High-sensitivity, high-frequency extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric fiber-tip sensor based on a thin silver diaphragm

We propose and demonstrate a fiber-tip sensor based on an ultra-thin silver diaphragm for highly sensitive and high frequency ultrasonic detection. The diaphragm is prepared by the vacuum thermal deposition method and then transferred to the fiber tip. The sensor demonstrated in this letter has a 300 nm thick diaphragm with an inner diameter of 75 μm, leading to a static pressure sensitivity of 1.6 nm/kPa and a resonant frequency of 1.44 MHz. This sensor has potential applications in many fields such as structural health monitoring and medical ultrasonography.     

光纤光栅压力传感器的理论建模及实验研究

鉴于压力传感器为工业生产中压力监控的一种必不可少的设备,分析了光纤光栅中心波长与光纤光栅应变之间的关系,阐述了带有硬中心的圆形膜片受到均匀压之后,膜片中心的挠度与压力之间的数学关系。在此基础上设计了圆形膜片作为流体压力转化光纤光栅敏感物理量的元件,并结合辅助元件完成对光纤光栅传感器组装,建立了传感器输入输出之间的线性数学模型。通过实验验证传感器线性度和重复性,运用数学计算得出了光纤光栅压力传感器各项参数,灵敏度Km=-0.658 nm/MPa,初始波长0=1 578.441 nm,为后期传感器稳定性作好了铺垫。     

High-sensitivity Fabry-Perot interferometric pressure sensor based on a nanothick silver diaphragm

We present a fiber-optic extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer pressure sensor based on a nanothick silver diaphragm. The sensing diaphragm, with a thickness measured in a few hundreds of nanometers, is fabricated by the electroless plating method, which provides a simple fabrication process involving a high-quality diaphragm at a low cost. The sensor exhibits a relatively linear response within the pressure variation range of 0-50 kPa, with a high pressure sensitivity of 70.5 nm/kPa. This sensor is expected to have potential applications in the field of highly sensitive pressure sensors.     

基于平面膜片的光纤光栅传感研究

提出了一种基于平面膜片的光纤光栅压强传感器.讨论了该传感器反射谱展宽、峰值波长变化与压强之间的关系.指出将光纤光栅沿径向粘贴在膜片中心附近时,反射谱的峰值波长与压强之间具有良好的线性关系,可以通过检测峰值波长来检测压强.该传感器的压强响应灵敏度系数的实验值为0.3964 nm/MPa,是裸光纤光栅压强灵敏度系数的132.1倍.该传感器的灵敏度系数与压强测量范围可以通过改变膜片的尺寸、材料的弹性模量、泊松比等参量来调节.     

All-fiber high-sensitivity pressure sensor with SiO2 diaphragm

The design and fabrication of a miniature fiber Fabry-Perot pressure sensor with a diameter of 125 microm are presented. The essential element in the process is a thin SiO2 diaphragm that is fusion spliced at the hollow end of an optical fiber. Good repeatability and high sensitivity of the sensor are achieved by on-line tuning of the diaphragm thickness during the sensor fabrication process. Various sensor prototypes were fabricated, demonstrating pressure ranges of from 0 to 40 kPa to 0 to 1 MPa. The maximum achieved sensitivity was 1.1 rad/40 kPa at 1550 nm, and a pressure resolution of 300 Pa was demonstrated in practice. The presented design and fabrication technique offers a means of simple and low-cost disposable pressure sensor production.     

Integrated Optic Pressure Sensor Using Intermodal Interference between Two Mutual Orthogonal Guided-Modes

We theoretically and experimentally investigated fundamental characteristics of an integrated optic pressure sensor using intermodal interference between the lowest-order TM-like and TE-like modes. The sensor consists of a rectangular diaphragm and a straight single-mode waveguide along an edge of the diaphragm. Its operation is based on a difference of phase retardations produced in the two guided modes through the photoelastic effect. The sensor was fabricated by bonding two glass substrates together: a Corning 0211 glass 300 μMm thick to form a waveguide and a thick substrate with a 10 mm × 10 mm square hole to define the diaphragm. The fabricated sensor was successfully tested using a He-Ne laser at 633 nm. The halfwave pressure was measured to be 77 kPa which is almost double the theoretical estimate.     

Silicon-Based Integrated Optic Pressure Sensor Using Intermodal Interference between TM-Like and TE-Like Modes

In this paper, a silicon-based integrated optic pressure sensor using an intermodal interference between the fundamental TM-like and TE-like modes is described. The sensor consists of a micromachined rectangular diaphragm and a straight polystyrene optical waveguide passing over the diaphragm. Its sensitivity is theoretically known to be strongly dependent on the position of the waveguide over the diaphragm. To experimentally investigate such dependence, we fabricated a sensor with a 1.2 mm 2 10 mm 2 20 w m diaphragm, over which waveguides were placed at 50 w m intervals. The measured phase sensitivity was 98 mrad/kPa for the waveguide nearest to the diaphragm edge. The measurement was also carried out for the other waveguides. As theoretically expected, the largest sensitivity was obtained for the waveguide nearest to the edge.     

光纤微机电系统压力传感器的理论分析和数值模拟

设计了一种基于微机电系统(MEMS)的光纤压力传感器,证明了光纤MEMS压力传感器在工作状态下可以由法布里_珀罗腔的理论模型解释。推导出了在光纤MEMS压力传感器中硅横膈膜的压力与干涉光强的关系表达式,并对光纤MEMS压力传感器的模型进行了数值模拟,初步确定了在传感器的制作过程中各个物理量的取值。其中腔体半径为300μm、腔体深度为1.42μm、硅横膈膜厚度为23μm,为光纤MEMS压力传感器的加工和制作提供了理论基础。     

Silicon-Based Integrated Optic Pressure Sensor Using Intermodal Interference between TM-Like and TE-Like Modes

In this paper, a silicon-based integrated optic pressure sensor using an intermodal interference between the fundamental TM-like and TE-like modes is described. The sensor consists of a micromachined rectangular diaphragm and a straight polystyrene optical waveguide passing over the diaphragm. Its sensitivity is theoretically known to be strongly dependent on the position of the waveguide over the diaphragm. To experimentally investigate such dependence, we fabricated a sensor with a 1.2 mm ×10 mm ×20 μm diaphragm, over which waveguides were placed at 50 μm intervals. The measured phase sensitivity was 98 mrad/kPa for the waveguide nearest to the diaphragm edge. The measurement was also carried out for the other waveguides. As theoretically expected, the largest sensitivity was obtained for the waveguide nearest to the edge.     

Investigating the effect of gas absorption on the electromechanical and electrochemical behavior of graphene/ZnO structure,suitable for highly selective and sensitive gas sensors

Graphene/ZnO hybrid was used, for the first time, to fabricate a highly selective and sensitive graphene based gas sensor by a combination of electromechanical and electrochemical characteristics of the graphene. ZnO nanowires in our fabricated sensor have two important roles: as the reductant of graphene oxide to obtain graphene and as an efficient electromechanical actuator due to their piezoelectric properties. To investigate the operation of the fabricated sensor as a gas sensor, a selected set of chemical vapors were introduced to the structure. It was found that chemical vapors change the resonance frequency of the graphene/ZnO structure, as well as the electrical resistivity of the sensor. The observed variation of the mechanical and electrical characteristics of the graphene/ZnO in response to gas exposure entitles the graphene/ZnO based sensor as a highly selective/sensitive device for gas sensing applications with distinctive signatures for different gas species.     

平面圆形膜片式光纤布拉格光栅温度补偿压强传感

报道了利用光纤布拉格光栅反射波谱带宽展宽技术实现温度补偿的压强传感新方案。结合平面圆形膜片应变调谐的特点,采用膜盒式结构,将光纤光栅中心对准平面圆形膜片零应变半径并沿径向粘贴,利用反射波谱带宽对应变敏感而对温度不敏感的特性解调压强,成功地实现了温度补偿的压强传感测量。基于光谱分析仪0.05nm的光谱分辨力,实验测得带宽随压强响应灵敏度为0.34nm/MPa,压强精度为±0.15MPa,压强测量范围为0~7.5MPa。实验结果与理论分析基本一致。     

基于石墨烯/石墨烯卷轴复合薄膜高灵敏度柔性压力传感器

一维导电材料例如纳米线,大量应用于柔性压力传感器中. 但是一维材料和基底之间接触时相互作用力较弱,使得传感器灵敏度、响应时间、和循环寿命等性能指标有待进一步提高. 针对这些问题,设计了石墨烯/石墨烯卷轴多分子层复合薄膜作为传感器导电层. 石墨烯卷轴具有一维结构,而石墨烯的二维结构可以牢固地固定卷轴,以确保高导电性复合薄膜与基底之间的粘附性,同时整体结构的导电通道得到了增加. 由于一维和二维结构的协同效应,实现了应变灵敏度系数3.5 kPa^-1、 响应时间小于50 ms、能够稳定工作1000次以上的压阻传感器.     

FBG传感器在空腔爆炸压力测量中的应用研究

光纤光栅(FBG)传感器具有灵敏度高，测量量程大，抗电磁干扰能力强，耐高温能力强等诸多优点，在爆炸冲击测试领域具有广泛的应用前景。针对空腔爆炸压力变化历程对压力传感器的性能要求，设计了一种抗冲击FBG压力传感器。传感器采用圆平膜片作为承压面，利用均匀压力作用下的挠度拉伸FBG产生位移。对传感器的力学模型进行了理论计算，并进行了有限元仿真，理论分析与数值模拟计算结果误差小于2%。使用标准压力源对传感器进行了标定，获得最终的压力灵敏度为545.187 kPa/nm，线性度相关度为99.998%。根据空腔爆炸现场防护需求，设计了有效的抗爆防护装置，并将该传感器成功用于空腔爆炸爆后气体压力变化历程测量，取得很好的测试效果。     

Dynamic response of sensor diaphragm with residual stress in contact with liquids

The dynamic response of a sensor diaphragm with residual stress in contact with a liquid is theoretically investigated in this paper. The liquid is assumed to be incompressible and inviscid. The acoustic radiation as the main source of energy dissipation in a medium virtually added the mass of the diaphragm and decreased the quality factor of the diaphragm. The effects of the residual stress on the added virtual mass and the quality factor of the diaphragm are presented. Finally, forced oscillations of the sensor diaphragm with residual stress in contact with a liquid are investigated. It is found that the requirements of high sensitivity and large vibration displacement are contradictory. The analysis and results are valuable for conducting the design of circular sensor diaphragms for biological applications.     

Field emission pressure sensors with non-silicon membranes

We report on the fabrication of cold cathode emitter and the design parameter simulation of a functional field emission-based pressure sensor. This device comprises a membrane made of metallic compound acting as the anode in front of a flat cold cathode emitter. First, the mechanical deflection of a diaphragm under selected input pressures is modeled. The current density distribution in the deflected diaphragm is then calculated using realistic field emission characteristics from fabricated sulfur doped boron nitride (S-BN) cold cathode device. The total current output was found by integrating the measured current density of the fabricated electron emitter device over the entire diaphragm area of the membrane as function of external pressure. The results show that conventional silicon membranes would pose problems when implemented in a real field emission device, and show how the use of unconventional materials (i.e., TiN) can help overcome these problems.     

Modeling of an air-backed diaphragm in dynamic pressure sensors: Effects of the air cavity

As the key structure of most dynamic pressure sensors, a diaphragm backed by an air cavity plays a critical role in the determination of sensor performance metrics. In this paper, we investigate the influence of air cavity length on the sensitivity and bandwidth. A continuum mechanics model neglecting the air viscous effect is first developed to capture the structural–acoustic coupling between a clamped circular diaphragm and a cylindrical backing air cavity. To facilitate sensor design, close-form approximations are obtained to calculate the static sensitivity and the fundamental natural frequency of the air-backed diaphragm. Parametric studies based on this analytical model show that the air cavity can change both the effective mass and the effective stiffness of the diaphragm. One new finding is that the natural frequency of the air-backed diaphragm behaves differently in three different cavity length ranges. In particular, due to the mass effect of the air cavity being dominant, it is shown for the first time that the natural frequency decreases when the cavity length decreases below a critical value in the short cavity range. Furthermore, a finite element method (FEM) model is developed to validate the continuum mechanics model and to study the damping effect of the air cavity. These results provide important design guidelines for dynamic pressure sensors with air-backed diaphragms.     

基于反射光谱特征辨识的光纤气压与温度集成监测方法

针对飞行器机载环境多参量综合测试需求,研究了一种基于反射光谱特征辨识的光纤布拉格光栅(FBG)气压与温度集成监测方法,给出了基于膜片式结构的双参量传感机理及其理论模型。采用基于耦合模理论的OptiGrating软件,得到不同气压与温度条件下光纤布拉格光栅传感器仿真反射光谱。在此基础上,借助弹塑性和恢复性能优良的平膜片感压机构,构建了膜片式双光纤气压/温度集成监测模型。研究表明,恒温条件下应变传感光纤光栅反射光谱随气压增加而逐渐向短波方向偏移,其中心波长灵敏度约为0.803 0 nm·MPa-1,且反射谱主峰及其旁瓣峰值均随气压变化呈现良好线性关系;当气压恒定而温度变化时,处于仅感温不受力状态的温度传感光纤光栅反射光谱中心波长灵敏度约为9.39 pm·℃-1;当气压与温度交叉变化时,能够实现对变温条件下的微小气压变化实时监测。传感光纤光栅受非均匀应变效应反射光谱存在一定啁啾现象,其反射光谱旁瓣峰值波长随环境温度、气压变化均会发生偏移,具有良好线性关系,且在不同气压下反射光谱对应的同一阶数旁瓣峰值幅度相等。该研究能够为航空航天器系统多物理参量在线综合测试提供有益帮助。     

温度补偿式光纤光栅土压力传感器

针对现有土压力传感器无法实现长期、实时监测的要求,设计了温度补偿式光纤光栅土压力传感器。选用有硬中心的平膜片作弹性元件,选用灵敏度高、体积小、质量轻、易于波分复用和组成传感网络的光纤光栅作敏感元件;同时采用了不受力光栅法进行了温度补偿。经实验测试,该传感器的灵敏度为1.5 nm/M Pa;线性度误差为0.35%;重复性为0.06%;迟滞为2.19%;静态误差为2.21%;这些指标能够满足实际工程应用要求。     

An optical fiber infrasound sensor: a new lower limit on atmospheric pressure noise between 1 and 10 Hz

A new distributed sensor for detecting pressure variations caused by distant sources has been developed. The instrument reduces noise due to air turbulence in the infrasound band by averaging pressure along a line by means of monitoring strain in a long tubular diaphragm with an optical fiber interferometer. Above 1 Hz, the optical fiber infrasound sensor (OFIS) is less noisy than sensors relying on mechanical filters. Records collected from an 89-m-long OFS indicate a new low noise limit in the band from 1 to 10 Hz. Because the OFIS integrates pressure variations at light-speed rather than the speed of sound, phase delays of the acoustical signals caused by the sensor are negligible. Very long fiber-optic sensors are feasible and hold the promise of better wind-noise reduction than can be achieved with acoustical-mechanical systems.     

小孔阵列式太阳敏感器的光学系统设计

微型数字式太阳敏感器光学系统由APS CMOS图像传感器和基于MEMS工艺的小孔阵列式光线引入器组成。图像传感器的分辨率为1024×1024pixel,像素尺寸为10μm×10μm;光线引入器具有微小孔阵列结构,小孔为方形孔,30×30阵列,尺寸为60μm×60μm,间距为250μm。光线引入器采用了MEMS工艺的掩模板制备工艺。针对所设计的光学系统计算了曝光时间,并在此基础上进行了地面成像实验。实验结果表明,光学系统设计合理,保证了敏感器所具有的高精度和大视场。