ADAPTABLE VIBRATION MODE SENSORS AND FILTERS USING OPTICAL FIBERS

RESEARCHERS ARE DEVELOPING AND DEMONSTRATING ADAPTABLE VIBRATION ANALYSIS SENSORS WHICH USE SPECIALIZED WEIGHTED-SENSITIVITY OPTICAL FIBER WAVEGUIDE STRUCTURES. SEVERAL METHODS TO CREATE THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY VARIATIONS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE WAVEGUIDE ARE SUGGESTED. EXTENSIONS OF THIS WORK TO FURTHER PERMIT THE REAL-TIME MODIFICATION OF SUCH SPATIAL FIBER SENSITIVITY PROFILES, AND HENCE THE IN-LINE OPTICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING OF INTEGRATED SENSOR SIGNALS, IS ALSO BEING INVESTIGATED. APPLICATIONS OF SENSOR INSTRUMENTATION PRODUCTS WHICH WOUDL USE SUCH ADAPTIVE, WEIGHTED FIBER ELEMENTS INCLUDE VIBRATION ANALYSIS SYSTEMS FOR NOISE SUPPRESSION, ACTIVE STRUCTURAL ACOUSTIC CONTROL, AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE MONITORING. ADDITIONAL USES IN ADAPTIVE ELECTROMAGNETIC DETECTION ARRAYS FOR BOTH THE COMMUNICATION AND BIOMEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS AREAS ARE POSSIBLE. RESEARCHES ARE MODELING, FABRICATING, AND TESTING THE PERFORMANCE OF WEIGHTED SENSITIVITY FIBERS FOR SELECTIVE VIBRATIONAL MODE ANALYSIS OF LABORATORY DEMONSTRATION ARTICLES.