Temperature-Independent Strain Sensor Based on a Hi-Bi Photonic Crystal Fiber Loop Mirror

This work presents an optical sensor based on a highly birefringent photonic crystal fiber (Hi-Bi PCF) loop mirror. The length of the sensing head is 380 mm and its corresponding wavelength spacing between two interferometer minima is 8 nm. The optical sensor was characterized in strain and in temperature with an uncoated Hi-Bi PCF and with an acrylate coated Hi-Bi PCF. Different results for strain and temperature sensitivity were obtained. Relatively to the strain measurement, the sensor with the uncoated Hi-Bi PCF presents slightly less sensitivity (1.11 ) when compared with coated Hi-Bi PCF (1.21 ). For the temperature measurement and with the uncoated Hi-Bi PCF, the optical sensor is insensitive to temperature (0.29 pm/K).

[1]  Xinhuan Feng,et al.  High-birefringence fiber loop mirrors and their applications as sensors. , 2005, Applied optics.

[2]  Dong Bo,et al.  Liquid-level sensor with a high-birefringence-fiber loop mirror. , 2006, Applied optics.

[3]  M.S. Demokan,et al.  Temperature-insensitive Interferometer using a highly birefringent photonic Crystal fiber loop mirror , 2004, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[4]  Do-Hyun Kim,et al.  Sagnac loop interferometer based on polarization maintaining photonic crystal fiber with reduced temperature sensitivity. , 2004, Optics express.

[5]  J.L. Santos,et al.  Simultaneous Measurement for Strain and Temperature Based on a Long-Period Grating Combined With a High-Birefringence Fiber Loop Mirror , 2006, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[6]  David J. Richardson,et al.  Sensing with microstructured optical fibres , 2001 .

[7]  Jonathan C. Knight,et al.  Photonic crystal fibres , 2003, Nature.

[8]  Michael A. Davis,et al.  Fiber grating sensors , 1997 .

[9]  A. S. Holmes-Smith,et al.  A frequency-modulated continuous wave birefringent fibre-optic strain sensor based on a Sagnac ring configuration , 1999 .

[10]  Byoungho Lee,et al.  A fiber Bragg grating sensor demodulation technique using a polarization maintaining fiber loop mirror , 2001, CLEO 2001.

[11]  Xiufeng Yang,et al.  FBG sensor interrogation with high temperature insensitivity by using a HiBi-PCF Sagnac loop filter , 2005 .

[12]  L. A. Zenteno,et al.  Fiber Sagnac interferometer temperature sensor , 1997 .