Application of thin-film optical filters to the temperaturecompensation of optical fiber grating-based devices

A major problem currently affecting the implementation of in-fiber refractive-index grating-based optical fiber devices is the drift in wavelength modulation due to the change in the ambient temperature. For accurate and reliable long-term operation of these devices, suitable temperature compensation techniques are a necessity. This paper presents a novel temperature compensation technique for in-fiber refractive index grating-based devices and components. The proposed technique is based on the temperature-dependent spectral characteristics of a dielectric multilayer thin-film interference filter fabricated on the endface of refractive-index grating impressed optical fiber. Temperature compensation is achieved by comparing the reflected intensities at the grating-reflected and the interference filter-reflected wavelengths. The proposed scheme also compensates for light source fluctuations and lead-in fiber bending losses     

Fiber-optic temperature sensors based on differential spectral transmittance/reflectivity and multiplexed sensing systems

A concept for optical temperature sensing based on the differential spectral reflectivity/transmittance from a multilayer dielectric edge filter is described and demonstrated. Two wavelengths, λ(1) and λ(2), from the spectrum of a broadband light source are selected so that they are located on the sloped and flat regions of the reflection or transmission spectrum of the filter, respectively. As temperature variations shift the reflection or transmission spectrum of the filter, they change the output power of the light at λ(1), but the output power of the light at λ(2) is insensitive to the shift and therefore to the temperature variation. The temperature information can be extracted from the ratio of the light powers at λ(1) to the light at λ(2). This ratio is immune to changes in the output power of the light source, fiber losses induced by microbending, and hence modal-power distribution fluctuations. The best resolution of 0.2 °C has been obtained over a range of 30-120 °C. Based on such a basic temperature-sensing concept, a wavelength-division-multiplexed, temperature-sensing system is constructed by cascading three sensing-edge filters that have different cutoff wavelengths along a multimode fiber. The signals from the three sensors are resolved by detecting the correspondent outputs at different wavelengths.     

荧光测钙装置中单色激发光源的设计和应用

为了满足胞内荧光测钙实验的需要,设计了一种新型的单色激发光源。其中,短弧氙灯发出的光经椭球反射镜聚焦后采用抛物面反射镜准直成平行光,通过光栅的衍射分光后又经过会聚物镜把光能量会聚到光纤端面,光纤的另一端面输出单色光。采用光路偏折的方法,有效地克服了灯源的噪声。结果显示,波长为340nm和380nm的光能量分别可达到30mW和120mW,能很好地满足荧光测钙实验的要求。     

Absolute strain measurements made with fiber bragg grating sensors

A strain sensor system based on optical fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) is proposed with a new matched-filter design. The strain variation on the sensor FBG is continuously followed and matched by a filter FBG by use of a feedback control loop that produces an identical strain condition on the filter FBG. The matched strain on the filter FBG is then determined from the resonance vibration of the fiber piece embedding the filter FBG. The implementation and the performance of the proposed system are described. It is demonstrated that the proposed system can distinguish strain variation on the sensor FBG with resolution of one microstrain.     

Design, fabrication, and analysis of chirped multilayer mirrors for reflection of extreme-ultraviolet attosecond pulses

Chirped Mo/Si multilayer coatings have been designed, fabricated, and characterized for use in extreme-ultraviolet attosecond experiments. By numerically simulating the reflection of the attosecond pulse from a multilayer mirror during the optimization procedure based on a genetic algorithm, we obtain optimized layer designs. We show that normal incidence chirped multilayer mirrors capable of reflecting pulses of approximately 100 attoseconds (as) duration can be designed by enhancing the reflectivity bandwidth and optimizing the phase-shift behavior. The chirped multilayer coatings have been fabricated by electron-beam evaporation in an ultrahigh vacuum in combination with ion-beam polishing of the interfaces and in situ reflectivity measurement for layer thickness control. To analyze the aperiodic layer structure by hard-x-ray reflectometry, we have developed an automatic fitting procedure that allows us to determine the individual layer thicknesses with an error of less than 0.05 nm. The fabricated chirped mirror may be used for production of 150-160 as pulses.     

Side-polished multimode fiber biosensor based on surface plasmon resonance with halogen light

A side-polished multimode fiber sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as the transducing element with a halogen light source is proposed. The SPR fiber sensor is side polished until half the core is closed and coated with a 37 nm gold thin film by dc sputtering. The SPR curve on the optical spectrum is described by an optical spectrum analyzer and can sense a range of widths in wavelengths of SPR effects. The measurement system using the halogen light source is constructed for several real-time detections that are carried out for the measurement of the index liquid detections for the sensitivity analysis. The sensing fiber is demonstrated with a series of refractive index (RI) liquids and set for several experiments, including the stability, repeatability, and resolution calibration. The results for the halogen light source with the resolution of the measurement based on wavelength interrogation were 3 x 10(-6) refractive index units (RIUs). The SPR dip shifted in wavelength is used as a measure of the RI change at a surface, and this RI change varies directly with the number of biomolecules at the surface. The SPR dip shift in wavelength, which was hybridized at 0.1 microM of the target DNA to the probe DNA, was 8.66 nm. The all-fiber multimode SPR sensor, which has the advantages of being low cost, being disposable, having high stability and linearity, being free of labeling, and having potential for real-time detection, permit the sensor and system to be used in biochemical sensing and environmental monitoring.     

Liquid-level sensor with a high-birefringence-fiber loop mirror

A novel liquid-level sensor with a high-birefringence-fiber loop mirror (HBFLM) based on a uniform-strength cantilever beam (UCB) is proposed and demonstrated. Part of the high-birefringence fiber is pasted onto the central surface of the UCB. A hollow suspending pole is utilized to apply force at the end of the beam. The applied force varies with the change of the liquid level, leading to a change of transmission intensity. Thus the variation of liquid level can be determined via the laser wavelength within the quasi-linear transmission range of the HBFLM filter. Its sensitivity, resolution, and linear measurement range reach 0.047/cm, 10 mm, and 140 mm, respectively. The advantages of the sensor include simple structure, high sensitivity, low cost, and good repeatability, etc. The sensing signal can be directly detected by a photodetector and does not require complicated demodulation devices.     

An optical device for measuring bending strain to 5000 microstrain and compatible with optical fiber installations

An optical sensor is described which can be attached to a structure and used as a gage for measuring bending strain. This device can be adjusted to maximize the gage factor for predetermined strain ranges. The sensor consists of glass capillaries coated on the outer surfaces with an optical absorbing layer followed by a reflecting layer. A mechanical strengthening layer can be included to extend the range of strain response. A source laser beam from an optical fiber is injected into one end of the gage. The light remaining in the beam after traveling through the gage is collected via another optical fiber. The optically active layer is adjusted during manufacture to provide a predetermined gage factor. For a given thickness of the absorber layer, the detected light is proportional to the amount of bending. Thus, by rigidly affixing the sensor to a structural member, the strain experienced by the member can be monitored.     

CO2 laser-grooved long period fiber grating temperature sensor system based on intensity modulation

A long period fiber grating (LPFG) temperature sensor system based on intensity modulation is developed. The LPFG employed is fabricated by the use of a focused CO2 laser beam to carve periodic grooves on the fiber. The temperature measurement resolution of up to 0.1 degrees C has been obtained within the temperature range between 20 degrees C and 100 degrees C. The system uses a simple intensity measurement method and exhibits the advantages of convenient intensity measurement, double temperature sensitivity, high resolution, simple configuration, and low cost.     

Nanometer-scale displacement sensor based on phase-sensitive diffraction grating

In this paper, a nanometer-scale displacement sensor based on a phase-sensitive diffraction grating with interferometeric detection is described and experimentally demonstrated. The proposed displacement sensor consists of a coherent light source, a microstepping motor controller, an integrated grating, a mirror, and a differential circuit. Experimental results show that the displacement sensor has a sensitivity of about 6 mV/nm and a resolution of less than 1 nm. This displacement measurement is an attractive technology with high sensitivity, broad dynamic range, good reliability, and immunity to electromagnetic interference.     

Frequency-estimation-based signal-processing algorithm for white-light optical fiber Fabry-Perot interferometers

A novel signal-processing algorithm based on frequency estimation of the spectrogram of single-mode optical fiber Fabry-Perot interferometric sensors under white-light illumination is described. The frequency-estimation approach is based on linear regression of the instantaneous phase of an analytical signal, which can be obtained by preprocessing the original spectrogram with a bandpass filter. This method can be used for a relatively large cavity length without the need for spectrogram normalization to the spectrum of the light source and can be extended directly to a multiplexed sensor system. Experimental results show that the method can yield both absolute measurement with high resolution and a large dynamic range. Performance analysis shows that the method is tolerant of background noise and variations of the source spectrum.     

琼斯矩阵在分布式光纤传感器偏振态分析中的应用

针对基于Sagnac原理的分布式光纤传感器中光波偏振态在双折射影响下所带来的干涉信号"偏振诱导衰落"问题,运用琼斯矩阵分析法,建立了传输光偏振态影响系统功率传输系数的数学模型;根据仿真分析的结果,发现使用反射镜作为反射元件,只能消除光纤圆双折射的影响,而不能消除线性双折射的影响.因此,提出了使用法拉第旋转镜提高系统抗偏振衰落能力的改进方法,仿真结果表明可以很好地消除传感光纤的线性双折射和圆双折射的影响.     

Reflectometric frequency-modulation continuous-wave distributed fiber-optic stress sensor with forward coupled beams

A distributed optical-fiber stress sensor whose principle of operation is based on the frequency-modulation continuous-wave technique is reported. The sensor consists of a length of birefringent fiber with a mirror attached to one end, a diode laser, and a p-i-n photodiode detector. The intensity and the location of an applied stress are determined simultaneously by detecting the amplitude and the frequency of the beat signal, which is produced by two forward-coupled mode beams. The system was found to have a reasonable spatial resolution of 0.85 m (rms error) in a sensing range of 100 m. The advantages and limitations of the sensor are also discussed.     

Two-dimensional single-shot tomography using a virtually imaged phased array and a spatial phase modulator

A virtually imaged phased array (VIPA) installed optical interferometer has been expanded to the two-dimensional (2D) tomography from the previous one-dimensional single-shot imaging technique with keeping the resolution and the measurement range. A single-shot measurement has been realized by a spatial phase modulator installed in the optical interferometer and tracing the delay time to pixel numbers on a 2D charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor. The flexibility of the sample position was experimentally confirmed to be >25 mm, in relation to the VIPA coherency, for which the number of the interference order was confirmed to be 35. As a demonstration, a surface profile of stacked gauge blocks was observed. The repeatability of the surface position was 5?μm for the surface profilometry. In addition, a multilayer structure was observed using a glass plate. The experimental resolution was 53?μm when the amplified spontaneous emission light generated by the optical fiber amplifier was used for the light source. The single-shot measurement was confirmed by the 2D-CCD at a frame rate of 30 frames per second (FPS), and it provided evidence that the 2D scanless profilometry was successfully achieved using the VIPA optical device.     

Temperature-Independent Strain Sensor Based on a Hi-Bi Photonic Crystal Fiber Loop Mirror

This work presents an optical sensor based on a highly birefringent photonic crystal fiber (Hi-Bi PCF) loop mirror. The length of the sensing head is 380 mm and its corresponding wavelength spacing between two interferometer minima is 8 nm. The optical sensor was characterized in strain and in temperature with an uncoated Hi-Bi PCF and with an acrylate coated Hi-Bi PCF. Different results for strain and temperature sensitivity were obtained. Relatively to the strain measurement, the sensor with the uncoated Hi-Bi PCF presents slightly less sensitivity (1.11 ) when compared with coated Hi-Bi PCF (1.21 ). For the temperature measurement and with the uncoated Hi-Bi PCF, the optical sensor is insensitive to temperature (0.29 pm/K).     

Grating-assisted demodulation of interferometric optical sensors

Accurate and dynamic control of the operating point of an interferometric optical sensor to produce the highest sensitivity is crucial in the demodulation of interferometric optical sensors to compensate for manufacturing errors and environmental perturbations. A grating-assisted operating-point tuning system has been designed that uses a diffraction grating and feedback control, functions as a tunable-bandpass optical filter, and can be used as an effective demodulation subsystem in sensor systems based on optical interferometers that use broadband light sources. This demodulation method has no signal-detection bandwidth limit, a high tuning speed, a large tunable range, increased interference fringe contrast, and the potential for absolute optical-path-difference measurement. The achieved 40-nm tuning range, which is limited by the available source spectrum width, 400-nm/s tuning speed, and a step resolution of 0.4 nm, is sufficient for most practical measurements. A significant improvement in signal-to-noise ratio in a fiber Fabry-Perot acoustic-wave sensor system proved that the expected fringe contrast and sensitivity increase.     

Strain and damage monitoring of CFRP in impact loading using a fiber Bragg grating sensor system

A fiber-optic system featuring strain measurement and ultrasonic detection was constructed with fiber Bragg gratings based on wavelength–light intensity conversion technique. This fiber Bragg grating sensing system consists of a broadband light source, a broadband optical filter for strain measurement and a narrowband tunable filter for ultrasonic detection. The system was applied to strain measurement in impact loading to carbon fiber-reinforced plastics and the subsequent impact damage detection. Experimental results demonstrated that fiber Bragg grating sensors could measure strain with higher resolution compared with conventional strain gauges. Furthermore, ultrasonic inspection in which ultrasonic sensitivity was maximized by controlling the transmissive wavelength of the tunable filter could detect a 6.3 × 9 mm² impact damage.     

基于端面镀膜的Fabry-Perot光纤传感器研究

应用模式耦合理论计算了外腔式Fabry-Perot（F-P）干涉型光纤传感器的输出光强与F-P腔长的关系。对组成F-P腔的光纤端面进行了磨平抛光及镀多层电介质膜处理，使光纤端面反射率为70%，从而提高了传感器的抗干扰能力，简化了探测系统。将该传感器与电阻就变片作对比测量实验，其结果完全一致。     

Composite cavity fiber laser sensors based on weak feedback

A novel composite cavity optical fiber laser (CCFL) sensor, based on weak feedback of the optical fiber end face, is proved theoretically and experimentally. The application of the vibration measurement based on the CCFL sensor is demonstrated to prove its feasibility.     

A CMOS Time-of-Flight Range Image Sensor With Gates-on-Field-Oxide Structure

This paper presents a new type of CMOS time-of-flight (TOF) range image sensor using single-layer gates on field oxide structure for photo conversion and charge transfer. This simple structure allows the realization of a dense TOF range imaging array with 1515 mum² pixels in a standard CMOS process. Only an additional process step to create an n-type buried layer which is necessary for high-speed charge transfer is added to the fabrication process. The sensor operates based on time-delay dependent modulation of photocharge induced by back reflected infrared light pulses from an active illumination light source. To reduce the influence of background light, a small duty cycle light pulse is used and charge draining structures are included in the pixel. The TOF sensor chip fabricated measures a range resolution of 2.35 cm at 30 frames per second and an improvement to 0.74 cm at three frames per second with a pulsewidth of 100 ns.