High-Temperature Fiber-Optic Sensor System

Fiber Bragg gratings are key components for multi-point sensor systems. However standard gratings start to lose their properties above 250¿C. Herein, we propose the development of a system based on special gratings that can operate up to nearly 1200¿C. Therequired optical signal processing system is significantly different form that for processing information from standard gratings. Applications include multi-point temperature, strain and vibration sensing. In Phase I, we will focus on high-temperaturegrating design, simulation and inital demonstration, high-temperature fiber coatings and a system suitable for processing the sensed information. For aerospace vehicle health monitoring applications, high-temperature stability will significantly extendthe applicability of grating-based fiber-optic sensors systems.Further applications include instrumentation for jet and other high-temperature engines, fire warning systems, furnaces and nuclear power plants.