Optical fibre sensors and systems for industry

Abstract

Discusses the development of fibre optic sensors for industrial, consumer, medical and military applications. The technology will continue to be applied to inspection, imaging and switching. For continuous measurements of the key physical quantities (temperature, pressure, flow, level and displacement) multimode technology and 'point source' sensors seem most appropriate at this stage using either intensity, wavelength or rate modulation. Devices for sensing magnetic, electric, nuclear radiation and chemical quantities are also of interest. Significant development of monomode hydrophones and gyroscopes has already taken place, and now multimode technology is being applied to multiplexing multi-sensor systems, optopneumatic and optohydraulic converters and 'control-by-light' schemes. Illustrative examples of practical developments are given and key reference sources cited.