Abstract

The evolution of science and technology of optical sensors has reached to a point that we can almost measure all physical parameters of interest and a broad range of biological and chemical quantities. Optical measurements are made in a wide variety of methods with a particular selection determined by factors such as local or remote operation, characteristics of the environment, and the size of the field being measured. For example, the measurement done on a point could be very different from the measurement done on a large two-dimensional surface or a large three-dimensional object. The incorporation of optical waveguides in the sensing process adds an interesting twist to this field. For example, the formation of modes in optical waveguides could be exploited for sensing, or measurement could be made on remote locations and in a large sensing network using optical fibers.