Abstract

During the past five years, many types of fiber- optic sensor have been demonstrated. Many papers have discussed the advantages of fiber-optic sensors (FOS) for specific applications. These advantages include sensitivity, size, weight, immunity to EMI, cost, and the extreme versatility of the sensor head. Recent advances in the packaging of the FOS have considerably reduced the size of many types of sensor. In 1983, FOS have been successfully demonstrated in quasi-operational environments. Further tests in hostile environments will indicate the viability of FOS. This paper will briefly review the general field of FOS. However, emphasis will be placed on the advances in the technology achieved during the past year. Specifically, advances made in the high-technology end of the fiber-optic sensor spectrum will be considered where sensitivity, linearity, and dynamic range are important.

© 1984 Optical Society of America