Fibre Optic Sensor Systems for Damage Control. Phase 1.

Abstract : The work represents phase one, a conceptual design phase, of a four phase programme and is based on the STC response to an NRL request for proposal. The RFP sought the development of fibre optic sensor systems for damage control, system control or intrusion defence. STC's proposal addressed the development of frequency-out, microengineered fibre optic sensors for pressure, temperature and status monitoring and a fibre optic sensor, based on light scattering principles, for smoke detection. These sensors, and their associated signal processing, telemetry and display, formed the main elements of a system proposed for use in damage control. The emphasis of the work under this programme has shifted somewhat from that originally proposed in order to reflect NRL's request for STC to focus on sensor capability, to limit effort on conventional system studies and to give a minimal treatment to aspects such as the use of MIL qualified components and the design of the telemetry and display parts of the system. The work has therefore tended to be applications independent and is of relevance to other sensing applications in addition to those associated with damage control.