QUASI-DISTRIBUTED FIBER BEND AND TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT IN FEMTOSECOND LASER-STRUCTURED POF.

We propose to use focused femtosecond laser pulses to inscribe scattering damage in the core of polymer optical fibers for interrogation as quasi-distributed sensor points by optical time domain reflectometry. Fiber bend measurement is demonstrated on off-center inscribed sensor points and absolute temperature measurement is presented by evaluation of the constant backscatter intensities from the inscribed structures relative to temperature-dependent Rayleigh scattering. Application possibilities and limitations of this new approach are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]