Method of detecting the variation of the diameter of an optical fibre and method of making an optical fibre.

摘要

A luminous source (2) comprises a helium-neon laser (20) and expander (21). The resulting beam (F) is directed transversely across an optical fibre (1) and some light is diffused within a narrow sector defined by angles of 90 and 100 degrees from the direction of the incident light. The diffused light is measured by an array of CCD diodes which detects the variation of intensity over the sector covered. A processor (4) compares successive patterns of lighting intensity and the changes detected indicate corresponding differences in the diameter of the optical fibre.