Electromagnetic radiation (or "extreme") ultraviolet. UV, with X-ray and gamma radiation, are referred to as ionizing radiation due to the ability of photons of this radiation to produce ions and free radicals in materials (including living tissue). Since such radiation can severely damage life at energy levels that produce little heating, it is considered far more dangerous (in terms of damage-produced per unit of energy, or power) than the rest of the electromagnetic spectrum. The heat ray is an application of EMR that makes use of microwave frequencies to create an unpleasant heating effect in the upper layer of the skin. A
Radiation effects on optical fibers Radiation effects on optical fibers When optical fibers are exposed to ionizing radiation such as energetic electrons, protons, neutrons, X-rays, Ƴ-radiation, etc., they undergo 'damage'. The term 'damage' primarily refers to the additional loss of the propagating optical signal leading to decreased power at the output end which could lead to premature failure of the component and or system. In the professional literature, the effect is often named Radiation Induced Attenuation (RIA). The loss of power or 'darkening' occurs because the chemical bonds forming the optical fiber core are disrupted by the impinging high energy resulting in the appearance of