FIBEROPTIC MICROBEND SENSOR STRUCTURE

We proposed and experimentally investigated a novel microbend sensor s tructure. The structure is composed of single-mode leads and multimode sensing fiber. The proposed structure exhibited a level of sensitivit y as much as six times higher than that of the classical microbend sen sor configuration when the same sensing fiber was used. Additionally, single-mode leads reduce lead noise and allow the use of more-coherent sources. The total loss of the proposed nondeformed structure is near 2 dB when the proper splicing method is used. (C) 1997 Optical Societ y of America.