Abstract
We present what we believe to be a novel miniaturized sensor configuration based on fiber Bragg gratings for simultaneous measurement of curvature and temperature in smart structures and composite materials. Because of the particular geometry of the sensing head, it is possible not only to measure the radius of curvature but also to determine the plane of curvature. We arrange three Bragg gratings in the vertices of the smallest equilateral triangle that can be defined by the cross sections of the fibers. The set is then inserted into a glue-filled capillary stainless-steel tube to provide both suitable protection for the Bragg sensors and rotational symmetry to the sensing head. This tube also ensures isolation from axial strain, allowing for the additional determination of temperature. The proposed sensing head is particularly well suited for applications in smart structures because it can be embedded along any layer of a composite material (including the neutral line) without special concern for the relative orientation of the Bragg gratings and the composite layers. We can also use this sensing configuration to implement more-sophisticated sensors dedicated, for example, to the measurement of multiaxial acceleration or flow and temperature. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.

Abstract
In this work, a hybrid interferometer for simultaneous measurement of the partial pressures of O-2 and CO2 mixtures is reported. The sensing head consist in two different interferometers based on a Fabry-Perot cavity and a modal interference configuration. The intrinsic FP cavity was created by splicing a single mode fiber (SMF28) with a graded index fiber section that was then subjected to chemical etching creating a cavity. The second interferometer is based on a splice of a pure silica tube in series with the Fabry-Perot. Due to the design, different sensitivities are achieved for the pressure inducing refractive index changes of each gas. The rms deviations were found to be +/- 0.079 kPa and +/- 0.029 kPa for CO2 and O-2 partial pressure measurements, respectively.

Abstract
In this Work a new configuration of a refractometric sensor for aqueous solutions based on the combination of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) with fibre Bragg gratings (FBG) is presented. Two FBGs are selected having reflection maxima in each side of the plasmon resonance peak. These FBGs enable a different processing scheme for the information provided by the SPR transducer. This improved interrogation method increases the sensitivity and resolution of the sensor compared with those obtained with the usual method of tracking the spectral transmittance minimum and makes the system performance independent of optical Source power fluctuations. The experimental results obtained with a double-layer uniform-waist tapered fibre show the feasibility of this approach and its applicability in SPR-based biosensors that Must face very exigent measuring conditions.

Abstract
A scheme for the simultaneous determination of temperature and analyte concentration for application in luminescence-based chemical sensors is proposed. This scheme is applied to an optical oxygen sensor, which is based on the quenching of the fluorescence of a ruthenium complex. Temperature measurement is performed using the excitation radiation and an absorption long-pass filter. Preliminary results are presented that show the viability of an oxygen measurement that is independent of temperature and optical power level. The possibility of self-referenced temperature measurements with semiconductor nanoparticles is also investigated. In order to optimize the sensor design, several different optical fiber probe geometries for oxygen sensing are tested and compared, including different methods of coupling radiation into the optical fiber system. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyacrylamide membranes are tested as supports for sensor immobilization in fiber-optical pH sensing devices in aqueous solution. Some results are presented that show the feasibility of using fiber-optical pH indicators for remote monitoring.

Abstract
A twin polarimetric configuration based on the Faraday effect for the measurement of electric currents in high voltage environments is presented. Field test results are shown that indicate the device suitability for current metering and relaying applications. © 2001 IEEE.

Abstract
A long-period-grating-based fiber optic Michelson modal interferometer with coherence addressing and heterodyne interrogation is studied as a sensing structure for measuring environmental refractive index, temperature, and liquid level. The effects of several system parameters on the measurements are investigated. Experimental results show that the sensitivity to the external refractive index increases with the order of cladding mode and with a reduction of the fiber diameter. The decrease of the fiber diameter from 125 mu m down to 70 mu m enhances the sensitivity to the external index by a factor of 2.7. It is also shown that the use of a silica-core fiber increases the sensitivity to the external index by a factor of 1.4 and reduces the thermal sensitivity by a factor of 2.5 compared to a standard fiber. (C) 2008 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.