i ¥ sk i, A .W. Do ma¥ ski a n d M.A . Ka rpi er z Facult y of Phy sics, Warsa w U ni versity of T echnolo gy K oszy kowa 75, 00-662 W arszaw a, Polan d Polarization prop erties of the trans mitted optical signal in polarimetri c Ùb er-optic sensing systems for dynamic strain measurements as w ell as for smart structures applicati ons are presented . T he smart structure consists of highly biref ringen t Ùber emb edded in an ep oxy cylind er. PAC S numb ers: 42. 81.Gs, 42.81. Pa 1. I n t r o d

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... ct io n F i ber -opti c sensi ng systems are b eing presentl y tested i n a vari ety of smart str uctures and ski ns appl i cati ons [1{ 4]. In parti cul ar , po lari m etri c sensors wi t h hi ghl y bi ref ri ng ent ( HB) p ol ari zati on-m ai nta ini ng opti cal Ùbers ha ve focused a grea t interest for use i n con j uncti on wi th com posite m ateri al s. Thi s gro wi ng i nterest ha s been mai nl y m ani fested i n successful appl i cati ons of HB Ùbers i nto Ùber opti c sensors based on p olari m etri c i nterf erence [4]. An i nÛuence of a vari ety of physi cal para m eters on the mo de pro pa gati on i n HB Ùbers i s of special i mp orta nce, since a num b er of physi cal qua nti ti es can b e measured on the basis of the Ùbers. R ecentl y, the sui tabi l i ty of HB few-mode Ùbers for the m easurem ent of hydro sta ti c pressure , twi st, and sta ti c and dyna m i c stra i n has b een successful l y demonstra ted [4{ 9]. There is at present much e˜o rt to appl y p ol ari m etri c Ùber-opti c sensors to m easure stra i n in ai rcra ft or concrete structure s usi ng a concept of so-cal l ed smart ski ns and structure s. Smart structures or sma rt ski n are structura l comp onents wi th netwo rks of Ùber opti c sensors embedded i n the com p osite materi al m atri ces. The com po site materi al s are m ade fro m ep oxi es or p ol yi mi des. A m ore am bi tio us and com pl ex use of smart structures i nv olves l i nki ng Ùber opti c sensors wi th the rea l-ti m e com puter-contro l system s. In thi s m odel , Ùber-opti c sensors are emb edded i n a pa nel to b e i ntegra ted wi th the pl ane wi ng or the constructi on. The sensors moni to r envi ronm enta l e˜ects such as stra i n and bendi ng. In response to Ê corr esp on din g au t h o r; e-m ail : kon op ka@if .pw. ed u.p l ( 207)