Optical sensor fiber with protective jacketing layers

1. A sensor array comprising:

an optical fiber comprising a core layer, a cladding layer over the core layer, a buffer layer over the cladding layer, an outer jacketing layer over the buffer layer, and one or more FBG's formed in the core layer, cladding layer, or both, said jacketing layer having a composition and thickness adapted to the intended use environment for said optical fiber; and

a mandrel around which the optical fiber is wound to form at least a portion of the sensor array.

2. The sensor array of claim 1 wherein said core layer is made of glass, said cladding layer is made of glass, and said jacketing layer is made of Hytrel.RTM.-curable coating.

3. The sensor array of claim 1 wherein said core layer has a thickness in the range of about 1 to about 20 microns, said cladding layer has a thickness in the range of about 10 to about 200 microns, said buffer layer has a thickness in the range of about 20 to about 400 microns, and said outer jacketing layer has a thickness in the range of about 100 to about 900 microns.

4. The sensor array of claim 1 wherein said core layer is made of glass and has a thickness in the range of about 1 to about 20 microns, said cladding layer is made of glass and has a thickness in the range of about 10 to about 200 microns, said buffer layer comprises of polymer and has a thickness in the range of about 20 to about 400 microns, and said outer jacketing layer is made of Hytrel.RTM. and has a range of about 100 to about 900 microns.

5. The sensor array of claim 1 , further comprising an epoxy coating over the at least a portion of the sensor array.

6. The sensor array of claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is configured as a hydrophone mandrel.

7. The method of making a sensor array comprising forming an optical fiber that includes a core layer, a cladding layer over the core layer, a buffer layer over the cladding layer, and one or more FRG's formed in the core layer, cladding layer, or both, and a jacketing layer having a composition and thickness adapted to the intended use environment for said optical fiber, comprising drawing over said buffer layer the outer jacketing layer in the form of heat-softened tubular jacketing material, cooling said jacketing material to shrink said jacketing layer onto said buffer layer, and forming said optical fiber into a sensor array, forming an epoxy layer over the sensor array.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein forming said optical fiber into a sensor array comprises wrapping said optical fiber around a hydrophone mandrel to form at least a portion of the sensor array.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein drawing over said buffer layer the outer jacketing layer comprises drawing over said buffer layer the outer jacketing layer having a thickness of about 100 microns to about 900 microns.

10. The method of making a sensor array comprising forming an optical fiber That includes a core layer, a cladding layer over the core layer, a buffer layer over the cladding layer, and one or more FBG's formed in the core layer, cladding layer, or both, and a jacketing layer having a composition and thickness adapted to the intended use environment for said optical fiber, comprising applying said jacketing layer as a liquid, allowing said jacketing layer to solidify, and forming said optical fiber into a sensor array, forming an epoxy layer over the sensor array.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein forming said optical fiber into a sensor array comprises wrapping said optical fiber around a hydrophone mandrel to form at least a portion of the sensor array.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein drawing over said buffer layer the outer jacketing layer comprises drawing over said buffer layer the outer jacketing layer having a thickness of about 100 microns to about 900 microns.