Compensating for non-ideal multi-core optical fiber structure

An interferometric measurement system, comprising:

• a spun optical fiber including multiple optical waveguides configured in the fiber;
• a memory configured to store compensation parameters that compensate for variations between an optimal configuration of the multiple optical waveguides in the spun optical fiber and an actual configuration of multiple optical waveguides in the spun optical fiber;
• interferometric detection circuitry configured to detect measurement interferometric pattern data associated with each of the multiple optical waveguides when the optical fiber is under a strain;
• and
• data processing circuitry configured to apply the compensation parameters to the detected measurement interferometric pattern data in order to distinguish between axial strain, bend strain, and twist strain on the fiber and to accurately determine one or more strain values for the fiber corresponding to one or more of the axial strain, bend strain, or twist strain on the fiber.

An interferometric measurement method for measuring a spun optical fiber including multiple optical waveguides configured in the fiber, comprising:

• detecting measurement interferometric pattern data associated with each of the multiple optical waveguides when the spun optical fiber is placed into a bend;
• data processing circuitry determining compensation parameters that compensate for variations between an optimal configuration of the multiple optical waveguides in the spun optical fiber and an actual configuration of multiple optical waveguides in the spun optical fiber based on the detected measurement interferometric pattern data;
• and
• storing in memory the compensation parameters for compensating subsequently-obtained measurement interferometric pattern data for the fiber.