FIBEROPTIC THERMOSENSOR BASED ON SHAPE-MEMORY EFFECT

A fiber-optic thermosensor using thin shape memory ribbons of rapidly quenched TiNiCu alloy as thermosensitive element is described. It is s hown that the developed thermosensor is optically passive, resistant t o corrosion and to radio and electromagnetic noise. Also it has a fast response (less than 1 sec), a high reliability and durability (more t han 10(5) cycles), a small size and high simplicity of thermosensitive part. Its switching temperature can be varied in a wide region (273-3 53 K) with alloy composition.