Review of interferometric optical fibrehydrophone technology

Optical fibre hydrophone systems have been developed in recent years for a variety of sonar applications, and the technology has now reached a stage where it is able to compete with well established piezoelectric alternatives. A wide range of different techniques has been developed but the most promising are those based on interferometry. Successful development in this field relies on combining existing hydrophone design techniques with the latest optical system and component developments. The author reviews the current status of interferometric optical hydrophone technology, addressing developments in a number of key technology areas such as interrogation techniques, system multiplexing, polarisation control and hydrophone design. Recent advances in optical sources and components are discussed, together with the use of new techniques such as optical amplification which may lead to considerable increases in system performance. The possible impact of the technology on future sonar systems is briefly discussed.