Interferometric Fiber Optic Sensors
23 Feb 2012-Sensors (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI))-Vol. 12, Iss: 3, pp 2467-2486
TL;DR: Each type of interferometric sensor is reviewed in terms of operating principles, fabrication methods, and application fields and some specific examples of recently reported interferometeric sensor technologies are presented in detail to show their large potential in practical applications.
Abstract: Fiber optic interferometers to sense various physical parameters including temperature, strain, pressure, and refractive index have been widely investigated. They can be categorized into four types: Fabry-Perot, Mach-Zehnder, Michelson, and Sagnac. In this paper, each type of interferometric sensor is reviewed in terms of operating principles, fabrication methods, and application fields. Some specific examples of recently reported interferometeric sensor technologies are presented in detail to show their large potential in practical applications. Some of the simple to fabricate but exceedingly effective Fabry-Perot interferometers, implemented in both extrinsic and intrinsic structures, are discussed. Also, a wide variety of Mach-Zehnder and Michelson interferometric sensors based on photonic crystal fibers are introduced along with their remarkable sensing performances. Finally, the simultaneous multi-parameter sensing capability of a pair of long period fiber grating (LPG) is presented in two types of structures; one is the Mach-Zehnder interferometer formed in a double cladding fiber and the other is the highly sensitive Sagnac interferometer cascaded with an LPG pair.
Citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, a refractometer based on an S-shaped dual tapered no-core (SDTN) fiber structure is proposed for low-range refractive index (RI) measurement.
8 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an optical method using the Mach-Zehnder interferometer was presented to diagnose pure nitrogen gas subjected to a point to plane corona discharge, and visualize the density spatial map.
Abstract: This work presents an optical method using the Mach–Zehnder interferometer. We especially diagnose a pure nitrogen gas subjected to a point to plane corona discharge, and visualize the density spatial map. The interelectrode distance equals 6 mm and the variation of the optical path has been measured at different pressures: 220 Torr, 400 Torr, and 760 Torr. The interferograms are recorded with a CCD camera, and the numerical analysis of these interferograms is assured by the inverse Abel transformation. The nitrogen density is extracted through the Gladstone–Dale relation. The obtained results are in close agreement with values available in the literature.
8 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the design and assembly of a unique infrared optical-fiber combined quantum cascade laser (QCL) system is described. Butler et al. integrated the output from four individual QCL modules, using infrared optical fibers, into a single output aperture to provide continuous spectral scanning from 6.02 to 11.17 µm.
Abstract: The design and assembly of a unique infrared (IR) optical-fiber combined quantum cascade laser (QCL) system is described. This system integrates the output from four individual QCL modules, using infrared optical fibers, into a single output aperture to provide continuous spectral scanning from 6.02 to 11.17 µm. Spectra were collected on a diffuse gold reference as well as multiple concentrations of the explosive 1,3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX) which were inkjet printed on aluminum substrates. The collected RDX spectra were compared to RDX spectra collected using a conventional Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). The results show good agreement between the spectra collected using the fiber-combined QCL system and the standard FTIR. These results demonstrate that the use of infrared optical fibers to combine multiple QCL modules is a viable approach to developing IR laser sources for use in fieldable devices capable of standoff detection of explosives.
8 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a temperature sensor was proposed on the platform of photonic crystal fiber (filled with ethanol) and Sagnac interferometer and the sensing characteristics of the device were analyzed by the finite element method.
Abstract: In this paper, a highly sensitive temperature sensor is proposed on the platform of photonic crystal fiber (filled with ethanol) and Sagnac interferometer. The sensing characteristics of the device are analyzed by the finite element method. The results show a high temperature sensitivity of 23.23 nm/°C and − 8.71 nm/°C for the fiber length of 24 cm within the temperature range of 45 °C to 60 °C. In addition, the maximum sensitivity of 29.12 nm/°C and − 18.75 nm/°C can be achieved by limiting the temperature range from 43 °C to 50 °C for the same fiber length. Additionally, the effects of structural parameter variation on sensitivity are graphically represented. At last, refractive index (RI) sensitivity, due to the temperature sensitive liquid, is also calculated and obtained average sensitivities are −72,857 nm/RIU and 45,000 nm/RIU as RI varies from 1.3485 to 1.3515. Due to the above promising results, the proposed device may find potential applications in surrounding environmental temperature detection.
8 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a 6H-SiC Sapphire fiber optic vibration sensor that can work at 1200 °C was designed, fabricated and tested, and the results showed that its frequency measurement sensitivity remains 0.9997 Hz/Hz from room temperature to 1200°C, with the full-scale precision being 0.44% F.
Abstract: A 6H-SiC Sapphire fiber optic vibration sensor that can work at 1200 °C was designed, fabricated and tested in this paper. A sapphire fiber and a 6H-SiC vibration-sensitive element constituted the Fabry-Perot resonant cavity. The laser was input via the sapphire fiber, enabling the vibration signal to be converted to an optical signal through the Fabry-Perot cavity, and the vibration parameters were obtained by optical demodulation. The vibration-sensitive element consisted of a cantilever structure, whose structure parameters were determined by the combination of theoretical analysis and simulation. A nanosecond laser was employed to fabricate the 6H-SiC vibration-sensitive element to improve the processing efficiency and simplicity. The sensor was tested from room temperature to 1200 °C. The results showed that its frequency measurement sensitivity remains 0.9997 Hz/Hz from room temperature to 1200 °C, with the full-scale precision being 0.44% F.S. The sensor's output voltage is linearly correlated with the vibration acceleration from ambient temperature to 800 °C, making the acceleration measurement sensitivity 17.86 mV/g at 800 °C. The maximum frequency measurement error was 4.72 Hz when the sensor was at the field application of high temperature casting.
8 citations
Cites background from "Interferometric Fiber Optic Sensors..."
...Fiber optic sensors based on optical signal transmission are highly sensitive and can effectively solve the high temperature bonding failure of traditional electronic sensors, and meanwhile bring advantages such as corrosion resistance and anti-electromagnetic interference [9]–[11]....
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References
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21 Dec 2017
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a comprehensive and engaging introduction to optics for intermediate and upper level undergraduate physics and engineering students, which allows instructors to select specialized content to suit individual curricular needs and goals.
Abstract: Introduction to Optics is now available in a re-issued edition from Cambridge University Press. Designed to offer a comprehensive and engaging introduction to intermediate and upper level undergraduate physics and engineering students, this text also allows instructors to select specialized content to suit individual curricular needs and goals. Specific features of the text, in terms of coverage beyond traditional areas, include extensive use of matrices in dealing with ray tracing, polarization, and multiple thin-film interference; three chapters devoted to lasers; a separate chapter on the optics of the eye; and individual chapters on holography, coherence, fiber optics, interferometry, Fourier optics, nonlinear optics, and Fresnel equations.
927 citations
TL;DR: A detailed mechanism of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique for sensing purposes has been discussed in this paper, where different new techniques and models in this area that have been introduced are discussed in quite a detail.
Abstract: Since the introduction of optical fiber technology in the field of sensor based on the technique of surface plasmon resonance (SPR), fiber-optic SPR sensors have witnessed a lot of advancements. This paper reports on the past, present, and future scope of fiber-optic SPR sensors in the field of sensing of different chemical, physical, and biochemical parameters. A detailed mechanism of the SPR technique for sensing purposes has been discussed. Different new techniques and models in this area that have been introduced are discussed in quite a detail. We have tried to put the different advancements in the order of their chronological evolution. The content of the review article may be of great importance for the research community who are to take the field of fiber-optic SPR sensors as its research endeavors.
824 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an approach to achieve simultaneous measurement of refractive index and temperature is proposed by using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer realized on tapered single-mode optical fiber.
Abstract: An approach to achieve simultaneous measurement of refractive index and temperature is proposed by using a Mach–Zehnder interferometer realized on tapered single-mode optical fiber. The attenuation peak wavelength of the interference with specific order in the transmission spectrum shifts with changes in the environmental refractive index and temperature. By utilizing S-band and C/L-band light sources, simultaneous discrimination of refractive index and temperature with the tapered fiber Mach–Zehnder interferometer is demonstrated with the corresponding sensitivities of −23.188 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) and 0.071 nm/ °C, and −26.087 nm/RIU (blueshift) and 0.077 nm/°C (redshift) for the interference orders of 169 and 144, respectively.
551 citations
"Interferometric Fiber Optic Sensors..." refers background in this paper
...By tapering a fiber at two points along the fiber, we can form an effective in-line MZI as shown in Figure 7(f) [55,56]....
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TL;DR: In this article, a fiber-based Fabry-Perot cavity with CO2 laser-machined mirrors was realized, which combines very small size, high finesse, small waist and mode volume, and good mode matching between the fiber and cavity modes.
Abstract: We have realized a fiber-based Fabry-Perot cavity with CO2 laser-machined mirrors. It combines very small size, high finesse F>=130000, small waist and mode volume, and good mode matching between the fiber and cavity modes. This combination of features is a major advance for cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED), as shown in recent CQED experiments with Bose-Einstein condensates enabled by this cavity [Y. Colombe et al., Nature 450, 272 (2007)]. It should also be suitable for a wide range of other applications, including coupling to solid-state emitters, gas detection at the single-particle level, fiber-coupled single-photon sources and high-resolution optical filters with large stopband.
418 citations
"Interferometric Fiber Optic Sensors..." refers background in this paper
...Since it can utilize high reflecting mirrors, the extrinsic structure is useful to obtain a high finesse interference signal [23]....
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TL;DR: As potential applications of the all-PCF interferometer, strain sensing is experimentally demonstrated and ultra-high temperature sensing is proposed.
Abstract: We propose simple and compact methods for implementing all-fiber interferometers. The interference between the core and the cladding modes of a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is utilized. To excite the cladding modes from the fundamental core mode of a PCF, a coupling point or region is formed by using two methods. One is fusion splicing two pieces of a PCF with a small lateral offset, and the other is partially collapsing the air-holes in a single piece of PCF. By making another coupling point at a different location along the fiber, the proposed all-PCF interferometer is implemented. The spectral response of the interferometer is investigated mainly in terms of its wavelength spectrum. The spatial frequency of the spectrum was proportional to the physical length of the interferometer and the difference between the modal group indices of involved waveguide modes. For the splicing type interferometer, only a single spatial frequency component was dominantly observed, while the collapsing type was associated with several components at a time. By analyzing the spatial frequency spectrum of the wavelength spectrum, the modal group index differences of the PCF were obtained from 2.83×10-3 to 4.65 ×10-3 . As potential applications of the all-PCF interferometer, strain sensing is experimentally demonstrated and ultra-high temperature sensing is proposed.
418 citations
"Interferometric Fiber Optic Sensors..." refers background or methods in this paper
...However, in this case, coupling to several cladding modes was observed and controlling the number of involved modes was not so simple [51]....
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...Even with PCF, an MZI can be formed by simply fusion-splicing a piece of PCF between fibers with a small intentional deviation [51]....
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...In reference [51], as low as 2 dB splicing loss was achieved by making the mode coupling to dominantly one cladding mode of the PCF....
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