Optical Inclinometer Based on a Phase-Shifted Bragg Grating in a Taper Configuration

A simple optical inclinometer based on a phase-shifted Bragg grating in a taper configuration is proposed. Two phase-shifted fiber Bragg gratings were fabricated using a DUV femtosecond laser technique in the taper region, with taper waist diameters of 30 μm and 50 μm. Both sensing heads were compared based on their response to angle and strain. Whereas the higher diameter sensor yielded a higher sensitivity to curvature (23.8±0.3 pm/degree), the lower diameter one was more sensitive to strain (8.94±0.04 pm/μe).