System and method for monitoring environmental effects using optical sensors

1. An apparatus for use with an optical sensor, said apparatus comprising:

a source emitting radiation at an emission wavelength;

a wavelength meter coupled to monitor said emission wavelength;

means for varying said emission wavelength coupled to said wavelength meter;

an optical path guiding said radiation to said optical sensor and guiding a response radiation from said optical sensor;

a detector generating a response signal to said response radiation; and

an analysis module which analyzes said response signal and determines therefrom a physical parameter by:

detecting peaks in said response signal by applying a threshold level;

identifying a full width half maximum of each peak;

identifying a centroid of each peak from one full width half maximum; and

making a fit to each peak.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said source is a laser.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said laser is selected from the group consisting of External Cavity Diode lasers, Distributed Bragg Reflector lasers, and fiber lasers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said fit is a best fit curve.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said optical sensor is selected from the group consisting of Bragg Grating and Fabry-Perot elements.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said optical path comprises an optical fiber and said Bragg Grating is a Fiber Bragg Grating.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said means for varying said emission wavelength comprises a laser tuner.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said laser tuner comprises a scanner for scanning said emission wavelength.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said laser tuner comprises a sweeper for sweeping said emission wavelength.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said optical path comprises a waveguide.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tap for tapping said radiation and coupling said radiation to said wavelength meter for monitoring said emission wavelength.

12. A method for determining a physical parameter affecting an optical sensor, said method comprising:

emitting a radiation having an emission wavelength;

providing an optical path for said radiation to said optical sensor and for a response radiation from said optical sensor;

varying said emission wavelength;

generating a response signal from said response radiation; and

determining said physical parameter by:

detecting peaks in said response signal by applying a threshold level;

identifying a full width half maximum of each peak;

identifying a centroid of each peak from the full width half maximum; and

making a fit to each peak.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said optical sensor produces said response radiation by a varying a property of said radiation, said property being selected from the group consisting of transmittance, reflectance, absorbance and polarization.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said emission wavelength is varied continuously.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said emission wavelength is swept.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said emission wavelength is varied discontinuously.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said emission wavelength is scanned.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said making a fit comprises making a fit selected from the group consisting of a polynomial fit, a Lorentzian fit and a Gaussian fit.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein said physical parameter is selected from the group consisting of temperature, strain and pressure.

20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising tapping said radiation and monitoring said emission wavelength.