Fibre
Optic Amplifiers
A Fibre Optic Amplifier can be considered as a simple
light source and detector. A particularly useful feature of such fibre optic
sensors is that they can, if required, provide distributed sensing over
distances of up to several meters.
A major benefit of fibre optic sensors is their ability
to reach places which are otherwise inaccessible such as ATEX installations,
confined machine tooling, high temperature area. (-30 up to +160 degrees).
Optical fibres are very versatile and can be used as
sensors for through beams, reflective or analogue type applications.
An optical fibre is a glass or plastic fibre that carries light along its length. Fibre optics is the overlap of applied science
and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibres.
Fibres are used instead of metal wires because signals
travel along them with less loss, and they are also immune to electromagnetic
interference. Specially designed fibres are used for a variety of other
applications, including sensors and fibre lasers.
Light is kept in the core of the optical fibre by total
internal reflection. This causes the fibre to act as a waveguide. Joining lengths
of optical fibre is more complex than joining electrical wire or cable. The
ends of the fibres must be carefully cleaved, and then spliced together either
mechanically or by fusing them together with an electric arc. Special
connectors are used to make removable connections.