Ultrasensitive liquid refractometer based on a Mach-Zehnder micro-cavity in optical fibre fabricated by femtosecond laser-induced water breakdown

Abstract

A Mach–Zehnder (MZ) micro-cavity with two symmetric openings in single mode fibre (SMF) was fabricated by femtosecond laser-induced water breakdown. The micro-cavity is rightly across half of the fibre core, and the opening size of the micro-cavity is 10 μm × 100 μm. The micro-cavity and the remaining half of the fibre core constitute two arms of the Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI). The MZI with micro-cavity immerged in water shows perfect interference spectrum due to the regular shape and smooth internal surface of the micro-cavity. The insertion loss is only –8 dB and the contrast of one MZI peak reaches more than 40 dB. The MZI with micro-cavity in SMF can be used as an ultrasensitive liquid refractometer as its ultrahigh refractive index (RI) sensitivity (14296.98 nm/RIU), high RI resolution (1 × 10^?5 RIU), good linearity (99.62%) and low temperature crosstalk (0.04 nm/°C).     

Study of a fiber optic humidity sensor based on agarose gel

An optical fiber humidity sensor was fabricated using a hydrophilic gel (agarose) deposited on the tapered plastic optical fiber (POF). The sensing element, agarose, can absorb and exude moisture from/to the ambience, thereby altering its refractive index and changing its ability to modulate the intensity of light that propagates through the fiber. Thus, the operating principle of the sensor is based on the intensity modulation technique, which utilizes a tapered POF probe coated with agarose that is sensitive to humidity. The POF, which was fabricated using an etching method, has a waist diameter of 0.45 mm and tapering length of 10 mm. As the relative humidity varies from 50% to 80%, the output voltage of the sensor with agarose gel of 0.5% weight content decreases linearly from 2.24 mV to 1.55 mV. The agarose-based sensor produces a sensitivity of 0.0228 mV/%, with a slope linearity of more than 98.36%. The tapered fiber with agarose gel of 1% weight content produces a sensitivity of 0.0103 mV/% with a slope linearity of more than 94.95% and a limit of detection of 2.635%, while the tapered fiber with agarose gel of 1.5% weight content produces a sensitivity of 0.0079 mV/% with a slope linearity of more than 98.53% and a limit of detection of 6.853%. The fiber with agarose gel of 0.5% weight content shows higher sensitivity compared to that of 1% and 1.5% due to the effect of pore size, which changes with concentration. The results demonstrate that agarose-based optical fiber sensors are both sensitive and efficient for economical and flexible measurements of humidity.     

飞秒光纤光栅高温测量方法研究

为了实现高温环境下温度的准确测量,利用飞秒激光制备的光纤布拉格光栅（Fiber Bragg Gratings,FBG）杰出的热稳定性,提出一种基于飞秒光纤光栅的高温测量方法。利用光纤热光系数、热膨胀系数与温度之间的依赖关系,建立了FBG中心波长-温度模型;由于该模型不存在解析解,利用单点中心波长-温度特解和四次多项式拟合温度-中心波长工作曲线。基于该工作曲线和预退火（1 000℃,20 h）FBG在常温至900℃范围内进行温度测量实验,结果表明最大测量偏差不超过±2℃。本方法仅需标定单点中心波长-温度即可实现宽温度范围内的温度准确测量,简洁有效,在航空航天、核电冶金等领域中具有重要的研究和应用价值。     

基于狭缝整形的低损耗飞秒光纤光栅制备

为了解决飞秒激光逐点法制备的光纤布拉格光栅（Fiber Bragg Gratings, FBG）损耗较高的问题,利用逐面法完成飞秒光纤光栅制备的实验研究。运用高斯光束传播的基本理论,通过狭缝整形技术对聚焦的飞秒激光能量分布进行等高宽整形,突破在光纤横截面内诱导产生圆形折射率调制的难点,最终制备得到低损耗的飞秒光纤光栅。开展不同狭缝宽度制备FBG的光谱特性对比实验,结果表明：利用光斑直径为5.0 mm的飞秒激光光束刻写FBG时,采用宽度为1.7 mm的狭缝制备得到的FBG插入损耗降低至0.15 dB,短波损耗降低至0.5 dB,验证了基于狭缝整形的低损耗飞秒光纤光栅制备方法的有效性。针对狭缝法制备的FBG反射率分散问题,提出控制折射率匹配液填充量以及调整飞秒激光能量的方法,并优化光束聚焦流程,成功降低FBG反射率的分散度。本研究对推动飞秒光纤光栅在大容量、高链路损耗等环境中的实际应用具有重要意义。     

环境湿度对玻璃纤维增强水泥力学性能的影响

通过开展在不同龄期、不同环境湿度下玻璃纤维增强水泥(GRC)试件的抗折强度、抗压强度试验和基体pH值测定,研究了环境湿度对掺加粉煤灰和硅灰等活性矿物掺合料的GRC试件力学性能的影响。结果表明:环境湿度对GRC试件的抗折强度有重要影响,相对湿度越大,随着龄期增加, GRC试件抗折强度降低越严重;在温度60℃、相对湿度95%条件下,经过56 d龄期后,掺有40%粉煤灰和10%硅灰的GRC试件抗折强度比未掺加粉煤灰和硅灰的GRC试件的抗折强度提高48.5%、抗压强度提高23.6%, GRC基体pH值降低6%。在相同的湿度条件下,掺有粉煤灰和硅灰试件的pH值在各个龄期都低于普通硅酸盐水泥试件,说明粉煤灰和硅灰的掺入能降低水泥水化液相的碱度,进而延缓了纤维受侵蚀的速度,显著改善了GRC试件的力学及耐久性能。通过对试验结果进行分析,利用MATLAB软件建立了GRC试件抗折强度和抗压强度与水泥砂浆基体pH值及时间的关系式。      

Passively mode-locked fiber laser sensor for acoustic pressure sensing

The development is reported of a multi-longitudinal mode fiber laser sensor based on passive mode locking employing carbon nanotubes in the laser cavity. A polymer membrane is employed beneath the pre-strained erbium-doped fiber (EDF) to convert the sound pressure disturbance into axial strain, alter the cavity length, and induce a shift of the longitudinal modes beat. Hence, acoustic pressure measurement can be carried out by detecting the shift of the beat frequency. Experimental results show comparable strain and sound pressure sensitivity of ~0.5 kHz/με and 147.2 Hz/Pa, respectively. The proposed sensor is an alternative for the measurement of acoustic pressure and possesses the advantages of good stability and ease of interrogation.     

桐马环氧玻璃丝粉云母绝缘材料的耐盐雾湿热老化特性

为了研究海洋能电机主绝缘材料耐盐雾湿热老化能力,对电机多胶模压（Resin-Rich Molding,RRM）桐马环氧玻璃丝粉云母（Tong-ma Epoxy Glass Fiber Power Mica,TEGM）绝缘材料进行模拟海洋气候的盐雾湿热老化试验,测试了不同老化周期下材料的吸水率变化,并结合扫描电子显微镜（Scanning Electron Microscope,SEM）的观测结果分析了材料老化前后微观形貌的变化。利用宽频介电阻抗谱仪测试不同老化周期和不同测试温度下的TEGM绝缘材料的频域介电参数变化,并运用电介质极化理论分析老化前后的微观结构形态变化和宏观介电性能之间的关系。研究结果表明,TEGM绝缘试样老化过程中的吸水性呈现快速吸湿、缓慢吸湿和饱和吸湿3个阶段;随着老化时间的延长,材料相对介电常数和介质损耗因数呈上升趋势,利用频域介电谱（Frequency Domain Spectroscopy,FDS）曲线可较好反映绝缘材料的老化状态;通过对测试数据的拟合,得到老化绝缘材料的介电参数与材料吸水率在低频下存在的二次方程关系。     

聚醚砜超滤膜处理油田采出水试验研究

采用聚醚砜中空纤维超滤膜组件处理油田采出水,探讨了超滤用于油田回注水处理和采出水回用预处理效果.结果表明:聚醚砜超滤膜产水通量较高,处理水中石油类、悬浮物及其粒径中值均达到回注水的标准,浊度、TGB和IB细菌的去除率分别达100%、99%、99%.采用碱+表面活性剂复合药剂清洗可获得最佳的通量恢复.由于采出水中较高的H2S和COD含量,超滤产水的SDI15>3.0,超出后续纳滤/反渗透膜系统的进水要求.