Simultaneous measurement of refractive index and temperature using dual-period grapefruit microstructured fiber grating

By cascading the long period fiber grating (LPFG) and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in grapefruit microstructured fiber, a novel dual-period fiber grating sensor is proposed. The refractive index and temperature are measured simultaneously by using the different sensitivity of FBG and LPFG. The relationship between dual-period fiber grating transmission spectrum and refractive index, resonant wavelengths and temperature are analyzed theoretically, respectively. The simulation results show that the accuracy of the sensor in measuring refractive index and temperature is estimated to be 2319.6 nm/RIU in a range from 1.33 to 1.36 and 0.017 nm/°C from 0 °C to 100 °C, respectively. Thus, the sensor has high refractive index sensitivity, and can provide the theoretical foundation for the optical fiber biosensor.     

Theoretical Design of Single-Polarization Single-Mode Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibres

Using the full-vector plane-wave expansion method, a kind of PMMA-based polarization-maintaining microstructured optical fibre （PM-mPOF） is theoretically studied. Dependence of the cutoff wavelengths of the two orthogonal polarization states （polarized along the two principal axes of PM-mPOF） on the structure parameters of the fibre is investigated in detail A single-polarization single-mode （SPSM） PM-mPOF working in the visible region is designed and optimized with the result of the maximum SPSM bandwidth of 140nm.     

掺染料微结构光纤荧光传感器的理论分析

针对一般光纤荧光传感器收集荧光能力不足的缺陷,设计了一种在微结构聚合物光纤的空气孔内填充掺有机染料高折射率液体的荧光传感器.使用可调节边界条件傅里叶分解法计算了这种微结构光纤的模场分布,分析了光纤结构参量和液体折射率对荧光捕获分数的影响,结果表明,使用小纤芯半径和高于纤芯折射率的液体可以增强激发光的吸收效率,增大荧光捕获分数,提高光纤荧光传感器的灵敏度.     

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.     

Fibre Bragg Gratings Inscribed in Homemade Microstructured Fibres

Fibre Bragg gratings （FBGs） are inscribed in homemade microstructured fibres by the standard phase mask method. Enhanced couplings between the forward fundamental mode and backward cladding modes are obtained. The mode coupling and spectral characteristics are investigated experimentally. The cladding mode resonances can be affected by filling active materials into the air holes, which will be useful for the implementation of tunable photonic devices in optical fibre communication and sensing systems.     

Water sensor using macrobending-sensitive fiber for real-time submersion monitoring

A fast reusable water sensor for long-distance real-time submersion monitoring was fabricated using a macrobending-sensitive fiber (MSF). The proposed water sensor consists of floating matter, periodic macrobending deformers, and a MSF. In this structure, the floating matter moves up and down according to the buoyant force of water, thereby controlling the bending loss of the MSF and allowing the proposed sensor to detect submersion. A basic bending experiment was conducted using a MSF and macrobending deformer, and the results used to fabricate an efficient water sensor. In contrast to existing sensors where the optical loss increases in the case of submersion, the optical loss of the fabricated sensor decreases due to the buoyant force when the selected area is submerged. As such, the fabricated sensor is able to transmit submersion information further than sensors that detect submersion by increasing the optical loss, and it is unaffected by environmental factors, such as humidity and pollutants in the water. The proposed sensor detects submersion by monitoring a 16 dB optical power change of 1550 nm, and the change in the optical power of the fabricated sensor is only affected by the buoyant force. In addition, the proposed water sensor quickly returns to its initial state when the water disappears, and the insertion loss when it is connected to a single-mode fiber (SMF) at both ends using a connector is only −1.2 dB at 1550 nm.     

A broadband ultra flattened chromatic dispersion microstructured fiber for optical communications

A double-cladding microstructured fiber (MF) is proposed in this paper. The inner cladding of this optical fiber is composed of elliptical air holes and silica. The dependence of dispersion on the diameter of the air holes, the pitch, and the axes of the elliptical holes is investigated numerically. The proposed fiber possesses an ultra flattened dispersion curve over a wide wavelength range, and its dispersion value is small. The effective mode area is approaching to 60 μm², and the confinement loss is as low as <0.025 dB/km at 1550 nm. While choosing suitable structure parameters, an ultra dispersion-flattened MF within a broadband from1000 nm to 1900 nm can be achieved. The dispersion fluctuation is 0.6-1.0 ps/(nm·km) in all S, C and L band.     

圆形双芯微结构色散补偿光纤的色散特性分析

提出了一种圆形双芯微结构光纤,用频域有限差分法(FDFD),并对其色散特性进行了分析,并与前人提出的六边形双芯微结构色散补偿光纤进行了比较。结果表明:当圆形双芯微结构色散补偿光纤的高折射率区半径保持不变时,改变沿水平直径方向相邻空气洞中心点间的距离和空气洞的直径,能够控制有效模折射率的转折点,并在该处产生较大的负色散。由于圆形双芯微结构色散补偿光纤比六边形双芯微结构色散补偿光纤的有效模折射率对参数变化较为敏感,故前者更易于精确地控制转折点,达到色散补偿的目的。     

Effect of the Pd-Au thin film thickness uniformity on the performance of an optical fiber hydrogen sensor

Thin alloy film of Pd and Au, formed by simultaneous electron-beam and thermal evaporation techniques, respectively, is used in the design of an optical fiber hydrogen sensor. The sensor consists of a multimode fiber (MMF) in which a short section of single mode fiber (SMF), coated with the Pd-Au thin film, is inserted. Due to core diameter mismatch, the SMF cladding guides light, allowing the interaction between the sensing layer and the guided light. When the sensor is exposed to hydrogen, the Pd-Au layer refractive index diminishes and causes attenuation changes on the transmitted light. Several samples with different layer thickness uniformity were fabricated and tested in a very simple experimental set-up. We have observed that the sensor signal change is dependant on layer thickness uniformity, since the effective interaction length between the evanescent field and the sensing layer is increased. By contrast, such uniformity practically has no influence on the time response of the sensor. The resulting Pd-Au film can detect 4% hydrogen with a response time of 15 s.     

Pulse compression of nanojoule pulses in the visible using microstructure optical fiber and dispersion compensation

Experimental results on the pulse compression of 1-nJ, 150-fs pulses from a tunable, 76-MHz Ti:sapphire laser oscillator operating at around 750 nm are reported. The length of the pulses can be compressed to nearly one tenth by applying a high-delta, single-mode microstructured optical fiber exhibiting zero group-delay dispersion at 767 nm, and by a prism-pair/chirped-mirror compressor. The experimental results are verified by theoretical investigations modeling the pulse propagation taking into account non-linear self-phase modulation and fiber dispersion. Received: 10 June 2002 / Revised version: 15 November 2002 / Published online: 12 February 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +36-1/375-4553, E-mail: szipoecs@sunserv.kfki.hu     

Nonlinear fiber-optic strain sensor based on four-wave mixing in microstructured optical fiber

We demonstrate a nonlinear fiber-optic strain sensor, which uses the shifts of four-wave mixing Stokes and anti-Stokes peaks caused by the strain-induced changes in the structure and refractive index of a microstructured optical fiber. The sensor thus uses the inherent nonlinearity of the fiber and does not require any advanced postprocessing of the fiber. Strain sensitivity of -0.23 pm/με is achieved experimentally and numerical simulations reveal that for the present fiber the sensitivity can be increased to -4.46 pm/με by optimizing the pump wavelength and power.     

Efficient Technique to Control the Zero-Dispersion Wavelength of a Microstructured Optical Fiber

Abstract

An efficient technique to control the zero-dispersion wavelength of a microstructured optical fiber is proposed and numerically demonstrated in this article. This technique is based on the variation of the linear refractive index and the thickness of a thin film covering the microstructured optical fiber holes' inner surfaces. A powerful and accurate code based on a full-vector finite-element method formulation in conjunction with perfectly matched layers was used. A maximum of 570-nm zero-dispersion wavelength displacement is demonstrated. This thin film can be included after the microstructured optical fiber has been fabricated, as that means the zero dispersion of such fiber can be tailored as needed.     

保偏微结构光纤啁啾光栅折射率传感特性分析

将有限元法和传输矩阵法相结合,系统地研究了保偏微结构光纤(PM-MOF)啁啾布拉格光栅的折射率传感特性。仿真研究了光纤空气孔中充入不同折射率被测物时啁啾光栅的反射谱,结果表明随着被测物折射率的增加,反射谱的面积出现明显变化,由此得到了光栅反射谱面积与被测物折射率的关系。分析了中心孔直径、啁啾系数、切趾函数等光栅结构参数对反射谱的影响。分析表明由于光纤两个方向的偏振模对温度、噪声等干扰响应相似,因此利用两个偏振模式反射谱的相对变化进行监测能够有效地降低干扰,提高传感器的稳定性;其次,由于反射谱面积正比于光强,这一方法将光栅的光谱解调转化为光强解调,简化了解调系统,便于现场实时测量。研究结果为保偏微结构光纤光栅在折射率传感器及其生物传感器方面的应用提供了理论依据。     

Research on the temperature characteristics of optical fiber refractive index

The delay of optical signal is determined by the refractive index and length of optical fiber, and temperature would have an intense influence on the index. To establish the relationship between refractive index and temperature, the temperature characteristics of refractive index was analyzed and the thermo-optical coefficient equation was derived according to the polarization of the induced electric dipole moment in SiO₂ optical fiber. A measuring system based on optical fiber delay was carried out to measure the index within the temperature range of −30 °C to 70 °C and the experimental result was compared with the theoretical result. The final result shows that the relationship between refractive index and temperature is linear in the temperature range of discussion.     

Guideline for the design of a fiber optic distributed temperature and strain sensor

Full analysis of a distributed temperature and strain sensor (DTSS), based on stimulated Brillouin amplification effect in an optical fiber, is given. Some new rules, e.g. optimized launch power, have been found and the optimized design guidelines for short and long distance DTSS are presented.     

Three-hole microstructured optical fiber for efficient fiber Bragg grating refractometer

We present a photosensitive three-hole microstructured optical fiber specifically designed to improve the refractive index sensitivity of a standard fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor photowritten in the suspended Ge-doped silica core. We describe the specific photowriting procedure used to realize gratings in such a fiber. We then determine their spectral sensitivity to the refractive index changes of material filling the holes surrounding the core. The sensitivity is compared with that of standard FBGs photowritten in a six-hole fiber with a larger core diameter. We demonstrate an improvement in the sensitivity by two orders of magnitude and reach a resolution of 3 x 10(-5) and 6 x 10(-6) around mean refractive index values of 1.33 and 1.40, respectively.     

Temperature-Insensitive Fibre-Optic Acceleration Sensor Based on Intensity-Referenced Fibre Bragg Gratings

A temperature-insensitive acceleration sensor using two fibre Bragg gratings （FBGs）, based on reflection spectrum intensity modulation and optical power detection, is proposed and demonstrated. A cantilever beam is used to generate acceleration-induced axial strain along two sensing gratings, which are glued on the two opposite surfaces of the beam. Because the two gratings operate within the linear spectral range of a light source, formed by a thermally-tunable extrinsic Fabry-Perot optical filter, the intensity difference of the two reflections from the gratings is proportional to the acceleration applied. This eliminates the need for sophisticated wavelength interrogation of the gratings, and it also endows the sensor with immunity to temperature variation. Compared with a commercial micromachined accelerometer, the sensor is proven to be capable of accurately detecting acceleration.     

光纤化学传感技术研究近况

光纤化学传感器作为传感器的一个重要分支,结合了化学和光学的相关技术,将化学制膜、光纤技术以及化学分析中的分光光度法、拉曼光谱、荧光光谱、折射率检测等方法相融合,以其微型化,抗电磁干扰,传输信息量大,拥有自身参比等特点不断向前发展。简要综述了光纤化学传感技术研究近况和未来的发展趋势。重点对光纤pH化学传感器、光纤离子化学传感器和光纤气体化学传感器进行了介绍。简要分析了常见的敏感膜制备方法如化学键合法和溶胶凝胶(sol-gel)等方法。新型光纤——微结构光纤的出现为光纤化学传感器开辟了新的发展方向。由于其具有大的内表面积,结构设计灵活多样,光纤内部提供感应场所等特点,快速度成为光纤化学传感器的重要发展方向和研究热点。对微结构光纤衍生而来的新型光纤化学传感器进行了详细评述, 最后对光纤化学传感器的未来进行展望。     

Investigation of modal properties of microstructured optical fibers with large depressed-index cores

We present what is, to the best of our knowledge, the first systematic study on how negative core-cladding index difference influences microstructured optical fiber's modal behavior. Single-mode lasing has been realized for short-length cladding-pumped phosphate glass microstructured fibers with large depressed-index Er(3+)-Yb(3+)-codoped cores.     

Tapered microstructured fibers for efficient coupling to optical waveguides: a numerical study

We report the possibility of using tapered microstructured fibers to improve the coupling efficiency from a standard single-mode fiber to a photonic crystal waveguide. The tapered microstructured fiber allows for the reduction of the mode mismatch between the output of the standard fiber and the input of the waveguide while maintaining single-mode guidance, which results in an enhanced coupling efficiency. Numerical simulations are conducted in order to optimize the cross section of the microstructured fiber as well as the taper profile. An improvement of more than 4 dB is obtained compared to non-tapered fibers. For further improvement, an elliptical-core tapered microstructured fiber is analyzed. The effect of misalignment between the tapered microstructured fiber and the waveguide is also studied.