Publications

Abstract not provided.

Abstract not provided.

The purpose of this LDRD was to study the effect of steady-state neutron and gamma irradiation on the transmission of waveguides designed to operate well in the near- or mid-IR region of the electromagnetic spectrum. In this context, near-IR refers to the region between 1.3 {mu}m and about 2.4 {mu}m, and mid-IR between 3.0 {mu}m and 4.5 {mu}m. Such radiation environments could exist in nuclear power plants or nuclear weapons. Pulsed and steady-state radiation effects had been extensively studied on silica-based optical fibers because they have been the most readily available, most widely used in communications and sensing, and the least expensive. However, silica-based fibers do not transmit well beyond about 1.8 {mu}m and they are virtually opaque in the mid-IR. The mid-IR, as defined above, and beyond, is where vibrational spectroscopy is carried out. This type of sensing is one important application of infrared optical fibers.

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In this paper, we discuss the primary characteristics and pitfalls associated with the use of Bragg Gratings for distributed temperature sensing, with particular attention to time-division multiplexing (TDM). Two pitfalls are intrinsic to a serial array of such gratings that use TDM: spectral shadowing and crosstalk. Two others involve strain in the fiber that masquerades as temperature and that could affect other methods of interrogating the gratings, in addition to TDM.

Abstract not provided.

Abstract not provided.