Fiber optic sensor

A sensor for determining an environmental effect, the sensor comprising:

• a light source producing a light;
• a sensing element optically coupled to said light source such that said light propagates through said sensing element;
• a detector optically coupled to said sensing element, said detector being configured to detect an intensity of said light propagating in said sensing element and to produce a detector output indicative of said intensity;
• and,
• an electronics processor having a receiver to receive said detector output and logic to produce a modulation drive signal for said light based on said detector output, said electronics processor further having an output at which said electronics processor produces an output signal indicative of said environmental effect as a function of said modulation signal.

A sensor for determining an environmental effect, the sensor comprising:

• a light source producing a light;
• a sensing element optically coupled to said light source such that said light propagates through said sensing element;
• a detector optically coupled to said sensing element, said detector being configured to detect an intensity of said light propagating in said sensing element and to produce a detector output indicative of said intensity;
• an electronics processor having a receiver to receive said detector output and to produce a modulation signal for said light based on said detector output, said electronics processor further having an output at which said electronics processor produces an output signal indicative of said environmental effect as a function of said modulation signal;
• and,
• an integrated optics device connected to said electronics processor and further connected to a first optical coupler, said first optical coupler being connected to said light source and said detector, said integrated optics device being further connected to a second optical coupler, said second optical coupler being connected to said sensing element.

A method of sensing an environmental effect upon a sensing element, the method comprising:

• exposing said sensing element to said environmental effect;
• producing a light signal in said sensing element;
• modulating said light signal with a modulation signal;
• determining a path length of said light signal as a function of a time delay in said modulated light signal;
• and,
• providing an output indicative of said environmental effect based on said path length.