A High Resolution Fiber Bragg Grating Resonator Strain Sensing System

A strain sensing system is demonstrated, consisting of a fiber Bragg grating resonator as the strain-sensing element. Signal encoding and decoding is achieved by a synthetic heterodyne technique. A strain accuracy of ±0.426 μεwas attained; a value comparable to that of the classical fiber Fabry Perot (FFP) sensor and higher than conventional Bragg grating strain sensing schemes. This sensing element does not suffer from fabrication problems like the FFP sensor and the interrogation problems of the conventional Bragg grating sensor.     

干涉型光纤法布里-珀罗传感系统抗噪方法的实验研究

对于干涉型光纤法布里-珀罗(FFP)传感系统,外界环境对解调干涉仪的扰动是其主要噪声源之一。在光纤布拉格光栅构成的FFP传感系统中,对比分析了采用参考传感器和参考光源两种抗噪方法。实验结果表明,对于单频和宽带干扰,两种方法均可提高信噪比到40dB。而且由于采用窄线宽光纤激光器作为参考光源的噪声水平较低,其差分探测结果具有更好的抗噪效果。     

Spectral-mismatch-induced resolution limit of interferometric fiber Fabry-Perot sensor system

The mismatch of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) in spectral profiles can lead to a severe degraded resolution of the constructed fiber Fabry-Perot (FFP) sensor system through its effect on the fringe visibility. The variation of visibility induced by spectral mismatch and the corresponding phase resolution limit are analyzed theoretically and experimentally. Theoretical analyses are based on the approximation of Gaussian profiles to the reflection spectra of weak FBGs, especially with consideration of side lobes. The investigation provides an insight into the evolution of the fringe visibility caused by spectral mismatch, and shows good agreement with experimental results. An optimum phase resolution of about 55 μrad/Hz^1/2 above 100 Hz is achieved for a nearly 4 m-long FFP sensor by matching spectral profiles of the gratings and balancing path length differences of the tandem interferometers.     

基于回音壁模式微球腔的PDH稳频技术

光学微球腔因其回音壁模式可获得极高的品质因数而受到广泛关注.本文分析了Fabry-Perot腔和微球腔的基本原理,通过CO2激光熔融光纤实验制得了直径为1.2 mm的微球腔,并测试了微球腔和锥形光纤耦合结构的耦合特性.采用典型的PDH稳频系统设计了基于微球腔的稳频系统,分析了用于鉴频的误差曲线的吸收特性和色散特性,对比了不同调制频率、微球腔直径、耦合损耗、传输损耗下与误差曲线斜率的关系.结果表明:耦合状态下最大Q值可达到1.1×108,调节微球腔内横磁模和横电模的转换可优化耦合效率,匹配微球腔和锥形光纤的尺寸得到了径向二阶模式的透射谱,误差曲线效率达到15.4A mW/MHz.球腔在提高PDH稳频技术灵敏度上具有巨大潜力.     

Partial scanning frequency division multiplexing for interrogation of low-reflective fiber Bragg grating-based sensor array

Interrogation using partial spectrum scanning for a low-reflective fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based sensor array is proposed. The sensor head is a Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI) consisting of low-reflective fiber Bragg gratings. An FPI consisting of low-reflective FBGs (FBG-FPI) has a spectrum with a sinusoidal structure with a period determined by the length of the FBG-FPI. Multiple point sensing is possible by installing multiple low-reflective FBG-FPIs on one fiber and analyzing the reflection spectrum of that fiber by the frequency division multiplexing method. A coherent wavelength-swept light source is necessary to acquire the reflection spectrum; however, but the sweep speed of a commercially available wavelength-swept light source that satisfies the condition is only approximately several tens of hertz. Therefore, we propose to conduct a wavelength sweep by injection current modulation of a laser diode. Wavelength sweeping with a modulated laser diode allows fast sweeping at 100 Hz or more, and the sweep range is as narrow as several hundred picometers. Reading only a part of the reflection spectrum of a low-reflective FBG-FPI sensor array using a modulated laser diode enables high-speed multipoint measurement through frequency analysis. Theoretical requirements for successful interrogation using the partial reflection spectrum are shown. A demonstration experiment to simultaneously measure strain applied to two low-reflective FBG-FPI sensors with a measurement time of 10 ms is reported.     

Interferometric fibre sensors for measurement of surface heat transfer rates on turbine blades

We describe a prototype sensor for surface heat transfer measurements based on a miniature fibre Fabry-Perot (FFP) interferometer. These sensors are being developed for a particular application where heat transfer data are currently obtained using conventional platinum thin film resistance thermometers. The specification that the sensors must exceed is: (i) temperature resolution of 25 mK over a 50 K range; (ii) temporal response of 10 μs; (iii) an ability to operate as a calorimetric heat transfer gauge.The sensor consists of a short length of single mode optical fibre (3 mm) to which low reflectivity coatings have been applied at each end. It is illuminated and interrogated by an arbitrary length of addressing fibre. A laser diode is used as the source and we have exploited the facility to frequency modulate the diode in a novel signal processing scheme.To determine the performance of the sensor, short duration heat pulses derived from a pulsed Nd: YAG laser were applied to one end of the FFP. The response time was found to be 8 μs and the sensor operation as a calorimeter was verified.     

光纤光栅法布里-珀罗传感器频分复用技术

理论分析了光纤光栅法布里-珀罗(F-P)传感器频分复用技术的原理,并给出了信号处理对腔长选取的要求。数值模拟结果表明,不同腔长的传感器具有不同的谐振条纹频率,为保证频域中的信号不发生重叠,要求不同光纤光栅法布里-珀罗传感器间的腔长之差必须大于光纤光栅的长度。进一步的实验及模拟分析结果发现,温度等待测量的变化仅仅使光纤光栅法布里-珀罗传感器的反射光谱整体平移,相应的频域信号只产生相移而形状不发生变化,因而不能采用普通光纤法布里-珀罗(FFP)传感器的腔长傅里叶变换解调法解调频分复用光纤光栅法布里-珀罗传感器的信号。根据这一特点,提出了利用自相关分析实现频分复用传感器系统信号解调的方案。     

SOA-fiber ring laser and its application to electric field sensing in frequency domain

We have developed a novel optical fiber ring laser using a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) as the gain medium, and taking advantage of polarization anisotropy of its gain. The laser can control the oscillation frequency difference between two counterpropagating lights by incorporating a birefringent medium into the ring resonator. Since the frequency difference is proportional to the birefringence, it can be measured to detect the beat frequency generated by combining two counterpropagating lights and the laser can be applied to an optical fiber sensor whose detecting signal is in frequency domain. Electric field sensor was demonstrated with a lithium niobate crystal as a sensing probe.     

A 23.75-GHz frequency comb with two low-finesse filtering cavities in series for high resolution spectroscopy

A laser frequency comb with several tens GHz level is demonstrated,based on a Yb-doped femtosecond fiber laser and two low-finesse Fabry-Perot cavities(FPCs) in series.The original 250-MHz mode-line-spacing of the source comb is filtered to 4.75 GHz and 23.75 GHz,respectively.According to the multi-beam interferences theory of FPC,the side-mode suppression rate of FPC schemes is in good agreement with our own theoretical results from 27 dB of a single FPC to43 dB of paired FPCs.To maintain long-term stable operation and determine the absolute frequency mode number in the23.75-GHz comb,the Pound-Drever-Hall(PDH) locking technology is utilized.Such stable tens GHz frequency combs have important applications in calibrating astronomical spectrographs with high resolution.     

分时复用光纤光栅振动传感器阵列

结合基于3×3耦合器的光纤Mach-Zehnder干涉仪和可调谐光纤Fabry-Perot滤波器（Fiber-Fabry-Perot,FFP）,提出了一种分时复用光纤光栅振动传感器的技术.用FFP对串联在一根光纤上的光纤光栅的波长进行轮流扫描,让光栅的反射光按波长顺序依次通过FFP.而对于每一光纤光栅上外加的振动信号,用光纤Mach-Zehnder干涉仪进行测量.实际测量结果显示,FFP结合Mach-Zehnder能够对每一只光栅上的振动信号进行分时测量.     

双重频率锁定的腔衰荡吸收光谱技术及信号处理

针对传统腔衰荡光谱技术浓度获取率低,提出基于双重锁定的连续波腔衰荡吸收光谱技术.通过波长调制一次谐波信号将激光器的频率锁定到C_2H_2吸收线上,同时使用PDH锁频技术将衰荡腔锁定到激光器上,从而避免了测量过程中激光器的频率漂移和腔长的抖动,使测量结果更加精确;并且,由于双重锁定,单次衰荡事件的发生率,也就是浓度信息的获取率只受衰荡时间以及重新锁定时间限制,在本试验系统中采集速率可以达到30 k Hz,可以实现对气体浓度的快速测量.为了提高信噪比,采用Kalman滤波技术,对浓度信息进行实时处理,有效抑制了噪声,根据阿伦方差分析,探测灵敏度可以达到4×10~(-9)cm~(-1)(2 s平均).     

Quasi-distributed fiber Bragg grating sensor system based on a Fourier domain mode locking fiber laser

A novel quasi-distributed fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system based on Fourier domain mode locking (FDML) fiber laser is proposed and demonstrated. The low reflectivity FBGs with the same Bragg wavelength are connected cascaded in a long fiber working as the sensing elements of the sensor system as well as the wavelength and cavity length selecting elements of the FDML laser. By adjusting the driving frequency of the FDML fiber laser, lasing with different selected cavity lengths will be achieved correspondingly. When the wavelength of the working FBG shifts which includes the sensing information, FBG interrogation can be realized both in wavelength and time domain.     

A fiber micro-vibration sensor based on single-mode fiber ring laser

A new micro-vibration sensor based on single-mode fiber ring laser is put forward. The Mach-Zehnder interferometric （MZI） detection technique is presented for interrogating laser frequency shift due to the measurand （piezoelectric transducer （PZT） is used to simulate the micro-vibration） induced laser cavity strain from both single- and multi-mode lasers. In the experiment, compared with multi-mode laser sensors, the single-mode laser sensor is proved to be a sensor with high resolution. When the PZT is driven by the analog signal （0.03 rad near 2 kHz）, the signal-to-noise ratio （SNR） of output signal from the single-mode laser sensor is close to 55 dB and the sensitivity of the sensor is about 5 ×10^-5 rad/Hz1/2.     

20～1250Hz光纤激光加速度传感系统设计

为了实现高灵敏度、宽频响应的光纤型加速度传感器,以光纤激光器作为加速度传感器的传感元件,建立了光纤激光加速度传感系统,并对该系统的传感原理、灵敏度和谐振频率等性能进行了分析和实验。采用竖直式加速度传感器结构,结构中的传感组件主要由质量块和中空的细钢管组成,光纤激光器受预应力作用后粘接在钢管内部,在加速度作用下,钢管产生的应变引起光纤激光器的应变和折射率发生改变,导致光纤激光器的出射波长随之发生改变,然后使用干涉解调技术检测出波长的动态变化,即可获得波长中包含的加速度振幅和频率信息。实验结果表明,在20~1 250 Hz频段内,竖直式光纤激光加速度传感器的灵敏度约为-126.2 d B[参考值1 rad/(μm/s~2)],频响曲线的波动幅度在±1.9 d B范围内,加速度响应动态范围为77.46~170.26 d B[500 Hz频点,参考值1μm/(s~2·Hz1/2)],加速度分辨率优于0.01 m/s~2。     

Intrinsic fiber Fabry-Perot temperature sensor with fiber Bragg grating mirrors

A fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FFPI) sensor is formed with broadband (~3 nm, 3-dB bandwidth) fiber Bragg grating (FBG) mirrors. Repetitively modulating a distributed-feedback laser produces chirping that modulates the reflectance of the FFPI. Because the reflectance of the FBG mirrors varies with optical frequency, the fringes in the sensor reflectance modulation are distinguishable, making it possible to extend the sensor dynamic range versus that of a FFPI sensor with conventional wavelength-dependent mirrors. An ambient temperature is determined in the range from 25 to 170 degrees C with a resolution of 0.005 degrees C.     

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.     

A fiber bragg grating acceleration sensor interrogated by a DFB laser diode

A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) acceleration sensor interrogated by a DFB laser diode is demonstrated; the sensor is fabricated by packaging a FBG on to a cantilever; the interrogation scheme takes advantage of the intensity modulation of the narrow spectral bandwidth light of a distributed feedback laser diode, when the reflection spectrum curve of a FBG moves due to the strain which is applied on the sensor. The sensor’s response to the frequency and acceleration is measured by the experiment, and the factors which have an impact on the sensor’s sensitivity are also discussed.     

Pressure sensing utilizing linear cavity erbium-doped fiber laser

In this paper, we report a fiber laser pressure sensor based on linear cavity erbium-doped fiber laser. The fiber laser structure comprises of an erbium-doped fiber amplifier, a circulator, an optical coupler and a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) which acts simultaneously as a lasing wavelength selecting components as well as a pressure sensor. The FBG is fitted to the shock tube where the pressure is applied. The fiber laser pressure sensor has a low threshold power of 7 mW, an output power of 2.28 mW and an optical signal to noise ratio over 55 dB. The proposed fiber laser sensor is expected to be an attractive choice for long-distance pressure monitoring.     

Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA)-Fiber Ring Laser for Sensor Application

A bi-directional fiber ring laser with a semiconductor optical amplifier has been developed in which a frequency difference between the counter-propagating oscillations is controlled by an introduced birefringent medium. With the material which causes the retardation change by a physical phenomenon to be measured, the laser in this study is applicable to a novel fiber sensor of which the sensing signal is obtained in a frequency domain.     

Characteristics of the distributed Bragg reflector fiber laser sensor for lateral force measurement

Characteristics of the distributed Bragg reflector fiber laser sensor for lateral force measurement are investigated. The distributed Bragg reflector fiber laser operates in dual-polarization modes and converts the lateral force into a corresponding shift in the beat frequency generated by the fiber laser. The sensitivity dependence on the angle between the force direction and the polarization axis orientation of the fiber is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The impact of the force action location and force length on the sensor response is also discussed. Good agreement between the theoretical data and the experimental results was obtained. A maximal sensitivity magnitude of ∼10 GHz/(N/mm) is recorded.