Fiber-Optic Current Sensor Using Passive Demodulation Interferometric Scheme

An interferometer using a Faraday rotator with 22.5 rotation bias is proposed for the use of a fiber-optic current sensor (FOCS) to demodulate phase signals passively. High sensitivities and extra low distortions are obtained by this passive demodulation interferometric scheme (PDIS). The Verdet constant of optical fibers at 1300 nm is evaluated to be 4.5 murad (A rms.turns), which is in good agreement with the literature. With signal distortions always below 0.8 %, the proposed scheme should be significantly effective for the demodulation needs of an FOCS. The PDIS also could enable a FOCS to directly connect with fiber-optic communication networks for the implementation of long-distance remote and multiplexing sensor systems. Moreover, electric shock concerns on current intensity measurements of high-voltage power delivery systems are greatly reduced.