Abstract
Bending loss is a major issue in optical fiber communication systems, where excessive curvature can disrupt signal transmission and significantly degrade optical signal quality. This study addresses the problem by investigating how bending affects power loss in single-mode fibers (SMFs), which are widely used in long-distance and high-speed networks. The objective is to analyze the variation of bending loss across five commercial SMF types-SMF-28, SMF-28e, SMF-28e+, SMF28e+LL, and SMF-28ULL-through numerical simulations using OptiFiber software. The simulations were performed at operational wavelengths of 1310 nm and 1550 nm, with bending radii ranging from 20 mm to 46 mm. Results show that bending loss increases as the radius decreases, with distinct sensitivity patterns observed in each fiber type. SMF-28 exhibited the highest loss at 1550 nm (up to 31.96 dB/km), while SMF-28e+ showed the most stable performance. The novelty of this study lies in its comparative evaluation of bending sensitivity across multiple SMFs under consistent simulation parameters. These findings provide valuable insights for selecting appropriate fiber types and designing resilient optical networks that minimize signal degradation caused by mechanical stress.