Patent ID: 6885785
Filing Date: 2005-04-26
Classification: B29C,B29K,C03C,G01B,G01D,G01M,G01N,G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical sensor comprising: an optical fiber; a fiber grating embedded within said optical fiber, said grating having a reflection wavelength bandwidth of a reflectivity profile for reflecting incident light; a coating of a material having a predetermined thickness and being around the circumference and along the length of said fiber grating, said coating exerting forces radially inward around and along said grating so as to cause said wavelength bandwidth of said reflectivity profile of said grating to become broader than it would be without said coating, wherein said forces on said grating are reduced when said coating is at least partially removed, thereby causing the wavelength bandwidth of said reflectivity profile of said grating to narrow which provides an optical parameter for sensing removal of said coating; and a detector for sensing removal of said coating by utilizing said optical parameter to detect narrowing of the wavelength bandwidth of said reflectivity profile of said grating.