Abstract
A micrometric Fabry-Perot refractometer based on an end-of-fiber polymer tip is proposed. The fiber tip, with a length of 36 mu m, was fabricated by self-guiding photopolymerization. The two-wave interferometric operation was achieved by combining the light waves generated at the interface between the single-mode fiber and the polymer tip, and at the fiber tip end (Fresnel reflection). The Fabry-Perot interferometer is coherence addressed and heterodyne interrogated, resulting into a liquid refractive index resolution of approximate to 7.5 x 10(-4). (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

Abstract
Fiber Bragg Gratings are structures with remarkable characteristics that have induced new qualitative developments in the broad field of optical fiber technology, most notably in optical communications and in optical sensing. When these devices are applied for sensing, the underlying concept is the modulation of the grating Bragg wavelength by the measured and, therefore, a central issue is the sensitive and accurate conversion of the resonant wavelength into a proportional electrical signal with the adequate format for further processing. This topic is broadly known as Fiber Bragg Grating interrogation and is the subject of the present chapter. It is organized in two parts: in the first one, the techniques developed by the scientific community looking for this functionality are reviewed, with emphasis on the identification of general conceptual classes where they fit; in the second part, illustrative and state-of-the-art commercial Fiber Bragg Grating interrogation systems are described.

Abstract
The electrocatalytic oxidation of D-sorbitol on a polycrystalline platinum electrode, in perchloric aqueous medium, was studied by cyclic voltammetry under varying sweep rate, potential limits, stirring, temperature, pH and concentration of D-sorbitol. A value of about 50 kJ mol(-1) was obtained for the apparent activation enthalpy of the oxidation reaction at 0.1 V vs. sme. The experimental rate equation is i = kC(D-sorb)(0.4) C-H+(-0.3).exp[0.4 FE/RT], valid for [D-sorbitol] < 0.1 mol dm(-3) and pH < 1.

Abstract
Interferometric sensors based on source coherence synthesis have been reported for measurement of quasistatic parameters. An absolute sensing technique has been demonstrated based on fringe visibility modulation using a frequency modulated laser. In this Letter, a technique is described which allows to perform absolute displacement measurements in the range from tens to several hundreds of micrometers. It is based on dynamical spectral filtering of a superluminescent source which provides frequency modulation amplitudes up to 3000 GHz. The principle is described and experimentally verified for displacement measurement

Abstract
Interferometric systems consisting of two tandem interferometers with white-light illumination have been used as optical-fibre remote-sensing systems. Recently, it has been shown that both phase and amplitude of the output signal are significantly affected by externally induced birefringence in the fibre linking the interferometers; in some cases, this may cause total fading of the interference signal. In this letter, a new scheme is proposed to overcome this problem in white-light fibre-optic interferometric sensors. The approach is based on birefringence compensation using Faraday rotator mirror elements. The principle is experimentally verified, and the results confirm the theoretical expectation.

Abstract
We present a closed-loop technique for measuring wavelength shifts associated with fiber Bragg gratings by using a fused biconical wavelength division multiplexer (WDM). The spectral response of the WDM is actively tuned by stretching of the coupling region to maintain a fixed coupling ratio at the reflected Bragg wavelength. The closed-loop operation allows sensitivities usually associated with a highly selective WDM to be obtained without compromising the measurement range. A simple theoretical model is presented together with experimental results for temperature and strain measurements. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.