Fiber-tip micro-cavity for temperature and transverse load sensing.

A low cost fiber-optic micro-cavity interferometric sensor is presented. The micro-cavity is fabricated at the fiber tip by splicing a silica capillary to a single mode fiber and then heating/melting the capillary to form a microsphere with an internal air cavity. Applications of the micro-cavity sensor for temperature and traverse load measurements are demonstrated. The sensor has small size and good mechanical strength, and may be used in high temperature environment.