Surface roughness measurement with optical fibers

The development of a new method of surface roughness measurement utilizing optical fibers is discussed., Two general types of fiber-optic roughness measurement are presented, intensity-based and polarization-based, which require use of either multimode or single-mode polarization-preserving optical fibers. Some configurations, including different constructions of a fiber-optic head, and the specific requirements for optical fibers are also discussed. The data obtained from the intensity and polarization measurements are correlated with some roughness parameters     

One-step measurement of optical fields in multimode circular fibers

We propose to determine the optical field in multimode circular fibers by using a one-step method that measures the Wigner distribution function of a section of the field in the fiber. This method allows an estimation not only of the power carried by each mode but also of the relative phases of different modes in the fiber. An additional measurement with the same setup can even determine the propagation constants of different modes. An example is provided, and the connection of this method of field recovery to the coupling coefficient between fibers and light sources is also discussed.     

Fourier analysis of strain measurement using highly birefringenttwo-mode optical fibers

A new approach to strain measurement based on Fourier analysis of strain-induced polarization and intermodal coupling in highly birefringent, (HB) two-mode elliptical-core fibers is presented. The results indicate that Fourier spectra of sine-like, strain-dependent characteristics can create a very important tool in projecting practical devices which will measure longitudinal strain in specific applications     

A prototype optical encoder system with nanometer measurement capability

Optical gratings are becoming available with precision down to the 2 nm level, or below. Such gratings can be employed to make highly accurate measuring tools such as optical encoders and coordinate measuring tools which can find numerous applications in precision machining applications and integrated circuit industry such as image placement inspection. Such tools are significantly less expensive than interferometers because of the relaxed mechanical tolerances required on the associated stages. In this paper, a novel prototype optical encoder system is developed for grating-based measurement tools with nanometer accuracy. The location of the grating was determined with an error of 0.09 nm. This is comparable to the accuracy of state-of-the-art interferometers, but at much lower cost.     

荧光光纤传感器测量系统实现

光纤是20世纪的重要发明之一，它与激光器、半导体探测器等一起构成了新的光学技术。本文阐述了作为现代测量技术中利用荧光光纤传感器进行测量的技术，并着重介绍了荧光光纤传感器测量系统的结构、功能及实际的应用。     

Miniature endoscope for simultaneous optical coherence tomography and laser-induced fluorescence measurement

We have designed a multimodality system that combines optical coherence tomography (OCT) and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) in a 2.0-mm-diameter endoscopic package. OCT provides approximately 18-microm resolution cross-sectional structural information over a 6-mm field. LIF spectra are collected sequentially at submillimeter resolution across the same field and provide histochemical information about the tissue. We present the use of a rod prism to reduce the asymmetry in the OCT beam caused by a cylindrical window. The endoscope has been applied to investigate mouse colon cancer in vivo.     

High-resolution refractive index anisotropy measurement in optical fibers through phase retardation modulation

We present an improved, high-resolution method for the measurement of phase retardation induced by the material birefringence of optical fibers. Such a method can be used to retrieve information about the spatial distribution of refractive index anisotropy in the fiber by comparing the accumulated phase of a polarization component oriented along the fiber transmission axis and another located in the transverse plane. The method is based on the nonlinear regression of a phase modulated signal of known modulation amplitude altered by the sample. Experimental results obtained with our method for a standard telecommunications fiber (the Corning SMF-28) as well as photosensitive fibers (Fibercore PS1250 and PS1500) are presented with a noise-limited phase resolution below 10(-4) radians and a spatial resolution below 1 microm. An analysis of the limitation of such measurement methods is also presented including diffraction by the fibers.     

An optical strain measurement system for asphalt mixtures

Knowledge of the conditions governing the initiation and propagation of cracks in hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures is a prerequisite for a comprehensive understanding of HMA cracking mechanisms. Traditional strain measurement sensors have proved to be not completely adequate in the sense that they do not provide pointwise measurements, thus not pinpointing the location of crack initiation, and not accounting for non-uniform strain distributions. This paper presents a digital image correlation (DIC) system for non-contact and full strain field measurements, conceived for the purpose of investigating the cracking behavior of HMA mixtures. The whole system was developed so as to account for the special nature of typical HMA testing configurations. An image matching technique (least squares matching) was employed for providing matches with sub-pixel accuracy. The performance of the method was investigated by several tests. The DIC system was shown to overcome the shortcomings of traditional on-specimen strain measurement devices achieving satisfactory accuracy compared to strain gauges.     

Attenuation measurement of infrared optical fibers by use of a hollow-taper-based coupling method

An alternative method for attenuation measurement of infrared (IR) fibers is described. The method includes a simple technique for direct laser-to-fiber coupling with an uncoated glass hollow taper. The operating principle of the hollow taper is based on the grazing-incidence effect of light reflection. The hollow taper forms a smooth Gaussian-shaped profile of the output laser emission and provides the proper conditions for equilibrium-mode distribution of optical power within the test IR fibers. The experimental hollow-taper-based coupling method is used for measurement of attenuation and bending losses of various kinds of IR fiber, including solid-core (fluoride, chalcogenide, and germanium-doped) and hollow fibers.     

Bidirectional optical coupler for plastic optical fibers

We have developed a low-loss bidirectional optical coupler for high-speed optical communication with plastic optical fibers (POFs). The coupler, which is fabricated by an injection molding method that uses poly (methyl methacrylate), has an antisymmetric tapered shape. We show that the coupler has low insertion and branching losses. The tapered shape of the receiving branch reduces beam diameter and increases detection efficiency coupling to a photodetector, whose area is smaller than that of the plastic optical fiber. The possibility of more than 15-m bidirectional transmission with a signaling bit rate up to 500 Mbits/s for simplex step-index POFs is demonstrated.     

Theory and measurement of Young's modulus radial profiles of bent single-mode optical fibers with the multiple-beam interference technique

Multiple-beam Fizeau fringes in transmission have been applied to the study of the nonlinear stress-strain relationship due to bending in the cladding of single-mode optical fibers. The present study yields a relation between the variation of refractive indices of bent single-mode fibers, represented by the fringe shift, and the nonlinear radial change of Young's modulus along the fiber cross section. Experimentally, the study confirms the nonlinear asymmetric stress-strain relation across the fiber cross section. This relation is due to the asymmetric distribution of the compression and tensile stresses over the fiber cross section rather than to the shift in the centroid (neutral axis).     

A portable optical sensing system for rapid detection of fluorescence spectra

Development of a prototype of a portable optical sensing system is presented for fast detecting of samples' fluorescence spectra. A compact configuration is achieved by integrating a small spectrometer, a microcontroller, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Host Shield, a network module, and a web server. The fluorescence spectra of a tested sample can be obtained. Then the test data are sent through network communication to our Cloud Server which can store the data for further analyses. With this configuration, test results can be revealed in a short time and downloaded by users to their laptops, tablets or cellphones anytime and anywhere.     

Strain-independent temperature measurement by use of a fluorescence intensity ratio technique in optical fiber

The strain sensitivity of the fluorescence intensity ratio temperature-sensing technique has been measured to be (2 +/- 3) x 10(-4)%/muepsilon in Yb3+-doped fiber, implying a temperature-to-strain cross sensitivity of (2 +/- 3) x 10(-4) degrees C/muepsilon. The near-zero strain sensitivity means that this optical-fiber sensor technique is well suited for temperature measurement in strain-affected environments.     

Polymer optical fibers and nonlinear optical device principles

Basic principles of the present optoelectronic research activities at Hoechst AG are presented in this contribution. Within the diversified broad band spectrum of optoelectronic materials and applications our interest is focused on new types of polymer optical fibers and nonlinear optical device principles using organic Langmuir–Blodgett films and electrically poled polymers. The basic principles and the limits of the present research and development activities which, have a high market potential are outlined.     

Resonant-enhanced evanescent-wave fluorescence biosensing with cylindrical optical cavities

We show that the artificial resonances of dielectric optical cavities can be used to enhance the detection sensitivity of evanescent-wave optical fluorescence biosensors to the binding of a labeled analyte with a biospecific monolayer. Resonant coupling of power into the optical cavity allows for efficient use of the long photon lifetimes (or equivalently, the high internal power) of the high-Q whispering gallery modes to increase the probability of photon absorption into the fluorophore, thereby enhancing fluorescence emission. A method to compare the intrinsic sensitivity between resonant cavity and waveguide formats is also developed. Using realistic estimates for dielectric cylindrical cavities in both bulk and integrated configurations, we can expect sensitivity enhancement by at least an order of magnitude over standard waveguide evanescent sensors of equivalent sensing geometries. In addition, the required sample volume can be reduced significantly. The cylindrical cavity format is compatible with a large variety of sensing modalities such as immunoassay and molecular diagnostic assay.