Fiber Optic Vector Sensor Sonobuoy System Navy SBIR FY2012.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2012.2 Topic No.: N122-113 Topic Title: Fiber Optic Vector Sensor Sonobuoy System Proposal No.: N122-113-0283 Firm: VIP Sensors 32242 Paseo Adelanto Suite C San Juan Capistrano, California 92675-3610 Contact: Alex Karolys Phone: (949) 429-3558 Web Site: www.vipsensors.com Abstract: VIP Sensors proposes to develop a very low noise, highly sensitive Fiber Optic Vector Sensor (FOVS) System packaged in a size - A sonobuoy. The FOVS includes a triaxial optical accelerometer, an omnidirectional optical hydrophone and an optical compass. Only a pair of single mode optic fibers interconnects the fully passive vector sensor located below sea level to the sonobuoy's Surface Electronic System. The FOVS measures the amplitude and direction of sound wave and provides its spatial orientation regarding the magnetic north and its pitch relative to the horizon. All the sensors are Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Fiber Optic MEMS devices built with spectrally selective micro-mirrors designed to be sensitive only to one particular measurand: acceleration or pressure or to the earth magnetic field. Each the sensors operate at a unique optical wavelength range within the C and L telecommunication bands. The FOVS is configured as two sensor segments in parallel, separated by an optical time delay, one segment has three accelerometers and a hydrophone, the other has three magnetic sensors that make up the compass. The Interrogation Module separates the signal spectrum of the sensors in a given segment, in a Wave Division Multiplexing fashion; and time multiplexes the sensor segments. Benefits: The novel Extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric MEMS sensor technology, used in the proposed Fiber Optic Sensor System, allows the fabrication of different types of high performance optical sensors. The optical sensor array concept can be expanded to other optical sensors such as accelerometers, pressure gages, microphones, magnetometers, temperature sensors, etc. The Navy and test & monitoring communities in general will welcome the ability to implement large networked arrays of micro-miniature, passive optical sensors. The high performing micro-miniature Fiber Optic Sensor System and the innovative technology that comes out of Phase I and II are not only applicable to acoustic arrays within the Navy, but also to many other fields where passive sensors of small size, high accuracy, robustness and networking features are important. Some of these applications are Flight Testing, Wind Tunnel Testing, Structural Testing, Structural Monitoring, Airplane, Satellite and Ship Monitoring. Return