Fiber Optic Detonation Sensor

To address the Army’s need for a sensor to accurately measure the detonation properties of explosives and propellants, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Fiber Optic Detonation Sensor (FIODS), based on a novel combination of fiber optic velocity, pressure, and temperature sensors. The FIODS system consists of fiber optic probes that are inserted into the explosive under test, and the remote processing unit that detects and processes the optical signal. FIODS’ innovations in design of fiber optic pressure sensor and optical sensors enabling continuous velocity, pressure, temperature and position measurements for detonation wave at over 10^7 samples/s in intrinsically safe and reliable way directly address the Army’s need for a detonation diagnostic tool. In Phase I, POC plans to design the FIODS system and demonstrate the feasibility of using fiber optics sensors that can safely be used internally or externally to measure key blast-wave parameters. The Phase I tests will demonstrate the difference between energetic material deflagration and detonation. During Phase II, POC will design, fabricate, package, test, and demonstrate a FIODS that can be safely embedded into an energetic material to support measurement of the blast-wave parameters for the validation of theoretical models.