Theoretical comparison of different mechanical transducers for the design of an optical-fiber accelerometer

This paper presents the design of a mechanical transducer for a new kind of optical-fiber accelerometer based on birefringence variation. Vibration-induced fiber deformation modifies the birefringence within the fiber and hence the state of polarization of the light. To deform the fiber a mechanical transducer has to be made. This article compares analytically different transducers using either bending, crushing, stretching or twisting of the fiber. It is shown that crushing gives the highest sensitivity. Keywords—accelerometer, polarization, mechanical transducer