Superluminescent Light Emitting Diodes (SLEDs) are used in fiber optic pressure sensors for strain and temperature measurements in civil engineering, structural analysis and composite material manufacturing applications, as well as in fiber optic current sensors. Fiber optic sensors have a number of advantages over traditional technologies like electrical strain gauges. Their immunity to electromagnetic fields, their ability to measure at many points along a single fiber - greatly improving the ease at which sensors can be multiplexed, and their ability to be embedded within, or bonded to, structures makes them a highly flexible solution.

Fiber optic strain sensors for strain measurements of civil engineering structures as well as fiber optic temperature sensors or fiber optic pressure sensors in hostile surroundings can exploit Superluminescent Light Emitting Diodes (SLEDs) characteristics. Monitoring of deformations (both static and dynamic) in civil structures is usually accomplished through interferometric techniques or reflectivity measurements based on Fiber Bragg gratings (FBG). For both measurement methods, a wide optical spectrum is required from the source. EXALOS offers SLEDs at many different wavelengths that provide the wide optical spectrums required by Fiber Optic Sensor applications.

The need to deploy fiber optic sensors over extended areas requires high power sources to ensure adequate optical power after multiple splitting of the light or after very long paths (several miles) without amplification. While the required intensities are impracticable for surface emitting Light Emitting Diodes (LED), edge-emitting light sources like Superluminescent Light Emitting Diodes (SLEDs) easily provide the required intensity levels. See our products page to learn more about the difference between LEDs and SLEDs.

In addition to their performance advantages, EXALOS's SLEDs have been qualified to BELLCORE GR-468-CORE. By successfully passing these rigorous Telecom qualification regimes, EXALOS has clearly demonstrated that our products have been robustly designed and manufactured.