Fiber Optic Vector Sensor Arrays

VIP Sensors proposes to develop a Fiber Optic Vector Sensor (FOVS) and a Detection System for thin-line towed sonar array applications capable of left/right bearing resolution and depression/elevation angle determination in littoral and deep water operations. The FOVS is a passive sensor, immune to EMI/RFI noise, and survives immerged pressures up to 2,500 PSI. The FOVS consists of a triaxial accelerometer and a pressure sensor operating at different frequency bands. The broad band light input is returned with all four sensors’ information in a wave division multiplexing fashion. The fringe frequency peak variation is directly proportional to the measurand. The detection scheme for array applications is based on time division multiplexing of each vector sensor and WDM of each of the four sensors of a temporally selected vector. The proposed program consists of three stages: • Phase II Basic –12 months to design, build and test the proposed Fiber Optic Vector Sensor (FOVS) and deliver 2 fully functional prototypes • Option 1 – 12 months to design build and test a Detection System to read the FOVS. One fully functional prototype will be delivered • Option 2 – 6 months to integrate, test and verify the FOVS and Detection System