OPTICAL-FIBER-BASED POSITION-SENSITIVE DETECTOR FOR THERMOOPTIC DEFLECTION STUDIES

We describe the construct on and operation of an optical-fiber-based p osition-sensitive detector and a few of its applications. The polished tip of a multimode fiber serves as an aperture with finite width and an avalanche photodiode coupled to the other end of the fiber function s as the optical detector. We demonstrate the utility of this detector system for imaging and mirage effect studies. Measurements made on a bulk sample of potassium nitrate (KNO3) undergoing phase transition an d surface imaging of a patterned brass disk are giver as illustrations .