Strain sensing using long period gratings in microstructured polymer optical fibres

We investigate the use of long period gratings inscribed in single-mode microstructured polymer optical fibres for strain sensing. A simple inscription technique allows gratings to be inscribed with features at visible wavelengths, matching the transmission window of PMMA. Tracking of the grating features allows strains from 0.05% to over 20% to be detected, and the inscription of multiple gratings in the same fibre at different wavelengths allows for the possibility of distributed sensing.