An error analysis of two-wavelength absorption-based fibre-optic sensors is
presented in this paper. A general formulation to express the measurement
error and the error induced by the instability of the light power input int
o the absorbing sample to be measured is derived. Using this formulation, t
wo common and important errors in this type of sensor, temperature fluctuat
ion of light sources and bending optical fibres, are numerically discussed
as illustrative examples. The analyses can be applied to both transmission-
type and reflection-type absorption-based fibre-optic sensors. (C) 2001 Els
evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.