Investigation of single mode polarization-maintaining fibres for directional transverse force measurement

Abstract

Direct measurement of transverse force has been investigated in this work by using two specialist single mode Polarisation-Maintaining (PM) side-hole(s) fibres. Variations in the pressure sensitivity of side-hole fibres with different rotation angles and magnitudes of the applied external force have been investigated both theoretically and experimentally and it was confirmed that they are dependent upon the force direction, with reference to the fast or slow axis of the fibres. The experimental results obtained have shown good agreement with theoretical predictions when appropriate cross-comparisons were made. Thus these fibres have shown potential to be used as optical fibre sensors for the measurement of pressure, force and mass of an object, applied in different directions, over a wide range and in real time.