Abstract
We present a fibre optic sensing head for making simultaneous measurements of temperature and strain, which operates over a large temperature range. The configuration is based on the different temperature sensitivities of type I and type IIA gratings written in a fibre with high germanium content. Maximal errors of +/-0.7 degreesC Hz(-1/2) and +/-3.8 muepsilon Hz(-1/2) are reported over 500 degreesC and 1200 muepsilon measurement ranges, respectively.

Abstract
Fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are finding increased usage in experimental mechanics for monitoring service conditions in structures and other equipment and are currently being tested for process monitoring. In FBG sensors, strain and temperature cause a shift in the Bragg wavelength reflected by the grating contained in these fibres. In situ monitoring of strain and temperature during welding processes increases knowledge of the welded material and the welding process itself. In the present work, two welding processes are monitored using FBG sensors and the complete measurement approach including sensor selection, calibration, instrumentation, welding monitoring and result interpretation is presented. Calibration for strain measurements at constant temperature was performed using a four-point bending test, and temperature calibration was carried out using an oven. Results for a sensor length of 5 mm are presented. Both transient and residual strains were recorded during experiments on metal inert gas and friction stir welding and the possible impact of this monitoring technology is discussed in the light of process optimization and subsequent structural health monitoring.

Abstract
A fibre Bragg grating sensing configuration is presented for simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature. The proposed concept relies on writing a single Bragg grating on the splice region of two fibres with different levels of germanium doping. Doing so, a grating structure appears with three resonance peaks, which show distinct temperature sensitivities but similar strain responses. The experimental validation of the concept indicated resolutions of +/-1.5 degreesC Hz(-1/2) and +/-5.6 muepsilon Hz(-1/2) over measurement ranges of 80 degreesC and 1000 muepsilon for temperature and strain, respectively.

Abstract
A novel sensing head for simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature is demonstrated, based on two Bragg gratings arranged in a twisted configuration. Choosing an appropriate twisting period, the grating resonance wavelengths show similar temperature sensitivities but different strain responses, permitting simultaneous discrimination of these parameters with rms deviations of +/- 1.5 degrees C and +/- 4.7 mu epsilon respectively.

Abstract
We present a compact in-line fiber interferometric sensor fabricated in a boron doped two-mode highly birefringent microstructured fiber using a CO2 laser. The intermodal interference arises at the fiber output due to coupling between the fundamental and the first order modes occurring at two fiber tapers distant by a few millimeters. The visibility of intermodal interference fringes is modulated by a polarimetric differential signal and varies in response to measurand changes. The proposed interferometer was tested for measurements of the strain and temperature, respectively, in the range of 20-700 degrees C and 0-17 mstrain. The sensitivity coefficients corresponding to fringe displacement and contrast variations are equal respectively for strain -2.51 nm/mstrain and -0.02561/mstrain and for temperature 16.7 pm/degrees C and 5.74 x 10(-5) 1/degrees C. This allows for simultaneous measurements of the two parameters by interrogation of the visibility and the displacement of interference fringes. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America

Abstract
This paper presents an overview of optical fiber sensors based on multimode interference with a focus on refractometric applications. A specific configuration is presented to measure the refractive index of the surrounding liquid based on the Fresnel reflection in the fiber tip, combined with a simple interrogation technique that uses two fiber Bragg gratings as discrete optical sources, with the measurand information encoded in the relative intensity variation of the reflected signals. A resolution of 1.75 x 10(-3) RIU is achieved. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America