Abstract
A fiber optic sensing system for simultaneous measurement of temperature and salinity based on fiber Bragg grating technology is presented. The fabrication process, which relies on chemical etching of the fibre, is described and its performance is evaluated. Theoretical and experimental results are given, which are summarized on the obtained resolutions of +/-0.06degreesC/ rootHz and +/- 0.2parts per thousand./ rootHz for temperature and salinity, respectively. (C) 2004 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Abstract
Semiconductor nano-particles, or quantum dots, with their relatively high quantum yields, narrow luminescence spectrum, outstanding photostability and the ability to tune their optical properties, are ideal for biological tagging applications and a very powerful tool for chemical sensors. In this paper an overview of this rapidly expanding area of research is presented. Additionally, some results are shown, in the framework of optical oxygen sensors, which establish quantum dots as suitable temperature and intensity references for application in luminescence based chemical sensors.

Abstract
A fibre Bragg grating sensing configuration is presented for simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature. The proposed concept relies on writing a single Bragg grating on the splice region of two fibres with different levels of germanium doping. Doing so, a grating structure appears with three resonance peaks, which show distinct temperature sensitivities but similar strain responses. The experimental validation of the concept indicated resolutions of +/-1.5 degreesC Hz(-1/2) and +/-5.6 muepsilon Hz(-1/2) over measurement ranges of 80 degreesC and 1000 muepsilon for temperature and strain, respectively.

Abstract
We used a pair of Bragg gratings written in high birefringence fibre optics to measure, simultaneously, longitudinal and transverse strain and temperature. The Bragg gratings are superimposed in the same position of the fibre optic, so as to behave as a punctual sensor. The sensitivity of the spectral response of the device to longitudinal strain, transverse strain and temperature are all characterized, and the results of its application as a three-parameter sensor are also presented.

Abstract
An optical fiber sensing system, for monitoring oxygen aiming in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) applications is presented. Oxygen detection is based on the dynamic quenching of the fluorescence of a ruthenium complex trapped in the porous structure of a sol-gel silica film. Oxygen concentration is determined by phase-modulation fluorometry. Preliminary results concerning the characterization of doped sol-gel thin films deposited by dip coating in glass slides and in optical fiber probes are presented. Four different probe configurations are tested and compared. Best results are obtained with a fiber taper configuration which shows reproducibility and best excitation efficiency. This structure is fully characterized and some considerations regarding optimal fiber optical sensing probes for 02 detection are addressed.

Abstract
In this study an optical fibre sensor system was conceived for simultaneous detection of the strain and the acoustic emission due to damage. It consists of a fibre Bragg grating and a Fabry-Perot interferometer. For the interrogation of the Fabry-Perot cavity, an innovative low cost process based on the generation of two quadrature phase-shifted signals using two fibre Bragg gratings was implemented, allowing the recovery of the change in the cavity length. An automated processing system, based on Kohonen's self-organizing maps is also presented, for future classification of the acoustic emission waves detected by the optic fibre sensor.