Optical fibers can be used as sensors to measure strain, temperature, pressure and other quantities by modifying a fiber so that the quantity to be measured modulates the intensity, phase, polarization, wavelength or transit time of light in the fiber. They can detect very small objects, are particularly flexible to mount and are extremely resistant in harsh environments – even in high temperatures. A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal. This signal can then be measured by an instrument or interpreted by a user. In essence, a sensor reacts to a physical, chemical, or biological condition. For example, a thermocouple is a sensor that detects. Through-beam sensors: Through-beam sensors detect when an object interrupts the light beam between the transmitter and receiver. The reflective properties. A fiber-optic sensor is a sensor that uses optical fiber either as the sensing element ("intrinsic sensors"), or as a means of relaying signals from a remote sensor to the electronics that process the signals ("extrinsic sensors"). Fibers have many uses in remote sensing. Radiation absorption creates electronic excited states that are trapped by localized defects for extended periods of time.