A process which uses electroplating methods has been developed to fabricate metal coated optical fiber sensors. The elastic-plastic characteristics of the metal coatings have been exploited to develop a sensor capable of `remembering' low velocity impact damage. These sensors have been investigated under uniaxial tension testing of unembedded sensors and under low velocity impact of graphite/epoxy specimens with embedded sensors using both Michelson and polarimetric optical arrangements. The tests show that coating properties alter the optical fiber sensor performance and that the permanent deformation in the coating can be used to monitor composite delamination/impact damage.

Date Published: 12 July 1993
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 1918, Smart Structures and Materials 1993: Smart Sensing, Processing, and Instrumentation, (12 July 1993); doi: 10.1117/12.147970

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1918:
Smart Structures and Materials 1993: Smart Sensing, Processing, and Instrumentation
Richard O. Claus, Editor(s)