A novel multimode fiber-optic differential pressure sensor based on a
rotating reflector is described. This sensing technique can automatica
lly compensate the influence of source fluctuation, the losses in the
input fiber, and the changes in reflectivity of the reflecting surface
. Furthermore, if all the fibers are in one cable and subject to the s
ame bending, much of the noise associated with fiber-bend losses will
also be cancelled out. By the symmetric compensation principle, a pair
of pressure-transfer devices was used in the fiber-optic differential
pressure transducer, which can automatically compensate the effect of
temperature on the sensor. To test this transducer, a prototype senso
r has been constructed and the test results are given here.