Polarization properties of smart structures based on highly birefringent fibers

This paper presents results of extended studies on polarization interferometry in fiber optic smart structures. The smart structures consisted of highly birefringent (Hi- Bi) bow-tie and different types of side-hole fibers embedded in a cylindrical epoxy cylinder. The objective was to investigate and compare optical properties of different types of smart structures subjected to selected deformation effects mostly induced by hydrostatic pressure (up to 300 MPa) and temperature, whereas polarization properties of the transmitted optical signal have been investigated. Furthermore, a new experimental set-up was proposed based on the use of fiber optic connectors that make the whole system easy to handle.