POF for high-speed PC and home networks

Summary form only given. This paper reviews the recently developed key technologies for high speed plastic optical fibre (POF) links up to 2.5 Gbps. Based on these key technologies, several high-speed POF networks, such as ATM LAN, Fast Ethernet, and IEEE1394 home networks, are introduced. The plastic optical fiber originally developed by DuPont in 1968 had a step index profile, and this technology is the most mature.