Fiber Optic Wiki

Fiber Optic Sensors

October 5, 2011

All fiber optic sensors have an optical element that is sensing these property changes. For most sensors, this element is the optical fiber itself or a non-fiber optical element.

In the intrinsic fiber sensor, external measurandas such as pressure, vibration, temperature interact with optical fiber element and cause fiber bending, fiber distortion and a change in the refractive index of the sensing fiber.

Extrinsic Fiber Sensors

October 5, 2011

Birefringent crystal, intensity mask or thin film absorbers are most often used as sensor elements in extrinsic fiber sensors. Usually they are integrated into the optical path.

Distributed Sensor

October 5, 2011

Distributed sensors sense measurands continuouly over the entire length of the fiber. The most important criteria is that sensor fibers must be very sensitive to measurands.

Quasi-Distributed Sensor

October 5, 2011

Quasi-distributed sensors use discrete sensor elements that are carefully arranged in the fiber network. This type if sensor needs to be small size, low cost and high reliability.

An optical fiber

October 5, 2011

An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of very pure glass (silica) not much wider than a human hair that acts as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber.1 The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers is known as fiber optics. Optical fibers are widely used in fiber-optic communications, which permits transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than other forms of communication. Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss and are also immune to electromagnetic interference. Fibers are also used for illumination, and are wrapped in bundles so they can be used to carry images, thus allowing viewing in tight spaces. Specially designed fibers are used for a variety of other applications, including sensors and fiber lasers.