Abstract: A fiber laser sensor has a fiber laser (FL) with two reflectors in the form of a first and a second Bragg grating (4, 5) and a fiber segment (3) arranged in between. The first Bragg grating (4) is arranged in a temperature-sensitive fashion. The second Bragg grating is a chirped Bragg grating (5) whose central wavelength is stabilized with regard to temperature changes. By means of this sensor, temperature and pressure can simultaneously be measured separately from one another, beat frequencies of orthogonal polarization eigenmodes of the fiber laser (FL) being a measure of the pressure and beat frequencies of longitudinal modes being a measure of the temperature.

Abstract: An optical sensing unit is provided which comprises at least one sample measurement cell, at least one excitation light source acting upon the or each measurement cell to provide one or more sensor fields defining an array of measurement fields, a photoelectric detector array for detecting the intensity of light emitted from the or each measurement cell in response to excitation light, and means for directing light emitted from each measurement field to a respective portion of the photoelectric detector array. The sensing unit may be used in combination with multiplexed waveguide arrays or multiplexed planar cappillary chromatography or electrophoresis chips.

Abstract: A method for generating quasi-sinusoidal signals includes illuminating an object capable of diffusely scattering light, focusing a portion of the scattered light on a multi-element sensor to form an image, and matching the image size to the size of the sensor elements.

Abstract: The invention concerns the generation of synthetic light wavelengths in which light from a first light source (D.sub.1) is coupled into a common light path section (L.sub.G1) and its average frequency value (.nu..sub.1) is locked with a resonant frequency (.nu..sub.1) of the Fabry-Perot resonator (R). The light from a second light source (D.sub.2) is coupled into the common light path section (L.sub.G1) and its average frequency value (.nu..sub.2) is set in order to reach a subsequent resonant frequency (.nu..sub.2) of the Fabry-Perot resonator (R) and be locked therewith. A beat frequency (.DELTA..nu..sub.12), which is measured by electronic counters whilst a corresponding measured frequency value (f.sub.12) is prepared, is formed between the frequencies (.nu..sub.1, .nu..sub.2) of the light from the two light sources (D.sub.1, D.sub.2). The light from at least one further light source (D.sub.i) is coupled into the common light path section (L.sub.G1) and its average frequency value (.nu..sub.

Abstract: The force measuring apparatus includes a single-mode optical fiber having a defined anisotropy, whereby coherent light suppled to one end of the optical fiber is guided as two waves having linear orthogonal polarizations, respectively. The optical fiber is arranged between a pair of parallel planar pressure plates, the orientation of the optical fiber being such that the aforementioned linear polarizations are parallel with and normal to the remote surfaces of the pressure plates, respectively. Upon the application of a force to be measured in the compressive direction normal to one remote surface of a plate, a phase shift is produced between the waves which is a function of the magnitude of the load to be measured, as determined by interferometer means arranged at the other end of the optical fiber.