We describe a fiber optic voltage sensor with optically controlled sensitiv
ity, The sensor operates at two widely separated wavelengths (633 and 976 n
m), one of which is a control signal (976 nm), We show that at a properly c
hosen wavelength of the control signal and of the phase-retarding element,
variations of the power of the control signal allow increases or decreases
in the sensitivity of the sensor. A theoretical analysis of sensitivity as
a function of the optical power of a control signal is presented. We have d
emonstrated experimentally variation of the sensor's sensitivity from 0.01%
to 0 per 1 V-rms of control power changes in the range of 0-7 mu W.