Status of optical fiber sensor technology

Abstract

After eight years of development, optical fiber sensors are beginning to emerge as competitive devices for performing sensing tasks such as required for aircraft engine and flight controls, for shipboard machinery and damage controls, for medical probing and for industrial process controls. Fiber sensors have proved to be accurate and capable of operation in harsh environments contaminated with high EMI, explosives, or corrosive gases. Because of these attributes, fiber sensors offer unique opportunities to solve existing sensor problems encountered in many applications. Additionally, the compatibility of optical sensors with optical telemetry makes possible the development of all optical, multi-element sensor systems capable of supporting large numbers of high bandwidth sensor elements while at the same time eliminating the requirement for transmitting electrical power remote from the monitoring site. This combination of compatible fiber sensors and fiber telemetry represents an intrinsic advantage over conventional electrical technology.After eight years of development, optical fiber sensors are beginning to emerge as competitive devices for performing sensing tasks such as required for aircraft engine and flight controls, for shipboard machinery and damage controls, for medical probing and for industrial process controls. Fiber sensors have proved to be accurate and capable of operation in harsh environments contaminated with high EMI, explosives, or corrosive gases. Because of these attributes, fiber sensors offer unique opportunities to solve existing sensor problems encountered in many applications. Additionally, the compatibility of optical sensors with optical telemetry makes possible the development of all optical, multi-element sensor systems capable of supporting large numbers of high bandwidth sensor elements while at the same time eliminating the requirement for transmitting electrical power remote from the monitoring site. This combination of compatible fiber sensors and fiber telemetry represents an intrinsic advantage over ...