S.  Miclos, T. Zisu, Chalcogenide fibre displacement sensor, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials , 3/2 (2001) 373-376

Title: Chalcogenide fibre displacement sensor

Abstract: Fibre optic technology offers the possibility for developing of a variety of physical sensors for a wide range of physical parameters. The main advantage of fiber optic sensors lies in their dielectric construction, providing electrical isolation, immunity from electromagnetic fields, small dimensions, and compatibility with optical fibre technology. A large number of fiber sensors in production are based on intensity modulation of the light either outside the fiber or within it. In the case of intensity sensors the physical perturbation to be measured interacts with the fibre or some device attached to the fibre to modulate the intensity of the light as it travels through the fiber. Intensity modulated fiber sensors have been demonstrated to be efficient for different applications. A variation of internal-modulation sensors are the microbending-loss sensors, which are characterized by a relatively simple construction, good performances and compatibility with multimode fibre technology. A very effective configuration for the microbending-loss sensors is that one based on clad mode detection. For clad modes detection the end segment of the fiber is bent and placed in an integrating sphere. The use of chalcogenide rather quartz fibre optic highly increases the sensitivity of the sensor. Experimental set-up, transmission characteristics and technical parameters are presented.

Keywords: chalcogenides, sensors

Author: S. Miclos