonic crystals to form the cladding around the core of the cable. Photonic crystal is a low-loss periodic dielectric medium constructed using a periodic array of microscopic air holes that run along the entire fiber length.
Techopedia Explains Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF)
Fiber-optic cables are constructed with a core and a cladding of constant refractive index difference. Light travels through the core as a result of the refraction property of light, which occurs as a result of the difference between the refractive indexes of the core and cladding. This refracted light bears much higher loss during propagation over extended distances, and thus requires repeaters and amplifiers for extended distance communications.
