Packaging optical sensors for the real world

Wayne Kachmar; Kenneth C. Nardone

doi:10.1117/12.740468

12 October 2007 Packaging optical sensors for the real world

Wayne Kachmar, Kenneth C. Nardone

Proceedings Volume 6770, Fiber Optic Sensors and Applications V; 67700S (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.740468
Event: Optics East, 2007, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

Optical fiber based sensing has now moved from laboratory demonstrations to actual applications in the real world. This has necessitated an entirely new area of extrusion - the packaging (cabling) of optical fibers and sensor arrays to protect them from the intended environment and installation handling while not masking or attenuating the phenomenon that is being sensed. Although each application presents new and unique challenges, the goal is to create a packaging concept for fiber sensors. Fiber sensing applications can be narrowed down to the five items below: 1. Conventional cable packages 2. Assembled (typically by hand) discrete sensor packages 3. Package enhanced sensors (where the packaging improves the effect of the sensor) 4. Linear sensor installation packaging 5. Scalar packaging (where the cabling adds to the range of the sensor) The above applications can be accomplished in a number of ways, and methods are still being developed in this relatively new science. Some of the new technology methods being explored include: UV cured liquids; Voided space cores; Conventional cable extrusion & its determination of mechanical characteristics. This paper reviews the pluses and minuses of the above methods and how their combination ultimately determines how the fiber or sensor array is to be jacketed in order to meet the specific application requirements. This paper will also review non-standard material characteristics, strength members and their role in measuring strain and stress values along with the overall influence of packaging on optical fibers and sensor arrays.

Citation Download Citation

Wayne Kachmar and Kenneth C. Nardone "Packaging optical sensors for the real world", Proc. SPIE 6770, Fiber Optic Sensors and Applications V, 67700S (12 October 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.740468

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