Single-end-access strain and temperature sensing based on multimodal interference in polymer optical fibers

Abstract

We develop a single-end-access strain/temperature sensor configuration based on multimodal interference in a polymer optical fiber (POF) with an extremely high sensitivity. The light Fresnel-reflected at the distal open end of the POF is exploited. We obtain high strain and temperature sensitivities of –122.2 pm/µε and 10.1 nm/°C, respectively, which are shown to be comparable to those in two-end-access configurations.