THEORETICAL-ANALYSIS OF THE TORSION-INDUCED OPTICAL EFFECT IN A PLASTIC OPTICAL-FIBER

We have analyzed the optical effects induced by a torsion stress in a plastic optical fiber (POF). As a result of the torsion, the POF becom es biaxial and inhomogeneous. The new principal axes of the optical in dicatrix and the new indices of refraction referred to them depend ore the torsion strength, on the fiber transverse coordinates, and on the difference between the two components of the stress-optical tensor [q ]. The changes in the indices of refraction are expected to be slightl y smaller than those provoked by tensile oh bending stresses. (C) 1991 Academic Press.