Optical fibers can be used as sensors to measure temperature, pressure, and strain. A particularly useful feature of intrinsic fiber optic sensors is that they can provide distributed sensing over very large distances and are ideal for some oil and gas applications. Optical fibers are also used as hydrophones for applications such as seismic and sonar. Some hydrophone systems are quite complex and include more than one hundred sensors per cable.
Fibercore's specialty single-mode fibers have been used for many years in acoustic sensors and fiber hydrophones in sub-sea environments. The high-strength 2% and 3% proof-test options available on Fibercore’s bend-insensitive SM-series make them ideally suited for high-reliability fixed or towed (streamer) hydrophone arrays. The low-profile 80 µm variants and ultra-low profile (50 µm) of the SM1500 (4.2/50) deliver further enhancements to both lifetime and bend-insensitivity.
Our new range of polyimide-coated single-mode fibers have been designed specifically for the highly challenging environment of downhole sensors. Using the same polyimide coating of our HB-P fiber range, these fibers offer the bend insensitivity and photosensitivity of our high NA Single-mode fibers with the added benefit of being able to withstand short-term temperatures as high as 400 degrees C (and 300 degrees C continuous).