| 摘要 |
<p>A distributed fiber-optic sensor is obtained by using cladding (14) that produces a change in the intensity of backscattered light (20) in the optical fiber in response to a change in the environment of the cladding (14). A sensing means such as an optical time domain refractometer is used to determine the change in intensity of the backscatter light (20) at a specific location along the fiber. The change in intensity of the backscattered light (20) is caused by overall changes in the amount of light in the cladding (14) and changes in the number, size or both of the refractive index inhomogeneities in the cladding (14). These inhomogeneities can be, but are not limited to, composition variations, density variations of the same composition, phase separations, voids, or particulate inclusions.</p> |
