The study of laser self-mixing vibrometer employing different feedback regime using a VCSELS

Laser interferometry based on self-mixing effect widely used to measure displacement, velocity, vibration and distance due to compactness, non-contact, as well as low cost. An important use of the self-mixing effect inside a laser diode is in optical self-mixing vibrometer. We have experimentally investigated self-mixing interference produced by the feedback of light from a vibrated target into a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser for sensing applications. In this paper, the self-mixing vibrometer employing different feedback regime is discussed and a theoretical analysis is also proposed. Numerical analysis focused on the distortion self-mixing waveform. Numerical analysis and experimental results show that mode-hop occurs when the laser self-mixing vibrometer employing at high feedback level.     

Statistics of the self-mixing speckle interference in a laser diode and its application to the measurement of flow velocity

The statistical analysis of self-mixing speckles interference using Fabry-Perot cavity is described based on the theory of the speckle and the self-mixing interference in a laser diode. Speckle signal processing based on Fourier transform is presented in this paper. The linear dependence between the spectrum mean frequency and velocity of solution is given by simulation and proved by experiment. The experimental results show that this speckle signal processing can be used to measure velocity of target.     

Research on micro-vibration measurement by a laser diode self-mixing interferometer

The self-mixing vibration signals are observed in the laser diode when the optical beam is back-scattered into the laser cavity which causes laser output power modulated. Based on these properties, a laser diode self-mixing vibrometer with wide dynamic range is proposed. This current investigation further reports new work to improve the accuracy and range of the measured vibration signals. Numerical simulations and experimental results are given and discussed. The experimental results show that the frequency measurement range can be achieved up to 22 kHz with 0.241% maximum relative error while utilizing the reflecting film. For amplitude measurement utilizing the same reflecting film, the error of measurement result is 4.77 nm which has approached nanometer order of magnitude.     

Multichannel fiber laser Doppler vibrometer studies of low momentum and hypervelocity impacts

A multichannel optical fiber laser Doppler vibrometer was demonstrated with the capability of making simultaneous non-contact measurements of impacts at 3 different locations. Two sets of measurements were performed, firstly using small ball bearings (1 mm–5.5 mm) falling under gravity and secondly using small projectiles (1 mm) fired from an extremely high velocity light gas gun (LGG) with speeds in the range 1 km/s–8 km/s. Determination of impact damage is important for industries such as aerospace, military and rail, where the effect of an impact on the structure can result in a major structural damage. To our knowledge the research reported here demonstrates the first trials of a multichannel fiber laser Doppler vibrometer being used to detect hypervelocity impacts.     

半导体激光自混频干涉法测振动速度

应用半导体激光自混频干涉方法可研究物体的振动速度．本文阐述了测速的基本原理，给出了信号分析的理论依据和计算方法。     

Measurement of the velocity inside an all-fiber DBR laser by self-mixing technique

The self-mixing interference for optical velocity sensing is experimentally investigated in an all-fiber configuration distributed Bragg reflector laser. Simultaneously, theory model of self-mixing interference laser Doppler velocimeter based on quasi-analytical method. The experimental results show Doppler shift frequency is linearly proportional to the value of the velocity which agrees well with theory analysis. The results preserve an enough signal-to-noise ratio around 40 dB in the range from 39.3–317.0 mm/s (measurement range depending on bandwidth of circuit) for velocity measurement. Additionally, the cutoff circuit is used in our system to get a stable Doppler signal and reduces the error rate to 0.136 % in practical measurement.     

半导体激光自混频干涉速度仪的F-P模型分析

设计了一个半导体激光自混频干涉式测量物体振动速度的实验,利用双镜F_P(法布里_珀罗)等效模型,对半导体激光自混频干涉速度仪中的干涉效应进行了理论分析,推导了干涉信号理论模型的数学表达式,讨论了影响测量信号的因素。结果表明,在半导体激光自混频干涉速度仪的无源腔中空气密度的变化、无源腔长度的变化、激光波长的变化都将会导致信号漂移,从而引起测量误差。而被测物体表面的反射率越高,越有利于测量。     

Experimental demonstration of remote, passive acousto-optic sensing

Passively detecting underwater sound from the air can allow aircraft and surface vessels to monitor the underwater acoustic environment. Experimental research into an optical hydrophone is being conducted for remote, aerial detection of underwater sound. A laser beam is directed onto the water surface to measure the velocity of the vibrations occurring as the underwater acoustic signal reaches the water surface. The acoustically generated surface vibrations modulate the phase of the laser beam. Sound detection occurs when the laser is reflected back towards the sensor. Therefore, laser alignment on the specularly reflecting water surface is critical. As the water surface moves, the laser beam is reflected away from the photodetector and no signal is obtained. One option to mitigate this problem is to continually steer the laser onto a spot on the water surface that provides a direct back-reflection. Results are presented from a laboratory test that investigates the feasibility of the acousto-optic sensor detection on hydrostatic and hydrodynamic surfaces using a laser Doppler vibrometer in combination with a laser-based, surface normal glint tracker for remotely detecting underwater sound. This paper outlines the acousto-optic sensor and tracker concepts and presents experimental results comparing sensor operation under various sea surface conditions.     

Global noise characteristics of a laser Doppler vibrometer-II. Experiments using beam dynamics

The use of a laser Doppler vibrometer to obtain velocity information from vibrating structures has gained wide acceptance in recent years. Although use of such an instrument can yield a spatially dense matrix of velocity information, several users have noted ‘noise’ at certain points in the spatial field. The technique by which the SLDV system operates results in occasional velocity ‘drop-outs’ which are unidirectional, always estimating the velocity response closer to zero than reality. These ‘drop-out’ areas occur more predominately at points of maximum velocity response with small rotational components. Alternatively, points exhibiting minimum velocity response with large rotational components are less susceptible to the ‘noise’. In this paper, an experiment to visualize the speckle pattern motions received by the photo-detectors during these vibration conditions is presented. Theories regarding the source(s) of the ‘noise’ are developed.     

Quadrature demodulation technique for self-mixing interferometry displacement sensor

A new, to the best of our knowledge, signal processing method based on quadrature demodulation technique is presented for laser diode self-mixing interferometry(LDSMI) displacement sensor. Phase modulation of the laser beam is obtained by an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in the external cavity. Detection of the target's displacement can be easily achieved by sampling the interference signal at those times which satisfied certain conditions. The major advantage of the technique is that it does not involve any complicated calculation and insensitive to the sampling error. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the displacement measurement resolution of the laser diode self-mixing displacement sensor to a few nanometers.     

Effect of angle of incidence on self-mixing laser Doppler velocimeter and optimization of the system

Based on the theory of speckle and self-mixing interference in laser-diode, three-facet cavity model is introduced to analyze laser Doppler effect based on self-mixing interference in the case of a rough surface, and numerical solution of the signal is obtained. Simulation results of speckle-modulated Doppler signal based on self-mixing effect and tracking accuracy at different incident angles are given using parameters employed in the experiment. Simulation results indicate incident angle of around 30° is most suitable when both tracking accuracy and signal amplitude are considered. Experimental waveforms agree well with simulation results, and similar conclusions as simulation predictions about changing trend of tracking accuracies of the system at different incident angles can be made. Combining with difference frequency analog phase-lock loop (PLL) technique and appropriate sampling time, a laser Doppler velocimeter with tracking accuracy better than 1.3% in the range of 10-470 mm/s is realized.     

激光自混合干涉测振仪的硬件系统设计

基于激光自混合干涉技术的特点,设计了一种新型半导体激光自混合干涉测振仪系统。系统将频率调制引入自混合干涉中,实现对振动物体的非接触式测量。介绍了激光自混合干涉测振仪的原理、仪器系统的光路系统设计、信号的调制模块设计、解调模块设计以及DSP系统的采集处理模块设计。该仪器体积小、成本低、易于准直、可以非接触式测量,能够测量振动频率在50kHz内的物体,其中包括非周期性振动。可以测量出振动物体的振动频率、振幅以及还原振动波形,振动幅度测量精度可以达到0．325μm,频率精度为1Hz。     

Experimental and numerical investigation on structural effects of laser pulses for modal parameter measurement

In this paper it has been described part of the research devoted to the development of a complete non-intrusive experimental modal analysis procedure based on laser techniques both for excitation and for measurement. In particular, attention has been focused on the thermal effects generated by laser pulses on the excited structure. An analytical model of the energy exchange between the light pulse and the target surface is proposed together with a finite element model of thermal and mechanical behaviour of the structure under excitation. Both the models (analytical and numerical) have been experimentally validated by measuring the thermal and the vibration responses induced by the laser pulses. The experimental part of the study has been performed on a cantilever beam excited with laser pulses from an Nd : YAG source (532 nm, 100 mJ/pulse) using an high-speed infrared camera and a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer. Results from this work can be used to improve understanding concerning the features of laser excitation and to establish a mechanical equivalent system of forces and moments, useful in order to increase the accuracy in the measurements of modal parameters when laser pulses are used as excitation sources.     

Line shapes of near-infrared DFB and VCSEL diode lasers under the influence of system back reflections

Laser diode line widths and line shapes are experimentally investigated in dependence on the diode current and on back reflections from an optical system. Four distributed-feedback (DFB)-type diode lasers and two vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been tested within the same optical setup and using the same fitting methods. System back reflection ratios of light reflected back to the laser have been varied between ?1?dB and ?45?dB and were below ?60?dB when all reflections were blocked. The background of this investigation is the evaluation of different laser types with respect to their suitability for sensor applications in which optical back reflections may occur, for example tunable diode-laser spectroscopy (TDLS). While DFB-type lasers showed almost pure Lorentzian line shapes and line widths of a few MHz, the tested VCSELs had a strong Gaussian contribution to the line shape, indicating stronger 1/f noise, which was also observed in the relative intensity noise of these particular lasers. System reflection ratios above ?25?dB had strong effects on the line width in both DFB diode lasers and VCSELs, while some influences have been observed at even lower reflection ratios for DFB diode lasers. As much smaller reflection ratios are typically required in TDLS systems to avoid etalon-like fringes and self-mixing interference effects, we conclude that the influence on the line width is not the most important reason to minimize back reflections in practical TDLS systems or to choose one type of diode laser over the other.     

纳米流体激光自混频功率谱及其计算

激光自混频技术可用于纳米颗粒和纳米流体的探测。在纳米流体自混频信号自相关函数的基础上,理论推导了功率谱函数的表达式。结果表明,纳米流体的激光自混频信号功率谱是洛伦兹线型和高斯线型的卷积,即佛赫特(Voigt)线型。通过数值计算研究了各种典型情况下激光自混频信号功率谱的频谱特征,颗粒定向运动速度决定了多普勒频移和高斯线宽,颗粒粒度决定了洛伦兹线型的宽度,颗粒粒度和速度与功率谱之间的对应关系为纳米流体的测量提供了理论基础。     

Two-axis-scanning laser Doppler vibrometer for precision engineering

Laser Doppler vibrometer (LVD) has been the most favorite instrument for precision dynamics measurement due to its non-contact, high accuracy and high resolution. However, LDV can only give the dynamic data of a particular location on the entire feature. In order to get the whole field data, a laser beam-scanning mechanism has to be implemented. Currently, motor-driven scanning mirror is used to move the measurement probe from one point to another. The mechanical vibrations of the scanning mirror will reduce the measurement accuracy. This paper introduces a novel scanning LDV optical system embodied in an acousto-optic deflector scanning mechanism. It can improve the measurement accuracy since there is no mechanical motion involved. One main advantage of this system is that it generates a laser scanning beam in parallel that is different from the beam scanning in the conventional scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV). The new system has a board scanning range. The measurement target size ranges from few tens of millimeters down to 10 μm. We have demonstrated the capability of the novel system on scanning measurements of features as big as ultra-precision cutting tool to features as tiny as AFM cantilever. We believe that the novel SLDV will find profound potential applications in the precision engineering field.     

纳米流体的激光自混频功率谱密度研究

纳米流体运动特性和颗粒参数的测量对纳米流体换热效率的研究具有重要意义。本文将激光自混频技术应用于纳米流体测量中,给出了自混频信号功率谱密度函数的表达式并实验研究其变化规律。研究结果表明,功率谱密度展宽具有佛克脱函数的形式。激光垂直入射流动样品池时,功率谱密度得到展宽,展宽程度随着定向流速的增大或束腰半径的减小而增大。激光倾斜入射流动样品池时,功率谱密度在展宽的同时还伴随多普勒峰移,其位置随着定向流速的增大或散射矢量与定向流速之夹角的减小而迁移至高频。     

Model for continuously scanning ultrasound vibrometer sensing displacements of randomly rough vibrating surfaces

An analytic model is developed for the time-dependent ultrasound field reflected off a randomly rough vibrating surface for a continuously scanning ultrasound vibrometer system in bistatic configuration. Kirchhoff's approximation to Green's theorem is applied to model the three-dimensional scattering interaction of the ultrasound wave field with the vibrating rough surface. The model incorporates the beam patterns of both the transmitting and receiving ultrasound transducers and the statistical properties of the rough surface. Two methods are applied to the ultrasound system for estimating displacement and velocity amplitudes of an oscillating surface: incoherent Doppler shift spectra and coherent interferometry. Motion of the vibrometer over the randomly rough surface leads to time-dependent scattering noise that causes a randomization of the received signal spectrum. Simulations with the model indicate that surface displacement and velocity estimation are highly dependent upon the scan velocity and projected wavelength of the ultrasound vibrometer relative to the roughness height standard deviation and correlation length scales of the rough surface. The model is applied to determine limiting scan speeds for ultrasound vibrometer measuring ground displacements arising from acoustic or seismic excitation to be used in acoustic landmine confirmation sensing.     

Laser Doppler imaging through tissues phantoms by using self-mixing interferometry with a laser diode

Laser Doppler imaging has been widely used for the evaluation of cutaneous blood flow. We report on how the self-mixing interferometry configuration with a laser diode is explored for what is believed to be the first time to generate flow maps. The experiment was carried out by sensing the laser intensity power spectrum at each pixel as the laser was scanned over a model that mimics the properties of skin and circulating blood.