Dr. Alexis Mendez
President/Owner/Independent Consultant at MCH Engineering LLC
SPIE Involvement:
Conference Program Committee | Editor | Author | Instructor
Area of Expertise:
Fiber Optics , Optical Fiber Sensors , Fiber Bragg Gratings
Profile Summary

Dr. Alexis Méndez is President of MCH Engineering LLC, a consulting firm specializing in optical fiber sensing technology. Dr. Mendez has over 20 years of experience in optical fiber technology, sensors and instrumentation. He was the former Group Leader of the Fiber Optic Sensors Lab within ABB Corporate Research (USA) where he led R&D activities for the development of fiber sensors for use in industrial plant, oil & gas, and high voltage electric power applications. He has written 50 technical publications, taught several short courses on fiber sensors, holds 5 US patents and is recipient of an R&D100 award. He was past chairman of the International Optical Fiber Sensors Conference (OFS-18); is editor of the “Specialty Optical Fibers Handbook”; and is a Fellow of SPIE. Dr. Mendez holds a PhD. degree in Electrical Engineering from Brown University.
Publications (19)

Proceedings Article | 18 April 2021 Presentation
Proceedings Volume 11773, 1177306 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2596190

Proceedings Article | 26 June 2017 Paper
Proceedings Volume 10329, 103291X (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2276584
KEYWORDS: Sensors, Fiber Bragg gratings, Fiber optics sensors, Environmental sensing, Optical coatings, Optical fibers, Aerospace engineering, Temperature metrology, Glasses, Environmental monitoring

Proceedings Article | 22 June 2016 Presentation
Andres Salazar-Ferro, Alexis Mendez
Proceedings Volume 9803, 98031J (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2219542
KEYWORDS: Sensors, Fiber Bragg gratings, Optical fibers, Corrosion, Reliability, Soil science, Landslides, Environmental monitoring, Environmental sensing, Smart structures

SPIE Press Book | 7 January 2015
KEYWORDS: Sensors, Fiber optics sensors, Fiber optics, Fiber Bragg gratings, Optical fibers, Temperature metrology, Reflectivity, Scattering, Rayleigh scattering, Light scattering

Proceedings Article | 29 May 2013 Paper
T. Haber, S. Ferguson, D. Guthrie, T. Graver, B. Soller, Alexis Mendez
Proceedings Volume 8722, 872206 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2018772
KEYWORDS: Fiber Bragg gratings, Sensors, Temperature metrology, Thermal effects, Fiber optics sensors, Ocean optics, Thermography, Thermal sensing, Composites, Glasses

Showing 5 of 19 publications
Proceedings Volume Editor (16)

SPIE Conference Volume | 19 June 2023

SPIE Conference Volume | 13 May 2021

SPIE Conference Volume | 26 July 2019

SPIE Conference Volume | 31 July 2018

SPIE Conference Volume | 27 July 2018

Showing 5 of 16 publications
Conference Committee Involvement (52)
Specialty Optical Fibres 2025
7 April 2025 | Prague, Czech Republic
Optical Waveguide and Laser Sensors III
22 April 2024 | National Harbor, Maryland, United States
Optical Waveguide and Laser Sensors II
1 May 2023 | Orlando, Florida, United States
Specialty Optical Fibres
24 April 2023 | Prague, Czech Republic
Fiber Optic Sensors and Applications XVIII
4 April 2022 | Orlando, Florida, United States
Showing 5 of 52 Conference Committees
Course Instructor
SC981: Biomedical and Biosensing Applications of Optical Fibers and Fiber Sensors
This course provides a broad overview of optical fiber sensing principles and techniques used for biomedical applications. It also presents the current status and trends in the healthcare industry, detailing the medical needs that demand the use of optical fibers and fiber-based sensors, as well as market characteristics. A broad review of fiber optic sensor (FOS) technologies is made, describing their operating principles, associated components (such as light sources, detectors, couplers, polarizers, etc.), and the specialty fiber types required for biomedical sensing system integration. Specific sensing techniques and devices for the detection/measurement of different biomedical parameters are made along with illustrative case examples and commercial success stories. Besides reviewing sensors, other uses of specialty optical fibers for biomedical devices — such as endoscopes, imaging, and laser delivery, among others — will be briefly made. The course also analyses the technical and clinical challenges associated with the design, developing, prototyping and certification of fiber optic biomedical devices.
SC945: Optical Fiber Sensing Technology: Basic Principles & Applications in Defense and Security
This course describes optical fiber sensing principles and technology, as well as the associated specialty fiber types and components required for their system integration. A broad overview of diverse applications is made with a particular emphasis on defense and security. Key fiber sensing solutions will be reviewed including the usage of the Sagnac interferometer (fiber optic gyro—FOG) for guidance and control; acoustic detection and distributed sensing (using interferometric as well as Rayleigh, Raman and Brillouin scattering techniques) for underwater intrusion detection, littoral monitoring and perimeter security; fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) for localization and identification of damage—in vessels and aircraft—and for bio-chemical agent detection. Other relevant fiber sensors and applications in non-defense applications such as oil & gas, civil structures, energy, will be described as well.
SC736: Optical Fiber Sensing Technology for Chemical, Bio-Medical and Food Applications
This course provides a broad overview of optical fiber sensing principles and techniques for chemical and biological (CB), as well as medical and food sensing applications. The course is divided into three parts. Part I provides an introduction of optical fiber sensors, their different types, associated components and specialty fiber types required for CB sensing system integration. In Part II, a review of different types of chemical and biological fiber sensors is made (based on VIS-UV-IR absorption, optical spectroscopy, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, evanescent fields, Raman, and others), along with discussions on reactive agents, detection techniques, data analysis and interpretation. Part III focuses on the use of FO sensors in the food industry for quality and safety inspection, discussing the basic principles of eat-by-light. Throughout the course emphasis is placed on practical applications and actual industrial and biotechnology solutions.
SC709: Optical Fiber Sensing Technology for Structural Health Monitoring & Smart Structures
This course is divided into two parts. Part I provides a broad overview of optical fiber sensing principles and the associated components required for system integration. Emphasis is placed on reviewing the various sensor types and their use on practical applications. In Part II, a review of strain & stress measurement using optical fiber sensors-- such as fiber Bragg gratings—is made, along with discussions on sensor placement & installation, data analysis and interpretation, design considerations and operational principles of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). To reinforce the theoretical concepts and illustrate the practical aspects of the technology, a number of hands-on demonstrations of fiber-instrumented models and structural elements will be available.
SC673: Optical Fiber Sensing Technology: Principles, Components & Applications
This course provides a broad overview of optical fiber sensing principles and applications, as well as the associated specialty fiber types and components required for system integration. The course concentrates on reviewing the various sensor types and their operation with emphasis on practical applications and actual industrial solutions.
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