A method of modifying a über optic fused biconical tapered coupler to produce a relatively
temperature insensitive Michelson interferometer is presented. The modification was
accomplished by cleaving the coupler after the minimum taper region and polishing,
perpendicular to the endface, to a point just short of the interaction region. This allows one
of the two fiber cores, which are within micrometers of each other with their claddings
fused together, to be coated at its endface with a reflecting material. This reflecting core
serves as the reference arm, while the other core serves as the sensing arm. Variations in
the method of fabrication of the sensor are described. Because of the close proximity and
short length of the reference and sensing arms, the interferometer is temperature
insensitive.
The miniaturized Michelson interferometer is characterized and its limitations are discussed.
A surface acoustic wave detection scheme is successfully demonstrated. Results of a
magnetic field sensor using the miniaturized Michelson interferometer and a
magnetostrictive material are presented.
next to an author's name indicates that all files or directories associated with their ETD are accessible from the Virginia Tech campus network only.
![[VT]](http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/images/ETD-db/restricted.gif)
