High-sensitivity refractive index sensors based on fused tapered photonic crystal fiber

In this paper, a novel liquid refractive index (RI) sensor based on fused tapered photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is proposed. It is fabricated by fusing and tapering a section of PCF which is spliced with two single-mode fibers (SMFs). Due to the fused biconical taper method, the sensor becomes longer and thinner, to make the change of the outside RI has more direct effects on the internal optical field of the PCF, which finally enhances the sensitivity of this sensor. Experimental results show that the transmission spectra of the sensor are red-shifted obviously with the increase of RI. The longer the tapered region of the sensor, the higher the sensitivity is. This sensor has the advantages of simple structure, easy fabrication, high performance and so on, so it has potential applications in RI measurement.     

基于拉锥单模-多模-单模光纤结构的高灵敏折射率传感器

文章介绍基于拉锥单模-多模-单模(SMS)光纤结构的模间干涉仪,当拉伸长度为35mm时形成自由光谱区(FSR)为1.3nm的干涉透射谱,消光比达到10dB。此时拉锥多模光纤的腰椎平坦区直径约为3.85μm,具有较强的倏逝场,可用作高灵敏折射率传感器。实验证明,此拉锥SMS结构在折射率范围1.35-1.36内的灵敏度高达771nm/RIU,能精密监测溶液溶质扩散现象。     

Optical Refractive-Index Sensor Based on Dual Fiber-Bragg Gratings Interposed With a Multimode-Fiber Taper

A new type of optical refractive-index (RI) sensor is proposed and experimentally demonstrated by using a structure of two single-mode fiber (SMF) Bragg gratings with a multimode fiber (MMF) taper in-between. The loss induced by a mismatch of waveguide structure between SMFs and MMFs is amplified by a tapering process, and is utilized for RI sensing through evanescent field. Experimental results show that the sensor possesses a tailorable sensitivity to the change of external RI and has a good linear response in the simultaneous measurement of external RI and temperature     

基于长周期光纤光栅的光纤液位传感器

为了测量液位在警戒值附近变化的情况, 采用新款光纤熔接机制作了一种基于锥形结构的长周期光纤光栅测量液位的光纤传感器, 对传感器进行了理论分析, 搭建了液位传感实验系统, 根据传感器对外界环境的折射率灵敏度, 测量浸没在液体中的光纤长度。结果表明, 在0 mm~12 mm的液位测量范围内, 光纤液位传感器的峰值波长灵敏度和透射功率灵敏度分别是0.700 nm/mm和1.377 dB/nm。该传感器对液位变化测量较为准确, 且采用刻栅方式可有效解决传统长周期光纤光栅中存在的非对称模耦合和偏振依赖性高等问题, 同时具有制作简单、成本低和应用前景广泛等优点。     

球聚焦型3×1光纤熔锥耦合器的研究

以线性耦合波方程为基础,采用散射矩阵的方法讨论了等三角分布的熔锥型3×1光纤耦合器,并用射线理论分析了球聚焦透镜光纤的端面效应。将未封装的3×3熔锥光纤耦合器在束腰处切断,并将锥端面熔成聚焦球端,利用光信号在光纤锥形区和球聚焦透镜中特有的传输和耦合特性,实现了光纤的耦合、连接和分束。结果表明:采用该方法耦合效率可达70%左右。同时大大增加了耦合系统的失调容差,降低了调试和封装的难度,因而有着广泛的实际应用价值。     

基于聚合物微球腔的高灵敏温度传感器（特邀）

提出了一种基于聚合物微球腔的温度传感器,该温度传感器利用微球腔谐振波长漂移量测量外界环境温度变化量,兼具结构紧凑和高度灵敏的特点。首先利用有限时域差分法对拉锥光纤耦合聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)微球的谐振结构进行了仿真分析,验证了拉锥光纤激发聚合物微球腔中回音壁模式的可行性。实验结果表明,束腰直径为1.8 μm的拉锥光纤与直径为数十微米的聚合物微球之间通过消逝场耦合的方式能够激发品质因子为104量级的回音壁模式。利用点式封装和全包裹封装相结合的方式将拉锥光纤和聚合物微球封装一体,一方面可保持两者之间稳定的耦合状态,另一方面保护拉锥光纤和微球腔免受外界污染。由于聚合物微球腔的负热光系数大于其热膨胀系数,其谐振光谱随外界温度降低发生红移。当外界环境温度在20~30 ℃范围内变化时,聚合物微球腔温度灵敏度为68 pm/℃。与传统光纤温度传感器相比,该传感器的高品质因子使其具有更低的探测极限,在受限空间内的原位温度精密测量中具有潜在的应用前景。     

基于光纤内双开口F-P干涉腔的折射率传感器

为了实现高灵敏度液体折射率传感器的高效制备,采用飞秒激光直写技术,在光纤末端刻蚀出矩形凹槽,辅以光纤熔接方法,制备出一种基于光纤内双开口法布里-珀罗(F-P)干涉腔的折射率传感器。该传感器的液体折射率传感灵敏度达到1107.76nm/RIU。讨论了温度对该传感器性能的影响,温度串扰小于0.0025nm/℃;基于海水含盐浓度与折射率的线性关系,探讨了该传感器在海水含盐浓度传感测量方面的应用,灵敏度为0.171nm/(mgmL-1)。结果表明,基于光纤内双开口F-P干涉腔的折射率传感器具有干涉谱对比度高、线性响应良好、灵敏度高、不易受温度串扰、结构紧凑、制备简单高效等优点,在生物、医疗、化学、环境等领域中有着广泛的应用前景。     

移动温区光纤熔融拉锥锥区形貌研究

光纤拉锥是光纤器件制作中的一项重要技术,为了研究快速往复移动温区熔融拉锥系统中锥区形貌与各拉锥参数的关系,基于体积不变原理,建立了往复运动温区熔融拉锥系统在满足温区运动速度大于光纤拉伸速度条件下的理论模型,详细描绘锥区形貌形成过程,推导出锥区直径、锥区平坦区长度与温区运动次数、温区运动速度、光纤拉伸速度、温区往复运动距离以及温区宽度与光纤初始直径之间的定量关系,并进行验证,实验结果与理论分析一致。     

级联FPI-MZI复合干涉光纤传感器双参数特性研究

为了实现工业生产过程中温度和溶液质量分数的同时测量和传感检测, 提出了一种由法布里-珀罗干涉仪(FPI)和马赫-曾德尔干涉仪(MZI)级联干涉结构构成的双参数传感器。该传感器由融合在一起的单模光纤(SMF)和空芯光纤(HCF)组成。采用同时测量FPI反射光谱和MZI透射光谱的特征波长位移的方法, 获得了FPI和MZI对温度和折射率的灵敏度差, 建立了传感器温度-质量分数灵敏度矩阵, 实现了传感器双参数的测量。结果表明, 在40℃~150℃的温度范围内, FPI的温度敏感度为10pm/℃, 而MZI的对温度不敏感; 在质量分数0.05~0.40的范围内, FPI对折射率不敏感, 而MZI质量分数灵敏度是232.3nm/RIU; 该传感器可以实现温度与溶液质量分数的同时测量。该研究为石油、化工、电力、钢铁、机械等加工行业中双参数的动态测量提供了参考。     

Compact modal interferometer built with tapered microstructured optical fiber

A modal interferometer was built with tapered large-mode-area microstructured optical fiber (MOF). The tapering was introduced by slowly stretching the fiber while it was heated with a high temperature flame torch. With this "slow-and-hot" tapering process, the MOF air holes collapse and the taper waist is transformed into a solid unclad multimode fiber. This allows the coupling between the fundamental HE/sub 11/ MOF mode and the HE/sub 1m/ modes of the solid fiber. The beating of the HE/sub 1m/ modes makes the transmission spectra of the taper to exhibit an oscillatory pattern. The influence of the taper geometry and wavelength on the interference pattern is discussed. The interferometer can be used for diverse applications.     

基于单模异芯光纤结构的液位传感器

提出了一种新颖的光纤液位传感器。在普通单模光纤(SMF)中间熔接一段细芯单模光纤(TCSMF),构成共轴光纤马赫曾德尔干涉仪(MZI)。液位的变化引起包层模与芯模的相位差发生改变,从而导致干涉仪的透射光谱发生改变。对传感器的工作原理和测量灵敏度及精度进行了理论分析,实验结果显示透射光谱中特征峰波长漂移量跟液位变化量呈较好的线性关系,且灵敏度随待测液体折射率的增大而增高,与理论分析结果相一致。测量得到纯水和饱和氯化钠溶液的测量灵敏度分别为0.160 nm/mm和0.228 nm/mm。该传感器采用全光纤结构,制备简单、测量精度高,可适用于折射率低于光纤包层折射率液体的高精度液位测量。     

Temperature and refractive index sensing characteristics of an MZI-based multimode fiber–dispersion compensation fiber–multimode fiber structure

We proposed an optical fiber sensor with simple multimode fiber (MMF)–dispersion compensation fiber (DCF)–multimode fiber structure based on Mach–Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) and researched its temperature and refractive index (RI) sensing characteristics. The sensing principle is based on the interference between core and cladding modes of DCF due to the large core diameter mismatch. Spectral analyses demonstrate that the transmission spectrum is mainly formed by the interference between the dominant excited cladding mode and core modes. The experimental results show that the proposed sensor has high temperature sensitivity of 0.118 nm/°C in the range of 20–250 °C and RI sensitivity of 66.32 nm/RIU within the linear sensing range of 1.33–1.39 RIU. Therefore, the characteristics of compact size, low cost, easy fabrication, high sensitivities, and good anti-interference ability make this sensor have extensive application prospects.     

Theoretical shape analysis of tapered fibers using a movable large-zone furnace

To estimate the shape of tapered fibers using tapering machines with movable large-zone furnaces, a new calculation method is proposed based on the discrete deducing method and the principle of the volume conservation of the fiber materials. This method can estimate the tapering results, i.e., the shape of the tapered fibers, based on arbitrary moving parameters of the large-zone furnace and the fiber holders. The theoretical estimated results agree with the experimental measuring shape of the tapered fibers quite well.     

基于磁流包覆冷却拉锥全光纤磁场传感器特性研究

为提高光纤传感器磁场检测中的敏感度,进一步实现弱磁场环境中的高精度场强勘测,提出一种基于磁流包覆与冷却拉锥透射式全光纤高灵敏磁场传感器,拉锥过程采用间歇式停顿冷却技术,可更加便捷获得高质量干涉谱,减缓光子晶体光纤空气孔塌缩,制作工艺简单,具有可操纵性强、灵敏度高、损耗小等优势,实现了高灵敏磁场环境实时在线检测,并对传感器的变温影响进行了讨论。实验结果表明,光子晶体光纤的拉锥长度为5.5mm、腰椎直径为75μm时,可得到良好的干涉光谱,在0~78 Oe(1 Oe■79.578A·m-1)磁场范围内,灵敏度达95pm/Oe,线性拟合度为98.31%。     

飞秒激光制备光纤U形微结构应用于折射率传感

为了实现低成本、高精度的折射率测量,采用飞秒激光微加工技术,制备出基于U形微结构的多模光纤液体折射率传感器。研究了传感器的通光功率变化值与U形槽深度以及U形槽内液体折射率的关系,同时探究了在相同光损耗情况下不同烧蚀长度对灵敏度的影响,并使用射线理论和模式理论对传感机理进行了分析。结果表明,该传感器在折射率1.3331~1.3731范围内具有良好的线性响应,且可以做到5700μW/RIU的灵敏度;同时在10dB损耗情况下20μm烧蚀长度具有较好的灵敏度。该传感器具有结构简单、容易制备、灵敏度高和低成本等优点,在化学、生物、医学、环境监测等方面有广泛的应用前景。     

Beam propagation analysis for tapered waveguides: taking account ofthe curved phase-front effect in paraxial approximation

A novel equivalent waveguide theory based on the conformal mapping method is employed to investigate the tapered waveguide with curved phase fronts. By using the theory, the curved phase fronts of a tapered waveguide would be transformed into the planar ones of its equivalent straight-liked structure. Therefore, the paraxial beam propagation method can be used to analyze the equivalent structures of tapered waveguides (even for wide-angle tapers). Two kinds of popular tapered waveguides, including the cross-sectional dimension tapering and the constant V-number tapering, are used to analyze by our combination of conformal mapping method and beam propagation method (BPM)     

基于表面等离子体共振的高灵敏度光纤微流控芯片

设计了一种可嵌入基于表面等离子体共振(SPR)光纤传感器的微流控芯片,可用于溶液浓度的测量。采用具有良好化学惰性的有机聚合材料聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)作为芯片主体的制作材料,在芯片中微流控通道内采用镀有60 nm金膜的多模光纤-光子晶体光纤-多模光纤(MMF-PCF-MMF)传感结构来激发SPR效应。当注入微流体通道的溶液浓度发生变化时,由于光纤传感部分外部折射率的变化引起SPR谐振谷移动,故该芯片可用于测量溶液浓度。本芯片微流控通道直径为0.2 mm,最高检测灵敏度可达8240.6 nm/RIU,具有便于实时测量、高灵敏度、高可靠性、溶液用量少等特点。     

拉锥光纤产生超连续谱的研究进展

随着拉锥理论的发展和拉锥工艺的提高,拉锥光纤中超连续谱的产生成为近年来的研究热点。通过拉锥,可以灵活调整光纤的色散和非线性效应,对超连续谱的产生具有重要意义。首先简要介绍了拉锥技术,然后分别介绍了拉锥普通光纤和拉锥光子晶体光纤中超连续谱产生的研究进展,最后对拉锥光纤产生超连续谱的发展和应用作了展望。     

拉锥光纤的制作工艺与测试方法

在分析移动火苗拉锥技术原理的基础上,对商用拉锥机参数进行了分析,并设计、制作了不同形状的拉锥光纤。为了检测制成的拉锥光纤实际形状与理论预测的符合度,设计了傅立叶光学衍射测量系统,对拉锥光纤样品测试,结果证明了理论分析方法的合理性。对固定火焰拉锥机,给出了控制拉伸距离得到特定形状拉锥光纤的方法。     

Study of fiber laser micro-nano sensor based on colloidal crystal

A fiber laser micro-nano sensor based on colloidal crystal structure is proposed in this paper.The fiber laser has stable frequency and narrow linewidth.It is realized by using an unpumped erbium-doped fiber（EDF）as the saturable absorber.The saturable absorber possesses the shape of taper.The laser threshold can be effectively reduced by the tapered saturable absorber.The tapered fiber coated with colloidal crystal as sensing unit is studied.The concentration of ethanol can be obtained from the detection of the output laser wavelength.It can be extensively used in chemical,medical and biological detections.