Generation of picosecond pulses at five close wavelengths by use of a self-seeded Fabry-Perot laser diode and a spectrum-split fiber Bragg grating

We have demonstrated simultaneous generation of stable picosecond laser pulses at five close wavelengths at a pulse repetition rate of approximately 2 GHz by using a self-seeding configuration that consisted of a gain-switched Fabry-Perot laser diode (FPLD) with an external cavity formed by a tunable spectrum-split fiber Bragg grating (FBG). The FBG selected only one of the modes of the FPLD and, at the same time, filtered the selected FPLD mode such that the reflection from the FBG, tapped with a directional coupler, provided an output of dual-wavelength pulses and the transmission through the FBG provided an output of three-wavelength pulses. We could change the intensities and the wavelength separations of the pulses by adjusting the modulating radio frequency and the temperature of the FPLD and the separation of the FBG reflection peaks. In our experiments the highest side-mode suppression ratios of the pulses obtained were 44.5 dB for the dual-wavelength output and 25.0 dB for the three-wavelength output. Also, the laser was demonstrated to minimize pulse intensity imbalance and produce equally separated wavelengths (with a wavelength separation of 0.2 nm). This simple laser offers considerable flexibility for various applications.     

Wavelength switching of picosecond pulses generated from a self-seeded Fabry-Perot laser diode with a tilted fiber Bragg grating formed in a graded-index multimode fiber

We demonstrated the generation of wavelength-switchable picosecond pulses from a self-seeded Fabry-Perot laser diode that used a tilted fiber Bragg grating (FBG) formed in a graded-index multimode fiber as an external optical feedback element, where wavelength switching was achieved by controlling the modal distribution in the FBG. We measured the reflection spectra of multimode FBGs fabricated with different tilt angles and discussed the effects of the tilt angle on wavelength selection. By using a 20?mm long 1.65° tilted FBG and a fiber deformer to control the modal distribution in the FBG, we generated 2?GHz pulses with a wavelength switchable over 14 wavelengths at a spacing of ～0.8?nm.     

Combined time- and wavelength-division-multiplexing demodulation technique of fiber grating sensor arrays using a tunable pulsed laser

Combined time- and wavelength-division-multiplexing demodulation technique of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor arrays using a tunable pulsed laser is proposed and demonstrated. A tunable fiber laser based on a matched FBG is applied. The wavelengths of the sensing FBGs are obtained by detecting the maximum voltages with a photodiode that avoids the complex demodulation process. The advantages of this scheme are simple structure, high signal-to-noise ratio, and the sensing signals obtained by detecting the maximum voltages.     

Bragg光栅式应变传感器的传感特性研究

光纤Bragg光栅是一种新型的传感元件,其原理是利用波长解调的方法将被测的信号转化为光栅反射波长的偏移量,同时反射波长不受入射光的功率波动或光路系统损耗的影响。光纤Bragg光栅应变式传感器因此具备良好的可靠性、不受电磁干扰、不易腐蚀,同时最大的优点是在一根光纤上将多个光纤光栅应变传感器串接组成构成阵列开展分布式测量等优点,在逐渐应用于各类力学检测领域。本文着重对光纤Bragg光栅温度和应变的传感特性简要介绍并进行试验分析.     

Effects of fibre grating parameters on the spectral characteristics of cascaded long- and short-period gratings

Using coupled-mode theory combined with the transfer matrix method, this paper presents the impact of fibre grating parameters(grating period, grating length and average index modulation) and the separation between long-period fibre grating and fibre Bragg grating (FBG) on the reflection spectra of cascaded long-and short-period grating (CLBG). Two grating periods and two grating lengths have only impact on the two reflection peaks. The two resonance wavelengths shift towards the longer wavelength when the period of FBG decreases. Further, we study the sensing characteristics of coated CLBG. By analysing the relationship between the refractive index sensitivity and the thin film parameters (film refractive index and film thickness), the optimized parameters for the coated CLBG used as film sensor were obtained. Data simulation shows that the resolution of the refractive index of this coated CLBG film sensor is predicted to be 10^?6. This implies that the coated CLBG has an important application value in sensing and measurement field.     

Bismuth activated alumosilicate optical fibers fabricated by surface-plasma chemical vapor deposition technology

Plasma chemical technology is experimentally applied to the fabrication of a Bi-activated alumosilicate-core pure-silica-cladding fiber preform. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this technology has been applied in this way. We measure gain efficiency at pumping by a 1058 nm wavelength Yb fiber laser in a piece of a newly obtained fiber 20 m in length within 100-1200 nm wavelengths band. The gain efficiency reaches as high as 0.2 dB/mW. Bi-activated alumosilicate-core pure-silica-cladding fiber that is not more than 12 m in length serves a basis for a 1 W output power fiber laser emitting at the wavelength of 1160 nm with 8% slope efficiency. We also measure the photoluminescence spectrum and kinetics of Bi centers responsible for laser emission under the excitation of 193 nm wavelength ArF laser pulses.     

WDM与OTDR结合的弱光栅分布式温度传感网络

提出一种基于弱反射布拉格光栅的新型分布式温度传感网络,将WDM与OTDR相结合,采用WDM技术提高光栅的复用容量,利用OTDR对各个弱光栅进行实时检测,以实现光栅的密集串行复用,并提高空间分辨率。使用可调谐脉冲激光为光源,多组不同中心波长弱光栅等间距刻制在一根光纤上。利用一根光纤刻制的三组反射率为3%,中心波长分别为1544.660nm、1545.802nm和1546.900nm的9个FBG进行了温度实验。实验结果表明,在5～80℃的温度范围内,FBG的中心波长随温度变化呈良好的线性,线性度达到99.6%以上,温度测量的分辨率最高达到0.11℃,空间分辨率可达2m。     

天津大学光纤传感技术研究部分最新进展

本文介绍了天津大学在光纤传感技术研究领域的最新进展.主要为:基于白光干涉实现了非本征光纤法珀和FBG并行解调,法珀腔长测量误差0.81 μm,FBG波长测量误差14 pm;基于光纤有源内腔结构夹现了乙炔气体传感,灵敏度优于100ppm;基于保偏光纤实现了分布式传感,灵敏度可达6 cm;基于边缘滤波器开发了光纤光栅解调仪,波长分辨力可达1.2pm,扫描速率超过200kHz;采用全光纤OCT技术实现了牙齿模型的二维、三维扫描;实现了光纤陀螺光纤环的温度、振动等动态特性检测.     

Quadruple-wavelength actively mode-locked fiber laser with polarization-controlled wavelength switching

An actively mode-locked fiber laser with two overlapping cavities is proposed and successfully demonstrated to generate switchable quadruple-wavelength picosecond pulses. The wavelengths are specified by two Bragg gratings in polarization-maintaining and absorption-reducing fiber. By simple adjustment of two polarization controllers, the proposed laser can be made to operate at quadruple wavelength or to switch between wavelengths at room temperature. For wavelength switching, four single-wavelength, six dual-wavelength, and four triple-wavelength operations were performed without changing the repetition rate of the output pulses.     

复合材料胶层光纤布格光栅应变监测优化配置研究

航空航天用复合材料粘接胶层在制造和服役过程中不可避免会产生各种缺陷和损伤。针对其粘接胶层缺陷和损伤检测,基于光纤光栅应变传感原理,提出一种针对复合材料胶接层结构应变监测的光纤光栅传感网络优化配置的方法。通过仿真和实验研究了埋入复合材料构件胶接层的光纤布拉格光栅传感器在静载作用下的敏感区域分布特性,分析了载荷位移与布拉格波长漂移的关系,建立符合光纤布拉格光栅传感器实际特点的探测模型,采用粒子群优化算法进行光纤光栅传感网络的优化布置,研究结果表明光纤布拉格光栅传感器位置经优化后,覆盖率得到明显提高。     

基于干涉解调技术的光纤激光器水声传感系统

分析了基于Michelson干涉解调技术的光纤激光器水声传感的原理,在一段掺铒光纤中写入具有π相移的光纤光栅构成光纤激光器,水声压力作用在激光器上引起激光工作波长的变化;采用基于3×3耦合器的偏振无关的非平衡光纤Michelson干涉仪将激光波长变化转化为干涉仪的相位变化;干涉仪的输出由光电探测器转换后使用DSP进行信号解调.针对3×3耦合器分光比不对称的问题,本文提出利用实时调整幅度的2路干涉信号进行解调的方案,该方案不需要3×3耦合器有严格的分光比,消除了外界环境对解调输出的非线性影响.水声探测实验表明,光纤激光器水声传感系统的声压灵敏度为-166.5 dB(参考值1 rad/μPa),解调结果与水声信号具有良好的线性关系.     

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.     

基于双模LPFG折射率不敏感双参量传感器

环境折射率和环境温度变化是影响光纤应变测量误差的主要因素.本文利用双模光纤纤芯双模式(LP01和LP11)支持特性设计了一款环境折射率不敏感的双模光纤(DMF)长周期光纤光栅LPFG)应变传感器.设计了传感器模型结构,制作了最优化参数的传感器样品.实验测试了DMF-LPFG传感结构对外部环境中应变、温度和折射率的响应....     

基于长信号谱自相关的光纤光栅传感解调方法

针对光纤光栅传感领域波长高精度探测和传感复用光栅数量增多的需要,提出一种基于长信号相关谱的新型光纤光栅数字解调技术.该技术在可调谐滤波法的基础上,通过传感光栅与调制光栅反射谱卷积后的信号,即光电探测器的光强时间信号,进行自相关分析以实现对波长漂移的测量以及对传感光栅反射谱形状的识别,增强系统的复用能力,提高了性价比.模拟仿真表明,光纤光栅长信号相关数字解调方法可以准确测量光纤光栅波长的漂移,能更好实现传感复用.等强度悬臂梁实验验证该解调方法能实现光栅应变的高精度测量,优于传统的应变片测试.     

基于F-P标准具和Music算法的FBG动态应变传感系统

提出了基于可调光纤环形激光器结构,并采用F-P标准具解调的光纤布拉格光栅(FBG)动态应变传感系统,具有高达60 dB的光学信噪比.F-P标准具用来作为一个边缘滤波器探测FBG波长的漂移,这样的解调方式具有稳定性高的优点.为了提高动态应变测量系统的分辨率,采用了Music算法进行频谱分析.实验结果显示,在700Hz时的动态应变分辨率达到了0.1με/Hz~(1/2),是传统FFT算法的10倍.     

Development of smart composite structures with small-diameter fiber Bragg grating sensors for damage detection: Quantitative evaluation of delamination length in CFRP laminates using Lamb wave sensing

The authors and Hitachi Cable, Ltd. have recently developed small-diameter optical fiber and its fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor for embedment inside a lamina of composite laminates without strength reduction. The outside diameters of the cladding and polyimide coating are 40 and 52 μm, respectively. First, a brief summary is presented for applications of small-diameter FBG sensors to damage monitoring in composite structures. Then, we propose a new damage detection system for quantitative evaluation of delamination length in CFRP laminates using Lamb wave sensing. In this system, a piezo-ceramic actuator generates Lamb waves in a CFRP laminate. After the waves propagate in the laminate, transmitted waves are received by an FBG sensor attached on or embedded in the laminate using a newly developed high-speed optical wavelength interrogation system. This system was applied to detect interlaminar delamination in CFRP cross-ply laminates. When the Lamb waves passed through the delamination, the amplitude decreased and a new wave mode appeared. These phenomena could be well simulated using a finite element analysis. From the changes in the amplitude ratio and the arrival time of the new mode depending on the delamination length, it was found that this system could evaluate the delamination length quantitatively. Furthermore, small-diameter FBG sensors were embedded in a double-lap type coupon specimen, and the debonding progress could be evaluated using the wavelet transform.     

Performance analysis of a fiber Bragg grating filter-based strain/temperature sensing system based on a modified Gaussian function approximation method

This paper analyzes the performance of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) filter-based strain and/or temperature sensing system based on a modified Gaussian function (MGF) approximation method. Instead of using a conventional Gaussian function, we propose the MGF, which can capture the characteristics of the sidelobes of the reflected spectrum, to model the FBG sensor and filter. We experimentally demonstrate that, by considering the contributions of the sidelobes with the MGF approximation method, behaviors of the FBG filter-based FBG displacement and/or temperature sensing system can be predicted more accurately. The predicted behaviors include the saturation, the sensitivity, the sensing range, and the optimal initial Bragg wavelengths of the FBG sensing system.     

Wavelength tuning in optically mode-locked semiconductor fiber ring lasers with linearly chirped fiber Bragg gratings

We demonstrate wavelength tuning in single-wavelength and multiwavelength semiconductor fiber ring lasers that are mode locked with an optically injected control signal. A semiconductor optical amplifier is used to provide gain as well as to function as an optically controlled mode-locking element. Linearly chirped fiber Bragg gratings--single or superimposed--are used to define the lasing wavelengths as well as to provide wavelength tunability and allow for multiwavelength operation. We obtain pulses of tens of picoseconds in duration when we inject a sinusoidal optical control signal into the laser cavity, and we can tune the lasing wavelength(s) over the reflection bandwidth(s) of the grating(s) by simply changing the frequency of the injected control signal.     

Intensity demodulation-based acoustic sensor using dual fiber Bragg gratings and a titanium film

We report on recent experimental results obtained with fiber Bragg grating (FBG) microphone for acoustic measurement. The sensing element is formed by longitudinally sticking ends of two FBGs onto a titanium film, and then being packaged in an aluminum cylinder. Due to wavelength shift of the FBGs induced by the external acoustic disturbance, the corresponding periodic fluctuation in power can be observed on the optical oscilloscope. Theoretical analysis verifies that the optical power variation, result of the titanium film vibration caused by the acoustic disturbance, possesses a linear relationship with the sound pressure in a specific range. A relatively flat frequency response in the range from 100?Hz to 1?kHz with the average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) above 22?dB is experimentally demonstrated. The maximum sound pressure sensitivity of the proposed sensor is found to be 90?μW/Pa within a sound pressure range 100.3–118.5?dB. The sensing system presents good stability and reliability, and has the advantage of direct self-demodulation.