FIBER OPTIC SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

A system and method are provided for converting an electrical signal to an optical signal for a fiber optic system. The electrical signal produced by a sensor (10) based upon a parameter being measured is connected across a material (12, 34, 40) that changes dimension responsive to an applied electrical signal. An optical fiber (14, 30, 38) is coupled to the material (12, 34, 40) where dimension changes of the material (12, 34, 40) produce strain in the optical fiber (14, 30, 38). This strain is operable to affect light traveling through the optical fiber (14, 30, 38) to produce an optical signal for a fiber optic system. The sensor (10) can be a geophone or a hydrophone, and the material (12, 34, 40) that changes dimension can be a piezoelectric ceramic cylinder, a PVDF film, or other piezo-polymer material.