This book describes the latest development in optical fiber
devices, and their applications to sensor technology. Optical fiber
sensors, an important application of the optical fiber, have
experienced fast development, and attracted wide attentions in
basic science as well as in practical applications. Sensing is
often likened to human sense organs. Optical fiber can not only
transport information acquired by sensors at high speed and large
volume, but also can play the roles of sensing element
itself. Compared with electric and other types of sensors,
fiber sensor technology has unique merits. It has advantages
over conventional bulky optic sensors, such as combination of
sensing and signal transportation, smaller size, and possibility of
building distributed systems. Fiber sensor technology has been
used in various areas of industry, transportation, communication,
security and defense, as well as daily life. Its importance
has been growing with the advancement of the technology and the
expansion of the scope of its application, a growth this book fully
describes.
