Showing papers on "Fiber optic sensor published in 2018"

A review on optical fiber sensors for environmental monitoring

Abstract: Environmental monitoring has become essential in order to deal with environmental resources efficiently and safely in the realm of green technology. Environmental monitoring sensors are required for detection of environmental changes in industrial facilities under harsh conditions, (e.g. underground or subsea pipelines) in both the temporal and spatial domains. The utilization of optical fiber sensors is a promising scheme for environmental monitoring of this kind, owing to advantages including resistance to electromagnetic interference, durability under extreme temperatures and pressures, high transmission rate, light weight, small size, and flexibility. In this paper, the optical fiber sensors employed in environmental monitoring are summarized for understanding of their sensing principles and fabrication processes. Numerous specific applications in petroleum engineering, civil engineering, and agricultural engineering are explored, followed by discussion on the potentials of OFS in manufacturing.

Review of salinity measurement technology based on optical fiber sensor

Abstract: A review of the salinity measurement technology based on the optical fiber sensor is presented. The principles of optical fiber measurement, the structures of probes and the characteristics of various sensing structures are concerned. Firstly, this paper discusses the relationship between the salinity and refractive index, and the effect of ion pairs on the refractive index. Secondly, four methods of direct or non-direct measurements of salinity are summarized, including optical refraction method, optical fiber grating, optical interference and surface plasmon effect. Subsequently, the article compares performances of various sensing structures and analyses the advantages and disadvantages of different sensors. Finally, a prospect of salinity measurement requirement and the development direction of fiber-optic sensors in this area are addressed.

Femtomolar Detection by Nanocoated Fiber Label-Free Biosensors.

Abstract: The advent of optical fiber-based biosensors combined with that of nanotechnologies has provided an opportunity for developing in situ, portable, lightweight, versatile, and high-performance optical sensing platforms. We report on the generation of lossy mode resonances by the deposition of nanometer-thick metal oxide films on optical fibers, which makes it possible to measure precisely and accurately the changes in optical properties of the fiber-surrounding medium with very high sensitivity compared to other technology platforms, such as long period gratings or surface plasmon resonances, the gold standard in label-free and real-time biomolecular interaction analysis. This property, combined with the application of specialty structures such as D-shaped fibers, permits enhancing the light–matter interaction. SEM and TEM imaging together with X-EDS tool have been utilized to characterize the two films used, i.e., indium tin oxide and tin dioxide. Moreover, the experimental transmission spectra obtained af...

[INVITED] Recent advances in surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic chemical and biosensors utilizing bulk and nanostructures

Abstract: Surface plasmon resonance has established itself as an immensely acclaimed and influential optical sensing tool with quintessential applications in life sciences, environmental monitoring, clinical diagnostics, pharmaceutical developments and ensuring food safety. The implementation of sensing principle of surface plasmon resonance employing an optical fiber as a substrate has concomitantly resulted in the evolution of fiber optic surface plasmon resonance as an exceptionally lucrative scaffold for chemical and biosensing applications. This perspective article outlines the contemporary studies on fiber optic sensors founded on the sensing architecture of propagating as well as localized surface plasmon resonance. An in-depth review of the prevalent analytical and surface chemical tactics involved in configuring the sensing layer over an optical fiber for the detection of various chemical and biological entities is presented. The involvement of nanomaterials as a strategic approach to enhance the sensor sensitivity is furnished concurrently providing an insight into the diverse geometrical blueprints for designing fiber optic sensing probes. Representative examples from the literature are discussed to appreciate the latest advancements in this potentially valuable research avenue. The article concludes by identifying some of the key challenges and exploring the opportunities for expanding the scope and impact of surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic sensors.

Novel optical fiber SPR temperature sensor based on MMF-PCF-MMF structure and gold-PDMS film.

Abstract: Figure 1(c) in [Y. Wang, Optics Express 26, 1910 (2018)] contains an error and is corrected in this erratum.

Dual-polarized highly sensitive plasmonic sensor in the visible to near-IR spectrum.

Abstract: We propose and numerically characterize the optical characteristics of a novel photonic crystal fiber (PCF) based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor in the visible to near infrared (500-2000 nm) region for refractive index (RI) sensing. The finite element method (FEM) is used to design and study the influence of different geometric parameters on the sensing performance of the sensor. The chemically stable plasmonic material gold (Au) is used to produce excitation between the core and plasmonic mode. On a pure silica (SiO2) substrate, a rectangular structured core is used to facilitate the coupling strength between the core and the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) mode and thus improves the sensing performance. By tuning the geometric parameters, simulation results show a maximum wavelength sensitivity of 58000 nm/RIU (Refractive Index Unit) for the x polarization and 62000 nm/RIU for the y polarization for analyte refractive indices ranging from 1.33 to 1.43. Moreover, we characterize the amplitude sensitivity of the sensor that shows a maximum sensitivity of 1415 RIU-1 and 1293 RIU-1 for the x and y polarizations, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the highest sensitivity for an SPR in published literature, and facilitates future development of sensors for accurate and precise analyte measurement. The sensor also attains a maximum figure of merit (FOM) of 1140 and fine RI resolution of 1.6 × 10-6. Owing to strong coupling strength, high sensitivity, high FOM and improved sensing resolution, the proposed sensor is suited for real-time, inexpensive and accurate detection of biomedical and biological analytes, biomolecules, and organic chemicals.

Metal–Organic Framework Thin Film Coated Optical Fiber Sensors: A Novel Waveguide-Based Chemical Sensing Platform

Abstract: Integration of optical fiber with sensitive thin films offers great potential for the realization of novel chemical sensing platforms. In this study, we present a simple design strategy and high performance of nanoporous metal–organic framework (MOF) based optical gas sensors, which enables detection of a wide range of concentrations of small molecules based upon extremely small differences in refractive indices as a function of analyte adsorption within the MOF framework. Thin and compact MOF films can be uniformly formed and tightly bound on the surface of etched optical fiber through a simple solution method which is critical for manufacturability of MOF-based sensor devices. The resulting sensors show high sensitivity/selectivity to CO2 gas relative to other small gases (H2, N2, O2, and CO) with rapid (

In situ plasmonic optical fiber detection of the state of charge of supercapacitors for renewable energy storage

Abstract: In situ and continuous monitoring of electrochemical activity is key to understanding and evaluating the operation mechanism and efficiency of energy storage devices. However, this task remains challenging. For example, the present methods are not capable of providing the real-time information about the state of charge (SOC) of the energy storage devices while in operation. To address this, a novel approach based on an electrochemical surface plasmon resonance (SPR) optical fiber sensor is proposed here. This approach offers the capability of in situ comprehensive monitoring of the electrochemical activity (the electrode potential and the SOC) of supercapacitors (used as an example). The sensor adopted is a tilted fiber Bragg grating imprinted in a commercial single-mode fiber and coated with a nanoscale gold film for high-efficiency SPR excitation. Unlike conventional "bulk" detection methods for electrode activity, our approach targets the "localized" (sub-μm-scale) charge state of the ions adjacent to the electrode interface of supercapacitors by monitoring the properties of the SPR wave on the fiber sensor surface located adjacent to the electrode. A stable and reproducible correlation between the real-time charge-discharge cycles of the supercapacitors and the optical transmission of the optical fiber has been found. Moreover, the method proposed is inherently immune to temperature cross-talk because of the presence of environmentally insensitive reference features in the optical transmission spectrum of the devices. Finally, this particular application is ideally suited to the fundamental qualities of optical fiber sensors, such as their compact size, flexible shape, and remote operation capability, thereby opening the way for other opportunities for electrochemical monitoring in various hard-to-reach spaces and remote environments.

A Novel GIS Partial Discharge Detection Sensor With Integrated Optical and UHF Methods

Abstract: A novel gas insulated switchgear (GIS) partial discharge (PD) sensor with integrated optical fiber and ultrahigh frequency (UHF) method is developed in this paper. The integrated sensor is formed by placing an optical fiber on the surface of the UHF sensor. The novel sensor can be mounted inside the GIS and measure the PD through optical and UHF signals at the same time. The validity and sensitivity of the sensor are proved by experiments on a physical 110 kV GIS. This PD detection sensor solves the problem that the optical fiber is difficult to be mounted inside GIS and provides a novel method for PD detection in GIS.

Review of Chirped Fiber Bragg Grating (CFBG) Fiber-Optic Sensors and Their Applications

Abstract: Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) are one of the most popular technology within fiber-optic sensors, and they allow the measurement of mechanical, thermal, and physical parameters. In recent years, a strong emphasis has been placed on the fabrication and application of chirped FBGs (CFBGs), which are characterized by a non-uniform modulation of the refractive index within the core of an optical fiber. A CFBG behaves as a cascade of FBGs, each one reflecting a narrow spectrum that depends on temperature and/or strain. The key characteristic of CFBGs is that their reflection spectrum depends on the strain/temperature observed in each section of the grating; thus, they enable a short-length distributed sensing, whereas it is possible to detect spatially resolved variations of temperature or strain with resolution on the order of a millimeter over the grating length. Based on this premise, CFBGs have found important applications in healthcare, mechanical engineering, and shock waves analysis, among others. This work reviews the present and emerging trends in CFBG sensors, focusing on all aspects of the sensing element and outlining the application case scenarios for which CFBG sensors have been demonstrated.

Broadband ultra-flattened dispersion, ultra-low confinement loss and large effective mode area in an octagonal photonic quasi-crystal fiber.

Abstract: In this work, an octagonal Penrose-type photonic quasi-crystal fiber (PQF) with dual-cladding is proposed. By optimizing three geometric degrees of freedom, the PQF exhibits ultra-flattened near-zero dispersion of 0.014±0.293 ps/nm/km, ultra-low order confinement loss of 10−4 dB/km, and large effective mode area of over 16.2 μm2 in a broadband of wavelength from 1.27 to 1.67 μm, covering almost all optical communication bands. At the common communication wavelength 1.55 μm, completely opposite trends of the dispersion and the confinement loss varying with the air-filling factor in the inner cladding are demonstrated. In addition, the robustness of optical properties including dispersion, confinement loss, and effective mode area in this PQF is discussed, assuming a deviation ±3% of all air holes.

Highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance biosensor based on a low-index polymer optical fiber

Abstract: A highly sensitive refractive index sensor based on surface plasmon resonance in a side-polished low-index polymer optical fiber is proposed for biosensing. Benefitting from the low refractive index of the fiber core, the sensitivity of the device can reach ~44567 nm/RIU theoretically for aqueous solutions, at the expense of a lowered upper detection limit that is down to ~1.340. The sensor is fabricated by coating 55-nm-thick Au-film on the polished surface of a graded-index perfluorinated polymer optical fiber. Results show that the sensor exhibits a sensitivity of ~22779 nm/RIU at 1.335 with a figure of merit of 61.2. When employed for glucose sensing, the sensor presents an averaged sensitivity of 24.50 nm/wt%, or 0.46 nm/mM. This device is expected to have potential applications in cost-effective bio- and chemical-sensing.

Ultrathin graphene diaphragm-based extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer for ultra-wideband fiber optic acoustic sensing.

Abstract: An ultra-wideband fiber optic acoustic sensor based on graphene diaphragm with a thickness of 10nm has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The two reflectors of the extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer is consist of fiber endface and graphene diaphragm, and the cavity is like a horn-shape. The radius of the effective area of the ultrathin graphene diaphragm is 1mm. Attributed to the strong van der Waals force between the diaphragm and the ceramic ferrule, the sensor head can be applied not only in the air but also underwater. Experimental results illustrate that ultra-wideband frequency response is from 5Hz to 0.8MHz, covering the range from infrasound to ultrasound. The noise-limited minimum detectable pressure level of 0.77Pa/Hz1/2@5Hz and 33.97μPa/Hz1/2@10kHz can be achieved, and the applied sound pressure is 114dB and 65.8dB, respectively. The fiber optic acoustic sensor may have a great potential in seismic wave monitoring, photoacoustic spectroscopy and photoacoustic imaging application due to its compact structure, simple manufacturing, and low cost.

Detection of Leak-Induced Pipeline Vibrations Using Fiber-Optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing.

Abstract: In the presented work, the potential of fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) for detection of small gas pipeline leaks (<1%) is investigated. Helical wrapping of the sensing fiber directly around the pipeline is used to increase the system sensitivity for detection of weak leak-induced vibrations. DAS measurements are supplemented with reference accelerometer data to facilitate analysis and interpretation of recorded vibration signals. The results reveal that a DAS system using direct fiber application approach is capable of detecting pipeline natural vibrations excited by the broadband noise generated by the leaking medium. In the performed experiment, pipeline vibration modes with acceleration magnitudes down to single μg were detected. Simple leak detection approach based on spectral integration of time-averaged DAS signals in frequency domain was proposed. Potential benefits and limitations of the presented monitoring approach were discussed with respect to its practical applicability. We demonstrated that the approached is potentially capable of detection and localization of gas pipeline leaks with leak rates down to 0.1% of the pipeline flow volume and might be of interest for monitoring of short- and medium-length gas pipelines.

Long Period Gratings in Multicore Optical Fibers for Directional Curvature Sensor Implementation

Abstract: Multicore optical fibers are especially attractive for the fabrication of curvature and shape sensors due to the spatial distribution of the different cores. Fiber Bragg gratings have been used in the past for the implementation of these sensors, however, despite their inherent properties, they have a very limited sensitivity. In this paper, we study the use of long period gratings (LPGs) for the implementation of a directional curvature sensor. We inscribed a set of three different LPGs in a seven core optical fiber using a selective inscription technique. We inscribed a single LPG in the external cores and an array of three LPGs in the central core. We have characterized the proposed sensor for strain, torsion, and curvature magnitude and direction. The proposed sensor shows a linear response for curvature magnitudes from 0 to 1.77 m–1 with a maximum curvature sensitivity of –4.85 nm/m–1 and shows a near sinusoidal behavior in all the cores with curvature directions from 0° to 360°. The sensor shows a good insensitivity to strain. The torsion in the multicore optical fibers can be detected and measured using the maximum attenuation of the LPGs in the external cores.

Ultra-highly sensitive gas pressure sensor based on dual side-hole fiber interferometers with Vernier effect.

Abstract: We have presented and demonstrated a fiber optic gas pressure sensor with ultra-high sensitivity based on Vernier effect. The sensor is composed of two integrated parallel Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) which are fabricated by fusion splicing a short section of dual side-hole fiber (DSHF) in between two short pieces of multimode fibers (MMFs). Femtosecond laser is applied for cutting off part of the MMF and drilling openings on one air hole of the DSHF to achieve magnified gas pressure measurement by Vernier effect. Experimental results show that the gas pressure sensitivity can be enhanced to about −60 nm/MPa in the range of 0-0.8 MPa. In addition, the structure possesses a low temperature cross-sensitivity of about 0.55 KPa/°C. This presented sensor has practically value in gas pressure detection, environmental monitoring and other industrial applications.

Optical fiber hydrogen sensor with single Sagnac interferometer loop based on vernier effect

Abstract: An optical fiber hydrogen sensor with single Sagnac interferometer loop based on vernier effect has been proposed. The vernier effect is achieved by angle shift splicing two polarization maintaining fibers (PMFs) in single Sagnac interferometer loop. The hydrogen sensing length of PMF is 2 cm which is coated with Pt-loaded WO3/SiO2 powder. When the Pt/WO3 film is exposed to hydrogen, the redox reaction releases the temperature on the PMF, which induces the wavelength shift of the optical fiber sensor. The temperature sensitivity is −2.44 nm/°C and the hydrogen sensitivity is −14.61 nm/% within the range of 0%–0.8% (vol%), which is 1.85 times higher than the Sagnac sensor without vernier effect. The hydrogen sensitivity is related to the length of the PMF coated with Pt-loaded WO3/SiO2. The sensor is easy to fabricate, selective and high sensitivity.

High-fidelity distributed fiber-optic acoustic sensor with fading noise suppressed and sub-meter spatial resolution

Abstract: In order to solve fading problem and realize sub-meter spatial resolution in DAS, this paper proposes a novel configuration of time-gated digital optical frequency domain reflectometry (TGD-OFDR) based on optical intensity modulator (IM). IM has a large modulation bandwidth and the positive and negative harmonics can be fully used to suppress fading while the spatial resolution remains unchanged. In experiments, with fading suppressed, the spatial resolution of DAS is 0.8 m and the strain resolution is about 245.6 pe√Hz along the total 9.8-km sensing fiber. The response bandwidth of vibration is 5 kHz, only/limited by the fiber length.

Two-dimensional vector bending sensor based on seven-core fiber Bragg gratings.

Abstract: We demonstrated a two-dimensional vector-bending sensor by use of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) inscribed in a homogeneous seven-core fiber. Seven FBGs were simultaneously inscribed in each of all seven cores using a modified Talbot interferometer and a lens scanning method. The vector bending response of six outer-core FBGs was investigated at all 360° directions with a step size of 15°. The bending sensitivities of the six outer-core FBGs display six perfect '8'-shaped patterns in a polar-coordinate system. That is, they exhibit strong bending-direction dependence with a maximum sensitivity of 59.47 pm/m-1. The orientation and amplitude of the vector bending can be reconstructed using measured Bragg wavelength shifts of any two off-diagonal outer-core FBGs. So, the six outer-core FBGs have 12 combinations for bend reconstruction, which can be averaged across multiple reconstructions to develop an accurate two-dimensional vector bending sensor. The average relative error was lower than 4.5% for reconstructed amplitude and less than 2.8% for reconstructed orientation angle θ. Moreover, the seven-core FBGs offer several advantages such as a compact structure, fabrication flexibility, and the temperature compensating ability of central-core FBG.

Highly sensitive detection of dopamine using a graphene functionalized plasmonic fiber-optic sensor with aptamer conformational amplification

Abstract: Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) optical fiber sensors can be used as cost-effective and relatively simple-to-implement alternatives to well established bulky prism configurations for high sensitivity in-situ biomedical measurements. The miniaturized size and remote operation ability offer a multitude of opportunities for single-point sensing in hard-to-reach spaces, even possibly in vivo. The biosensor configuration presented here utilizes a nano-scale metal-coated tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) imprinted in a commercial single mode fiber core with no structural modifications. A unique feature of our TFBG sensor is the use of a single layer graphene coating over the gold-coated fiber surface, functionalized with a selective DNA aptamer for highly sensitive detection of target molecules. We have demonstrated the capture of dopamine molecules by the DNA aptamer, resulting in aptamer well-defined conformational changes in response to dopamine surface affinities. This process amplifies the surface refractive index modulation over the fiber surface to enable precise dopamine concentration measurement in real time via monitoring of the surface plasmon resonance signals. The sensor shows a linear response for dopamine concentration in the range from 10−13 M to 10−8 M with a lower limit of detection of 10−13 M. This limiting concentration is lower than the concentration fluctuations of dopamine in the human brain. The sensor works with minimal cross-sensitivities because of the core mode calibration inherent in the TFBG. Integration of the TFBG with a hypodermic needle should allow similar measurements in vivo, presenting an appealing solution for rapid, low power consumption and highly sensitive detection of analytes at low concentrations in medicine as well as in chemical and environmental monitoring.

Sensitive zone parameters and curvature radius evaluation for polymer optical fiber curvature sensors

Abstract: Polymer optical fibers (POFs) are suitable for applications such as curvature sensors, strain, temperature, liquid level, among others. However, for enhancing sensitivity, many polymer optical fiber curvature sensors based on intensity variation require a lateral section. Lateral section length, depth, and surface roughness have great influence on the sensor sensitivity, hysteresis, and linearity. Moreover, the sensor curvature radius increase the stress on the fiber, which leads on variation of the sensor behavior. This paper presents the analysis relating the curvature radius and lateral section length, depth and surface roughness with the sensor sensitivity, hysteresis and linearity for a POF curvature sensor. Results show a strong correlation between the decision parameters behavior and the performance for sensor applications based on intensity variation. Furthermore, there is a trade-off among the sensitive zone length, depth, surface roughness, and curvature radius with the sensor desired performance parameters, which are minimum hysteresis, maximum sensitivity, and maximum linearity. The optimization of these parameters is applied to obtain a sensor with sensitivity of 20.9 mV/°, linearity of 0.9992 and hysteresis below 1%, which represent a better performance of the sensor when compared with the sensor without the optimization.

Monitoring the behavior of segment joints in a shield tunnel using distributed fiber optic sensors

Abstract: Summary Shield tunneling is a popular tunnel construction technique for its efficiency and speed. However, uncertainties associated with site soil conditions, past loading histories and analytical modeling, can result in performance issues. To monitor shield tunnels and ensure performance and safety, fiber optic sensing technique is proposed. Based on Brillouin optical frequency domain analysis, the technique can monitor the opening and closing of segmental joints in shield tunnels with high sensitivity. To determine tunnel lining segment displacement, different fixed-point spacings have been tested in the lab. The test results show that the difference in fixed-point distances had no impact on the test accuracy and the sensing cable with 0.9-mm polyurethane sheath coater has the best performance. For demonstration, the Brillouin optical frequency domain analysis-based monitoring technique is applied to the Suzhou Metro Line 1 tunnel for tunnel lining segment joint monitoring. The technique detected minor deformation of the segment joints in tunnels in operation and located leakages within the tunnel. The technique further identified that the minor deformations of the segment joints and track bed expansion were closely associated with temperature variations.

Polyaniline-coated tilted fiber Bragg gratings for pH sensing

Abstract: In this paper, we report an optical fiber pH sensor based on a polyaniline coating deposited on the surface of a tilted fiber Bragg grating. The pH-sensitive film was synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization keeping track of the deposition time in order to optimize the sensor response. As a result, the sensor reacts to pH changes in the range of 2–12 with a fast response and its sensitivity is directly related to the film thickness. The main advantages of this PAni-TFBG pH sensor are its biochemical compatibility, temperature independence, long-term stability and remote real-time multipoint sensing features.