Fiber optics is the established technology for high bandwidth-distance transmission in modern communications. The large investment and innovation made in developing this mass-market application has been leveraged in a number of commercial successes in the sensor sector as well. Among these, the most noteworthy all involve intrinsic sensor technology in which optical fiber itself is the sensing medium, such as fiber interferometers, resonant devices (Bragg gratings), and nonlinear systems.
Although highly sophisticated, these sensors can be considered first generation. The unprecedented level of investment made in optical technology at the turn of the century has brought significant improvements and new technology to apply to optical sensor technology. QOREX is working to channel these innovations to herald a next generation of intrinsic sensor products that promise to provide evolutionary improvement to current fiber optic sensors, and revolutionary performance to trigger penetration into new applications as a replacement to legacy technologies.
Market Opportunities for Photonic and Optical Fiber Sensors - OFC 2007
