Lateral Stress Detection Using a Tapered Fiber Mach–Zehnder Interferometer

In this letter, a novel approach to measure local lateral stress using a tapered fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (TFMZI) is proposed and demonstrated. The transmission spectra of the TFMZI are measured under different transverse pressures and loading positions. The responses of the TFMZI are analyzed in a spatial frequency domain by fast Fourier transform of the corresponding transmission spectra. The proposed approach allows an effective detection of lateral stress-induced fiber deformation at different positions along a TFMZI.