A smart optical liquid level sensor based on Hg cladding optical waveguide

A smart optical liquid level sensor based on the theory of connected vessels is introduced. The Hg cladding optical waveguide (HCOW) is taken as its probe, and the change of liquid level is presented by the change of the HCOW length. Both the theoretical analysis and experiments show that when the waveguide diameter and the light wavelength are certain, the optical power loss decreased linearly with the increase of the HCOW length. By detecting the power loss of HCOW, optimizing the structure of probe and selecting the appropriate apparatus for detection, the real time detection of liquid level with high precision can be got. The experimental results show that the measurement accuracy is 5.2 mm within 10 m liquid level, and its theoretical precision can be up to 0.02%.     

Fiber-optic sensor for liquid level measurement

A novel (to the best of our knowledge) liquid level sensor based on multimode interference (MMI) effects is proposed and demonstrated. By using a multimode fiber (MMF) without cladding, known as no-core fiber, liquids around the MMF modify the self-imaging properties of the MMI device and the liquid level can be detected. We show that the sensor exhibits a highly linear response with the sensing range and multiplexed operations easily controlled by just modifying the length of the no-core fiber. At the same time, we can measure the refractive index of the liquid based on the maximum peak wavelength shift. We can also use the sensor for continuous and discrete liquid level sensing applications, thus providing a liquid level sensor that is inexpensive with a very simple fabrication process.     

Novel optical sensor for simultaneous measurement of liquid concentration and temperature

The paper describes a new optical sensor for simultaneous liquid concentration and temperature measurement. Temperature-dependent semiconductor absorption at the band edge is used as the principle of the temperature measurement, and the sensor exploits beam deviation caused by refraction due to the liquid concentration at the receiving end face of the optical device. The light intensity peak value and its deviation are detected by a charge-coupled device (CCD), and then the measured optical signal is reflected by a reflecting pyramid prism. The sensor probe is composed of an intrinsically pure GaAs single crystal, a reflecting pyramid prism, a partitioned water cell. Theoretical analysis and preliminary experimental results verify the feasibility of the proposed system.     

Design and operation of a fiber optic sensor for liquid level detection

Design and construction of an optical fiber sensor for liquid level detection are reported. This sensor operates based on light intensity modulation, and such modulation results from alteration of total internal reflection into partial reflection at the interface. The modulated intensity has been measured by using a pair of fibers, one transmitting source light, another acting as receiving fiber, and a glass prism providing the total and partial reflections. During the level measurements, when a liquid in a vessel touches the 45° faces of the 45-90-45° prism, the total internal reflection is disturbed, and the reflected light is modulated. The performance of this sensor is tested with different source lights including a light emitting diode (LED), a diode laser, and a He–Ne laser. Extinction ratio has been measured for different liquids, and compared. This ratio for water using LED source is about 0.03, for diode laser is 0.006 and for He–Ne laser is 0.003. Although this device was tested as a liquid level sensor, but the distinct results obtained for samples with different index of refractions demonstrate that the reported sensor can also be used as a liquid refractometer.     

基于F-P腔和FBG的强度调制型光纤液位传感器

设计了一种用于液位测量的光纤F-P(Fabry-Perot)传感器,并从传感头的设计制作出发,讨论了提高传感器输出信号对比度的方法;测量系统采用宽带光源,解调时经FBG(Fiber Bragg Grating)反射和透射得到传感信号和参考信号,对两路光强信号进行联合处理,补偿了光源功率波动和光路损耗变化引起的不良影响,消除了强度调制型传感器的固有缺点,此方法具有结构简单、成本低的优点;该系统可进行连续测量,测量范围为0到200kPa,相当于测量水深0到20m,其分辨力小于1cm(水面高度变化),特别适合对易燃易爆的环境中的油库液位进行测量。     

光学非接触廓形测量技术研究进展

表面轮廓、几何尺寸、各种模具及自由曲面的精确测量是提高零件数字化制造水平的重要环节。对光学非接触测量方法及其关键技术进行了分析。介绍了光学非接触廓形测量的两种方法:光学被动式廓形测量法和光学主动式廓形测量法。对光学非接触廓形测量常用方法进行了分析。论述了光学非接触测量的关键技术和发展趋势。     

All-reflective optical system design for extreme ultraviolet lithography

All-reflective optical systems,due to their material absorption and low refractive index,are used to create the most suitable devices in extreme ultraviolet lithography （EUVL）.In this letter,we present a design for an all-reflective lithographic projection lens.We also discuss its design idea and structural system.After analysis of the four-mirror optical system,the initial structural parameters are determined,the optical system is optimized,and the tolerances of the system are analyzed.We also show the implementation of optimal layout and desired imaging performance.     

Wavelength-interrogated optical sensor for biochemical applications

A novel miniature integrated-optical sensor for versatile multichannel applications is described. Wavelength-modulation techniques using laser diodes (vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers) are used to interrogate multiple-waveguide sensing regions on a single integrated-optical chip for accurate measurement of effective refractive-index changes at a high data rate. With the experimental miniature sensor system, a resolution of DN(PP) = 10(-7) (short term, peak to peak) of the effective refractive index was demonstrated. In terms of surface-mass coverage, this resolution corresponds to D?(PP) = 130 fg/mm(2).     

基于labview与容栅传感器的液位测控系统

根据容栅传感器的检测原理,设计了一套基于LabVIEW和容栅传感器的液位精密测控系统,精度达0.05ml。利用容栅传感器输出的电容信号经信号调理模块输入msp430单片机处理并精密控制液位,采用LabVIEW设计系统监控界面程序,实现系统数据的显示、存储、绘图以及人机控制测定仪工作等功能。可配装为数显测定仪和物体密度测量仪,人机界面良好,成本低,易推广。     

Preparation and characterization of a liquid level sensor based on plastic fibers

Preparation and characterization of a liquid level sensor based on macro-bending coupling of fibers are demonstrated in this Letter. The sensitive component can be obtained through a twisting and twining structure of transparent cladding plastic fibers. The difference in light power originating from the surrounding media in the fibers is tested. The light power loss for different tested media and the fiber bending magnitude are investigated. The sensing measurements show that the coupling light power in the passive fiber decreases in accordance with increasing liquid level, whereas it exhibits a steady tendency in the case of the active fiber.     

A non-contact FBG vibration sensor with double differential temperature compensation

This paper has presented a non-contact fiber Bragg grating (FBG) vibration sensor with double differential temperature compensation. Two FBGs and two states of the sensor have been employed to achieve double differential temperature compensation. Based on magnetic coupling and FBG sensing principle, it can be used to realize non-contact measurement of vibration of the rotating shaft. Experimental results show that the working band ranges are within 0–150 Hz; the sensitivity is ?0.67 pm/µm, and the linearity is 3.87 % within a range of 2–2.6 mm. The fitting equation of temperature compensation which is caused by structural inflation can be expressed as: Δλ ₁′ ? Δλ ₂′ = 1.51 × T ? 32.97. When used to amend a temperature error, the sensor’s temperature error will be reduced to 1.19 % in the range of 25–60 °C.     

Improvement of Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor measurement for extreme adaptive optics

The development of high-performance adaptive optics systems requires the optimization of wave-front sensors (WFSs) working in the high-order correction regime. We propose a new method to improve the wave-front slope estimation of a Shack-Hartmann WFS in such a regime. Based on a detailed analysis of the different errors in the slope estimation with a classical centroid and with the new method, the gain in terms of wave-front-sensing accuracy in both the detector and the photon noise regimes is stressed. This improvement is proposed without major system disruption.     

Handheld device for fast and non-contact optical measurement of protein films on surfaces

Thin films of bacteria, proteins and other biochemical substances are almost always found on surfaces exposed to the environment. Optical methods enable innovative tools for the study of such films. Residua of proteins exhibit fluorescence when excited in the UV. We present a specially designed handheld measuring device that can detect organic contamination levels down to 100 ng/cm² with measurement times shorter than a second. Using time-correlated spectroscopy methods the fluorescence detection of contamination levels on surfaces is possible even if the fluorescence spectra of contamination and base material overlap. The results presented in this paper show that a detection of contamination levels of bovine serum albumine (BSA) down to 100 ng/cm² is possible on non-fluorescent materials. A theoretical analysis shows the possibility to detect BSA levels down to less than 1 ng/cm² with the presented setup. Future development of handheld optical devices suitable for the detection or analysis of various compounds can be based on these results. A compact formalism is suggested that can be used to calculate the minimal concentration of a given organic contamination that can be detected with a certain measurement setup.     

Vertical input optical ring resonator with differential operation for optical sensor

A novel waveguide ring resonator optical sensor with two resonant wavelength channels is proposed for a refractive index measurement of a test sample placed on the sensor substrate and its performance characteristics are investigated analytically and numerically. The waveguide device consists of a ring resonator, a split-ring-shaped loop waveguide, and a vertical input/output grating coupler, in which the loop waveguide acts as an additional resonator and provides another output wavelength channel of the sensor. The differential detection between the two wavelength channels enables the highly sensitive detection with temperature compensation. A numerical simulation based on a finite difference time domain (FDTD) method shows that a precise index change detection with a resolution of 10⁻⁶ can be achieved using of the proposed device.     

Calibration of mid-infrared transmission measurements for hydrocarbon detection and propane concentration measurements in harsh environments by using a fiber optical sensor

The local fuel concentration at the ignition position is a crucial parameter, especially for spark ignited engines. Hydrocarbon concentration can be determined by infrared transmission measurements because of the attenuation of infrared radiation in the 2940 cm⁻¹ frequency range due to the excitation of fundamental CH-stretch vibrations of the molecules. In-cylinder measurements can be done by modified spark plugs with integrated absorption paths. A tungsten halide lamp was used in the experiments as an infrared light source. There is a non-linear relation between measured transmissions and hydrocarbon densities. So far, infrared transmission measurements have to be calibrated on absolute density values by using various hydrocarbon test gases with different concentrations. Furthermore in-cylinder transmission measurements can be calibrated at homogeneous engine operation conditions. In this case, a well mixed air/fuel composition is expected at the end of the compression stroke. Both time-consuming calibration processes lead to a new calibration procedure for band integrated transmission measurements which is presented in this study. The non-linear correlations between band integrated transmissions and absorber densities were calculated by using the absorption cross section as a spectral characteristic of absorbing molecules and the filter transmission as the spectral influence of the experimental setup. The differences between measurement and calculation can be corrected by a single measurement using a test gas with known hydrocarbon concentration. The calibration procedure was verified on temperature and pressure influences by measurements using a heatable optical cell at pressures up to 1800 kPa and within a temperature range from 298 to 473 K. Finally, the calibration procedure was adapted from cell measurements to an infrared fiber optical sensor which was used for in-cylinder measurements. An adapter for the spark plug bore enables a parallel use of a flame-ionization-detector and the optical sensor. Simultaneous propane concentration measurements were made in a motored engine with both measurement systems.     

Attenuation measurement of optical fibers for sensor technology

Abstract

Generally the attenuation of optical fibers used for sensor technology is higher than that of fibers for telecommunications. This is difficult to measure by the optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR). This paper presents a simple method that employs an integrating sphere. The total and scattering attenuation coefficients can be calculated and discriminated by the measured power of the light scattered out of the optical fiber and collected by the integrating sphere.     

An integrated optical sensor for measuring glucose concentration

We used an optical sensor combined with a Mach-Zehnder interferometric waveguide and optical fibers to measure slight changes of aqueous sugar concentrations. The merits of this sensor are simplicity, reliability, high sensitivity and continuous monitoring. The technique is based on the fact that the refractive index of sugar solution changes with the concentration of sugar. In the experiment, one arm of the interferometer is clad with glue and is thus isolated from the sugar solution. The other one is exposed to the sugar solution. A single mode fiber is directly glued onto the interferometric waveguide, to guide the light into the interferometer. If the concentration of sugar covering the waveguide changes, the phase of propagating light in the exposed arm will be changed, while the phase in the other arm is fixed. Hence the output intensity from the interferometer is directly related to the concentration of the sugar solution. The result of this experiment yields the relation between the sugar concentration and output signal. From 0% to 1% concentration of sugar solution, there is only a 1.4×10^–3 refractive index difference. Two sets of experimental data have been obtained, showing a linear relation between the sugar concentration and the output signal from our sensor. This sensor could be used for continuous monitoring of blood sugar in the human body.     

Attenuation measurement of optical fibers for sensor technology

Generally the attenuation of optical fibers used for sensor technology is higher than that of fibers for telecommunications. This is difficult to measure by the optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR). This paper presents a simple method that employs an integrating sphere. The total and scattering attenuation coefficients can be calculated and discriminated by the measured power of the light scattered out of the optical fiber and collected by the integrating sphere.     

Holographic optical element for laser time-of-flight flow sensor

A novel laser time-of-flight flow sensor has been developed. A specially designed holographic optical element (HOE) constitutes the basis of the optical front end of the sensor. The multifunctional HOE maintains both the transmitting and receiving functions of the optical front end and is designed so that the alignment of the optical system is independent of small changes in the wavelength and temperature. This makes it possible to use a laser diode and makes the optical front end very compact and robust. The HOE is produced as a high-efficiency surface relief grating, thus making a large-scale production through polymer replication possible. The design and fabrication of the HOE is described and the stability of the sensor system is discussed with respect to wavelength variations. Direct calibration measurements on the sensor and test velocity measurements are presented. The sensor is intended for water flow measurements in pipes and can also be used for velocity measurements of solid surfaces.