Optical Fiber Sensors: An Overview

Fiber optic sensor technology has been under development for the past 40 years and has resulted in the production of various devices, including fiber optic gyroscopes; sensors of temperature, pressure, and vibration; and chemical probes. Fiber optic sensors offer a number of advantages, such as increased sensitivity compared to existing techniques and geometric versatility, which permits configuration into arbitrary shapes. Because fiber optic sensors are dielectric devices, they can be used in high voltage, high temperature, or corrosive environments. In addition, these sensors are compatible with communications systems and have the capacity to carry out remote sensing. Recently, investigation in the field has focused on the development of new materials with non-linear optical properties for important potential applications in photonics. Examples of these materials are the conjugated semiconducting polymers that combine optical properties with the electronic properties of semiconductors. In addition, these conducting polymers have photoluminescent and electroluminescent properties, making them attractive for applications in optoelectronics.