Fiber-optic remote multisensor system based on an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF)

This paper describes a new fiber-optic multisensor based on an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) and capable of remote sensing using a multioptical fiber array (MOFA). A two-dimensional charge-coupled device (CCD) was used as a detector, and the AOTF was used as a wavelength selector. Unlike a tunable grating or prism-based monochromator, an AOTP has no moving parts, and an AOTF can be rapidly tuned to any wavelength in its operating range within microseconds. The large aperture of the AOTF allows the optical signal from over 100 fiber-optic sensors to be measured simultaneously. These characteristics, combined with their small size, make AOTFs an important new alternative to conventional monochromators, especially for spectral multisensing and imaging. A prototype fiber-optic multisensor system has been developed, and its feasibility for simultaneous detection of molecular luminescence signal via fiber-optic probes is demonstrated.