Electric field detection with a piezoelectric polymer-jacketed single-mode optical fiber

Abstract

The detection of electric fields with a piezoelectric polymer-jacketed single-mode optical fiber is proposed. The polymer-jacketed fiber is incorporated as the sensing arm of a Mach-Zehnder fiber-optic interferometer. Calculations are presented for the fractional phase change/unit electric field strength of monochromatic light propagating in a poly(vinylidene fluoride)-jacketed fiber as a function of jacket radius. A minimum detectable field strength of 6.0 microV/m is estimated for a 1-km length of jacketed fiber.