Design and characterization of a high temperature fiber-optic pressure transducer

We have measured the pressure response of a high temperature pressure transducer fabricated from a super alloy. This transducer contains a microbend fiber-optic sensor to measure diaphragm deflection and a reference fiber to help reduce light source fluctuations caused by perturbations in the fiber leads. The transducer was characterized at pressures up to 22.8 MPa and temperatures to 430°C. The experimental data taken at constant temperature shows a 0.58 percent (of full scale pressure) minimum deviation between the fiber-optic pressure transducer output and output of a calibrated gage pressure transducer. Over the entire temperature range of20-430, the fiber-optic pressure transducer output exhibits a 1.2-percent (of full scale pressure) maximum deviation from calibrated pressure.