Application of optical time-domain reflectometry for the interrogation of fiber Bragg sensors

A reflectometric approach is proposed for the polling and multiplexing of sensitive elements on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The method is based on the power measurement of the radiation reflected by the FBG using a conventional fiber-optic time-domain reflectometer. The multiplexing of sensors is based on the time separation of signals. Requirements on the Bragg diffraction gratings that provide the linear dependence of the received signal on the FBG mechanical stress and temperature are determined. In the measurements of the FBG relative elongation and temperature, the threshold sensitivities are 0.8 × 10^?4 (80 μstrain) and 5°C, respectively. Due to its simplicity and efficiency, the reflectometric method of FBG polling and multiplexing can be used to solve various measurement problems, in particular, the safety monitoring of the stressed-strained elements in building structures.     

Differential reflectometry of FBG sensors in the wide spectral range

The paper presents a reflectometric technique for interrogation of multiple fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors based on conventional optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR). The method proposed rests on the differential measurement of FBGs’ response to a short probing laser pulse. Implementation of differential measurement principle using several reference FBGs allowed us to eliminate the susceptibility of the system to intensity fluctuations as well as to increase the measurement range as compared to the previous developments. The experimental threshold sensitivity amounted to ∼50 microstrain with the measurement range being defined by the number of reference FBGs and limited only by optical fiber tensile strength. Due to its simplicity, efficiency and usage of conventional OTDR equipment the proposed FBG interrogation technique can find a wide range of applications dealing with strain and temperature measurements.     

Generation of quadrature-squeezed light during the propagation of a light wave in a birefringent fiber

It is shown that generation of quadrature-squeezed states of a vector electromagnetic field in which quantum fluctuations in one of the quadrature components are smaller than in the coherent state can occur in cubically nonlinear media (birefringent fibers) with efficient energy transfer between the polarization modes of the field. It is shown that for certain distributions of the initial total power between modes, light with suppressed quantum fluctuations in both polarization modes of the vector field is formed at the fiber exit. The optimal conditions for obtaining quadrature-squeezed light are determined. New analytical expressions are obtained for the degree of squeezing in the two polarization modes in the case when there is no energy transfer between the polarization components of the field propagating in the fiber (eigenmodes of two-wave mixing).     

Effects of distributed birefringence on fiber Bragg grating under non-uniform transverse load

Many theoretical and experimental studies have been developed to characterize the spectral response of an optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in axial strain fields in recent years. However, comparatively few works were devoted to the evolution of the spectrum when a FBG is subjected to non-uniform transverse load. In this paper, the effects of distributed birefringence on FBG under non-uniform transverse load are analyzed and a numerical simulation based on the piecewise-uniform approach is also discussed to simulate the responses of FBG under some typical non-uniform transverse strain fields. Experiment was carried out using different loads applied at different locations of the FBG. Good agreements between experimental results and numerical simulations have been obtained.     

双折射光纤环镜应变灵敏度优化研究

灵敏度是衡量传感器的重要指标之一, 基于双折射光纤环镜(PM-FLM)应变传感器灵敏度理论模型,通过数值模拟与实验的方法,在不增加系统复杂性的前提下,通过自身性能优化PM-FLM轴向应变灵敏度;同时研究了双折射光纤(PMF)长度对PM-FLM轴向应变灵敏度的影响。研究结果表明：对于相同PM-FLM,可以选择长波长监测点优化轴向应变灵敏度;对于双折射率相同的PM-FLM,可以选择双折射应变系数较大的PMF优化轴向应变灵敏度。对于双折射应变系数相同的PM-FLM,可以选择双折射率较小的PMF优化轴向应变灵敏度。PM-FLM传感器应变灵敏度与PMF长度无关。     

Photonic realization of the relativistic Kronig-Penney model and relativistic Tamm surface states

Photonic analogues of the relativistic Kronig-Penney model and of relativistic surface Tamm states are proposed for light propagation in fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) with phase defects. A periodic sequence of phase slips in the FBG realizes the relativistic Kronig-Penney model, the band structure of which being mapped into the spectral response of the FBG. For the semi-infinite FBG Tamm surface states can appear and can be visualized as narrow resonance peaks in the transmission spectrum of the grating.     

Temperature-insensitive transverse load sensing with improved accuracy using stress induced birefringence effects of fiber Bragg grating

Different from the basic sensing theory of the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors based on direct spectral analysis, a new method exploiting the polarization properties of FBG for temperature-insensitive transverse load sensing is proposed. In this paper, the birefringence effects on FBG under transverse load are analyzed. The evolution of the polarization dependent loss (PDL) of FBG with wavelength for the transmitted signals with respect to the transverse load is also studied theoretically and experimentally. We proposed utilizing the PDL evolution of FBG to precisely recover the wavelength spacing between the two peaks of x-mode and y-mode for accurate transverse load measurement. Good agreements between experimental results and numerical simulations had been obtained.     

光纤Bragg光栅应变、温度交叉敏感问题的研究

解决应变和温度的交叉敏感,实现应变和温度同时测量一直是光纤光栅传感器研究的关键问题。从应变和温度交叉敏感的物理机制出发,较为全面地介绍了几种主要解决方案：双波长矩阵法、2个包层直径不同的FBG法、啁啾光栅法等。并且基于双波长矩阵法,提出了一种基于管式弹性应变敏感元件的光纤光栅传感器结构,很好地实现了温度150℃,压力20MPa的同时区分测量,其温度灵敏度为0.02nm/℃。解决了温度和应变同时区分测量这一技术难题。     

线双折射传感光栅中的传输光偏振态分析

 深入研究了线双折射光栅中透射光偏振特性的演变过程。采用耦合模理论和琼斯矩阵分析了传输距离、双折射大小、入射起偏态等因素对透射光偏振特性的影响,并利用邦加球中描绘了偏振态的演变趋势。结果表明：光栅中的线双折射和传输距离会改变传输光的偏振态,偏振态的波长相关曲线会随传输距离和线双折射的增大而不断扩展,入射起偏态的不同并不改变偏振态的拓展趋势。同时,第一斯托克斯参量与偏振相关损耗在峰值波长点上存在对应关系,两者幅值均与线双折射呈单调递增关系,可应用于传感测量。     

Remote fiber sensor based on cascaded Fourier domain mode-locked laser

We propose a high-speed remote fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor interrogation system based on a 1.3-μm cascaded Fourier-domain mode-locked (FDML) laser. It consists of multiple FBGs connected to an optical circulator in the laser cavity. The cascaded FDML laser with these multiple FBGs is operational when the scanning frequency of the fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter matches the fundamental frequency of the laser cavity. Each FBG provides a separate laser cavity for the FDML laser. The scanning frequencies of each laser cavity are 30.5314, 31.5393, 32.7108, and 33.8023 kHz. Using the cascaded FDML laser, we measure the performance of the long-distance static strain FBG sensor interrogation system in both the time and spectral domains. The slope coefficients of the measured relative wavelength difference and the relative time delay from the static strain are found to be 0.95 pm/μstrain and 0.15 ns/μstrain, respectively. We also demonstrate the dynamic response of the interrogation system with 80-Hz modulation strain using the cascaded FDML laser. Thus, an FBG sensor interrogation system for high-speed and high-sensitivity long-distance monitoring systems can be realized using a cascaded FDML laser.     

太赫兹偏振测量系统及其应用

麦克斯韦方程中的介质响应特性一般由本构关系中的介电函数ε(ω)和磁导率μ(ω)来描述,对于介质中传播的电磁场,通常存在两个独立的本征传播模式,它们是齐次麦克斯韦方程组的特解,各自具有特定的色散关系和偏振态。如果介质中传播的电磁场为两个本征模分量的线性迭加,其偏振态将会随着传播的过程而改变。常见的现象有各向异性晶体中的双折射、超材料中的偏振调制效应、自然界中手性材料的旋光响应以及外磁场作用下产生的Faraday效应等。本文从测量方法、数据处理、测量精度等方面介绍太赫兹时域偏振检测系统及其发展状况,特别是利用线栅、超材料以及光学手段调制太赫兹电场偏振态的方法。对近几年太赫兹偏振检测系统在分析手性超材料、太赫兹圆二色谱以及Faraday效应等实验中的应用进行了总结和讨论。最后展望了太赫兹偏振检测系统未来进一步的发展空间及应用前景。     

Polarization fluctuations of single photon states in a slant channel with non-Kolmogorov turbulence

Polarization properties of single photon states propagating through the non-Kolmogorov turbulence in a slant channel are studied based on the degree of polarization of quantum field. The degree of polarization of single photon states for linearly polarized quantum beam propagation in a slant turbulent channel are developed. Our results show that the effects of the outer scale fluctuations of atmospheric turbulence and the wavelength difference of the beams on the polarization can be ignored and the smaller inner scale of turbulence and larger zenith angle of communication channel will lead to larger fluctuations of the polarization of single-photon states. The effects of the inner scale of turbulence on polarization of single photon states are more significant for bigger refractive-index power and bigger zenith angles.     

Sweep-free brillouin optical time domain analysis using two individual laser sources

We propose a sweep-free measurement technique for distributed Brillouin frequency shift in optical fibers applicable to distributed strain/temperature monitoring systems, using two sets of pump-probe lights generated by two individual laser sources. This technique utilizes the Brillouin gain ratio measured at both the upper and lower side slopes of two different Brillouin spectra induced by two pump lights with different wavelengths. The proposed method offers high-speed measurement due to the combination of the frequency-sweep-free operation and the polarization-insensitive measurement scheme without polarization scramblers. A measurement accuracy of 17.3 ??? with a spatial resolution of 5m over 2.6 km sensing length and a capability of kHz sampling rate are experimentally demonstrated.     

基于FBG反射谱特征的修补结构裂纹扩展监测

为了提高飞行器壁板裂纹修补结构的安全性,对基于光纤布拉格光栅(FBG)反射谱特征的航空铝合金修补结构疲劳裂纹扩展长度及角度监测方法进行了研究。修补结构在疲劳载荷的作用下,裂纹发生扩展,其尖端附近会产生不均匀应变场,在其作用下FBG传感器反射谱发生变形,通过检测反射谱变形达到监测裂纹扩展的目的。建立了实验样件的模型,使用有限元方法计算得到不同角度下裂纹扩展到不同长度时的应变分布,使用传输矩阵数值计算方法得到相应的FBG反射谱。提取反射谱的主峰偏移、反射谱面积、次峰峰值和三峰峰值等变形特征,建立并训练人工神经网络(ANN),通过ANN建立反射谱变形特征同裂纹扩展情况的关系,实现了对修补结构裂纹扩展的精确监测,监测裂纹长度误差在0.5 mm之内,角度误差在5°之内。解决了修补结构的裂纹扩展精确监测问题,对提高飞行器安全以及节约维护成本有着重要意义。     

Single-mode fibre optic Bragg grating sensing on the base of birefringence in surface-mounting and embedding applications

Birefringence effects in the two typical installation techniques of fibre Bragg grating(FBG) sensor are investigated: surface-mounting and embedding configurations. When the FBG is bonded on a host material, the sensitivity loss in ultrasonic measurement caused by glue-induced low-birefringence is first reported. Next, the transverse stress-induced high birefringence when the FBG is embedded into a fabric composite laminate is measured as 3.6×10⁻⁴. Such induced-birefringence effects are experimentally analysed in mechanical applications. Simple and effective solutions with respect to the respective installation configurations for removing the birefringence effect are proposed and the obtained zero-birefringence cases are compared with the birefringent cases.     

A novel time-division multiplexing fiber Bragg grating sensor interrogator for structural health monitoring

A novel fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system for measurement of strain and temperature is proposed in this paper. The proposed sensor technique is based on time-division multiplexing (TDM). A semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), connected in a ring cavity, is used to serve as a gain medium and switch. The SOA is driven by a pulse generator, which operates the SOA at different periods of time to select reflected pulses from a particular sensor. The FBG sensors have identical center wavelengths and can be deployed along the same fiber. This technique relieves the spectral bandwidth issue and permits the interrogation of up to 100 FBGs along a fiber, if the reflectivity of the individual sensors is sufficiently low to avoid shadowing effects. This system is particularly suitable for the application in structural health monitoring (SHM) where large numbers of sensors are required in wide measurement ranges.     

直升机旋翼桨叶气动力学参数飞行测试系统

根据某型号直升机定型试飞的需要,研制出了动态测量旋翼桨叶气动力学参数的光电测试系统。其中运动参数(挥舞角、摆振角和变距角)由二维位置敏感传感器响应桨叶表贴发光点的位置变化测得,挥舞应变由光纤光栅传感器测得。利用自主搭建的桨叶运动姿态仿真平台开展了相关测试实验。结果表明:各角度值与对应输出电压间有很好的线性关系,测量范围内的角度测量误差小于1%;光纤光栅与电阻应变片对比测试的一致性较好,线性相关系数达到了0.999;光纤光栅应变测量的复现性很好,两次应变测量的相对偏差仅为1.22%。系统具有较高的测试精度。     

Phase locking and periodic evolution of solitons in passively mode-locked fiber lasers with a semiconductor saturable absorber

Passively mode-locked lasers with intracavity weakly birefringent fiber are theoretically analyzed based on two coupled complex one-dimensional Ginzburg-Landau equations. The model includes fiber birefringence, spectral filtering, saturable gain, and saturable loss. Phase-locked soliton solutions are found for small amounts of birefringence and several types of soliton with periodic polarization evolution for higher amounts of birefringence. Numerical simulations show qualitative agreement with experimental results.     

Bragg光纤光栅法布里-珀罗传感器的应变测量

提出了一种对静态应变进行高分辨率测量的方法。该方法是把Bragg光纤光栅(FBG)与全光纤法布里_珀罗传感器(FFPI)组合起来,利用FBG反射波长的漂移特性来测量干涉条纹的数目。通过利用FFPI和伪外差解调法对小数条纹进行解调,可实现高分辨率的测量。结果表明,静态应变的测量分辨率达到了33×10-9ε(ε为应变)。     

Interference of white light in tandem configuration of birefringent crystal and sensing birefringent fiber

Spectral interference of white-light beams propagating through a tandem configuration of birefringent crystal and sensing birefringent fiber is analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The spectral interference law is expressed analytically under the condition of a Gaussian response function of a spectrometer taking into account the dispersion of birefringence in the crystal and in the fiber. Two types of spectral interferograms are modeled knowing dispersion characteristics of the sensing fiber and using a quartz crystal of the positive or a calcite crystal of the negative birefringence. The theoretical analysis is accompanied by two experiments employing a highly birefringent fiber and a birefringent quartz crystal of two suitable thicknesses. Within both experiments the spectral interference fringes are resolved in accordance with the theory with phases dependent on the fiber length.