Exact analysis of low-finesse multimode fiber extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometers

A straightforward theory is presented to accurately model the light inferences in a low-finesse multimode fiber extrinsic Fabry-Perot (FP) interferometer. The effect on the fringe visibility of the gap length, sensor structure imperfections, and modal power distributions is explored. The analysis is particularly useful in the design and optimization of sensors that use an extrinsic FP cavity as the sensing element.     

Spatial and spectral response of a Fabry-Perot interferometer illuminated by a Gaussian beam

A generalized study has been done of the transmission characteristics of a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) illuminated by a Gaussian light beam impinging on it at normal and non-normal incidence. The theoretical approach is based on a plane-wave, angular-spectrum representation of both the incident Gaussian beam and the transmitted beam. Expressions are obtained for the FPI instrumental function and for the spatial distribution of the transmitted beam. Numerical results are presented for the FPI maximum transmission, effective finesse, and spectral displacement of the interference maximum.     

Extrinsic optical-fiber ultrasound sensor using a thin polymer film as a low-finesse Fabry-Perot interferometer

Theoretical and experimental aspects of an extrinsic optical-fiber ultrasound sensor are described. The sensor is based on a thin transparent polymer film acting as a low-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity that is mounted at the end of a multimode optical fiber. Performance was found to be comparable with that of a piezoelectric polyvinylidene dinuoride-membrane (PVDP) hydrophone with a sensitivity of 61 mV/MPa, an acoustic noise floor of 2.3 KPa over a 25-MHz bandwidth, and a frequency response to 25 MHz. The wideband-sensitive response and design flexibility of the concept suggests that it may find application as an alternative to piezoelectric devices for the detection and measurement of ultrasound.     

Micromachined low-finesse Fabry-Perot interferometer for the measurement of DC and AC electrical currents

A micromachined low finesse Fabry-Perot interferometer for measuring DC and AC electrical current is presented. Interrogation of the microcavity is achieved by a dual-wavelength fiber Bragg grating technique working in quadrature. A linear relation between the DC electrical current and the optical phase defined by the microcavity was detected. Large enhancement of the sensitivity of the microcavities is presented with the use of a planar coil instead of a power line. The sensitivity of the sensor with the planar coil configuration is 7.9 rad/A and resolution of /spl sim/0.18 mA//spl radic/Hz is achieved when the distance between the planar coil and the transducer head is 2 mm. The response of the sensor for AC measurements is 0.14 V/A with a resolution of 6 mA//spl radic/Hz when the distance between the power line and the transducer head is 5.5 cm.     

Optical acoustic detector based on a fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer

We describe a novel optical acoustic detector based on a bias-controlled fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer. The detector has a broad bandwidth from 10 Mhz to a few gigahertz and higher sensitivity than conventional systems, which are useful for noncontact characterization of microsamples based on laser ultrasound.     

光纤非本征法布里-玻罗传感器兰姆波检测灵敏度分析

基于兰姆波的结构工况检测技术在评估复合材料和金属结构的安全性和耐久性方面发挥着重要的作用。作为对传统的压电换能器（PZT）的一种很好的替代,光纤传感器在传感方面的应用正被广泛地挖掘出来,包括兰姆波检测。本文从理论上建立了超声兰姆波作用下光纤非本征法布里．玻罗（EFPI）传感器参数与其输出性能之间的关系。数值结果显示了传感器的性能与其相对于声源的方向角以及传感器的计量长度与超声波长的比值相关。所得出的结论对于EFPI传感器精确地探测兰姆波提供了理论依据。     

Analysis of Faraday effect in multimode tellurite glass optical fiber for magneto-optical sensing and monitoring applications

The design and fabrication of a tellurite glass multimode optical fiber for magneto-optical applications are presented and discussed. The analysis of the polarization shows that an optical beam, linearly polarized at the fiber input, changes to elliptically polarized with an ellipticity of 1∶4.5 after propagating down the fiber. However, the elliptical distribution remains unchanged with or without an applied magnetic field, demonstrating that no circular dichroism occurs within the fiber. The Verdet constant of the tellurite glass in the fiber is measured to be 28±0.5 rad·(T·m)-1, diverging by less than 3% from the Verdet constant found on the same glass composition in bulk form. These results demonstrate the feasibility to develop reliable tellurite glass fibers by the preform drawing method for magneto-optical applications.     

Frequency-domain intermodal interferometer for the bandwidth measurement of a multimode fiber

A new bandwidth measurement technique for a multimode optical fiber (MMF) using a frequency-domain intermodal interferometer is proposed. We have demonstrated that the relative modal delay (RMD) of a MMF can be obtained easily and accurately based on an optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR) technique by using an intermodal interference signal among the excited modes of a MMF. As an example, a photonic crystal fiber with a few modes is prepared and its RMD is measured by using our proposed measurement technique. Measurement results are compared with those from a previously reported frequency-domain method. We have also measured the RMD of a commercial MMF as a practical application and compared our result with the one obtained from a well-known time-domain differential mode delay measurement technique.     

Direct image transmission through a multimode optical fiber

One-way transmission of a multipixel image through the multimode optical fiber based on the phase-conjugation principle is realized. Adistortion-compensating hologram for each pixel of an image to be transmitted is superposed on a photoplate. Each hologram is recorded with a reference beam of different beam incidence angle to provide proper wave-front correction for each pixel without any interference from other pixels. The reference beams are holographically generated from a photoplate in which small holographic lenslets are aligned in a matrix pattern. Images of up to 25 pixels are transmitted through the fiber experimentally.     

TFBG的Fabry-Perot干涉型纵向微位移传感研究

提出了一种利用光纤Fabry-Perot(F-P)干涉结构的微位移传感器,该F-P干涉结构是由双倾斜光纤光栅(tilted fiber Bragg grating,TFBG)沿轴向错开一定距离构成空气腔形成的.入射光经双TFBG及其高反射端面往返传播,从而构成F-P干涉结构.光纤沿纵(z轴)向移动时,F-P腔的腔长发生变化,致使干涉光谱的自由光谱范围随之产生变化.实验验证,该传感器在0~115μm的测量范围内获得了高达0.475nm/μm的灵敏度,较之前提出的光纤光栅型传感器灵敏度提高了近3倍.     

High sensitivity of taper-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer embedded in a thinned optical fiber for refractive index sensing

A taper-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) embedded in a thinned optical fiber is demonstrated as a highly sensitive refractive index (RI) sensor. A RI sensitivity of 2210.84 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) is obtained at the external RI of 1.40, which is ten times higher than that of normal taper- and long-period fiber grating (LPFG)-based sensors. The sensitivity can be further improved by decreasing the diameter of the thinned fiber and increasing the interferometer length of the MZI. The proposed MZIs have lower temperature sensitivities compared with normal fiber sensors, which is a desirable merit for RI sensors to reduce the cross sensitivity caused by thermal drift.     

Performance of a circle-to-line optical system for a Fabry-Perot interferometer: a laboratory study

We describe the characterization and laboratory study of a new optical device, a circle-to-line interferometer optical (CLIO) system, for a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The CLIO system converts a circular Fabry-Perot interferometer fringe pattern into a linear fringe pattern that can be analyzed by a linear array detector or a charge-coupled device. One can achieve the circle-to-line conversion by the use of a mirrored kaleidoscope and a 90-deg segment of a 45-deg half-angle internally reflecting cone. Our laboratory results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. The aberrations associated with this optical system are minor for large F-number optical systems, especially for the cone segment. The finesse degradation caused by this CLIO system is relatively small, which agrees with the results of a ray-trace study.     

Extrinsic Fabry-Perot cavity optical fiber liquid-level sensor

An optical fiber liquid-level sensor based on an extrinsic Fabry-Perot (FP) cavity is proposed and demonstrated. The FP cavity consists of the end of the single-mode optical fiber and the elastic silicon layer. Liquid pressures act on the mechanical construction to change the cavity length, resulting in differential phase shifts that may be observed as variations of the output signal intensity. Self-compensated steps have been taken to obtain high accuracy and long-term stability in realistic circumstances. Experimental results indicate that accuracy of 2 mm over a full scale of 3.5 m (water) is obtained under ambient temperature 10-38 degrees C. The sensor can be used to measure liquid levels continuously and accurately in explosive and flammable environments.     

Wind-velocity lidar measurements by use of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, comparison with a Fabry-Perot interferometer

We present the first wind-velocity profiles obtained with a direct-detection Doppler lidar that uses a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) as spectral discriminator. The measurements were performed in the lower stratosphere, between 10 and 40 km in altitude, at the Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP), France, during nighttime. They are in excellent agreement with those obtained simultaneously and independently with the already validated double Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) of the OHP Doppler lidar (mean difference lower than the combined standard deviation). A statistical analysis shows that the random error obtained with this experimental MZI is 1.94 times the Cramer-Rao lower bound and is approximately half of that given by the FPI (both operating in photometric mode). Nevertheless, the present MZI measurements are sensitive to the presence of atmospheric particles and need an additional correction, whereas the OHP FPI is designed to be insensitive to particulate scattering.     

Gaussian-optics-based optical modeling and characterization of a Fabry-Perot microcavity for sensing applications

A generalized study has been carried out on the modeling of a Fabry-Perot microcavity for sensing applications. Different analytical models on transmission characteristics of a Fabry-Perot microcavity are established by using plane-wave-based techniques, such as the Macleod characteristic matrix technique, the transfer matrix technique, and Smith's technique. A novel Gaussian-optics-based model for a Fabry-Perot microcavity illuminated by a laser beam is then developed and validated. The influence of laser beam waist on microcavity optical response is investigated, and the required minimal beam waist size is explored to ensure a useful optical response for sensing applications that can be accurately predicted by plane-wave optics. Also, the perturbations of microcavity performance induced by different types of microcavity mirror imperfections are discussed, based on the novel optical model. The prototype of the proposed Fabry-Perot microcavity for sensing applications has been successfully fabricated and characterized.     

Extrinsic fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer sensor for refractive index measurement of optical glass

A simple fiber-optic sensor based on Fabry-Perot interference for refractive index measurement of optical glass is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. A broadband light source is coupled into an extrinsic fiber Fabry-Perot cavity formed by the surfaces of a sensing fiber end and the measured sample. The interference signals from the cavity are reflected back into the same fiber. The refractive index of the sample can be obtained by measuring the contrast of the interference fringes. The experimental data meet with the theoretical values very well. The proposed technique is a new method for glass refractive index measurement with a simple, solid, and compact structure.     

Improving the precision of multimode optical fiber attenuationmeasurements/

To improve the precision of attenuation measurements for multimode optical fibers, the different measurement errors are analyzed and an error equation is established. This is used to quantify total error by inserting relevant parameters taken from a recent Chinese nationwide interlaboratory comparison of multimode optical fiber attenuation measurements. It is suggested that the measurement error of the attenuation of a multimode optical fiber be expressed in both the error for the total loss of the entire length of the fiber, and the error of the loss per unit length, rather than the usual way of only expressing it per unit length