Trends in Bragg Grating Technology for Optical Fiber Sensor Applications

Abstract

Fiber Bragg gratings have found widespread and successful applications in optical sensor systems, e. g. for temperature, strain or refractive index measurements. Such sensor elements are fiber integrated, are applicable under harsh environmental conditions, and can be easily multiplexed. In order to further extend the field of applications, there is a great interest in specifically adapted Bragg gratings, in Bragg grating structures with increased stability, or in the use of special fiber types for grating inscription. The paper discusses such specific concepts for grating inscription, covers novel aspects of fiber gratings in small diameter fibers or in fiber tapers, of gratings in pure silica fibers without UV sensitivity, of grating inscription in different microstructured fibers or photonic crystal fibers, and investigates the concept of femtosecond inscription and the extension of the Bragg reflection wavelengths down to the visible range.