Review of reflective fiber optic sensors for surface topography measurement

Different from the traditional contact surface topography measurement,reflective intensity-modulated fiber optic sensor(RIM-FOS)has the unique advantages of non-contact nondestructive detection.This paper briefly introduces the principle and performance of RIM-FOS for surface topography measurement and compares with several other methods of topography measurement.Based on the review of its development process,this paper summarizes and analyses the hot issues of RIM-FOS in the surface topography measurement,then predicts the future trend for a guidance of the further study.

Functional Optical Fiber Sensors Detecting Imperceptible Physical/Chemical Changes for Smart Batteries

The battery technology progress has been a contradictory process in which performance improvement and hidden risks coexist.Now the battery is still a“black box”,thus requiring a deep understanding of its internal state.The battery should“sense its internal physical/chemical conditions”,which puts strict requirements on embedded sensing parts.This paper summarizes the application of advanced optical fiber sensors in lithium-ion batteries and energy storage technologies that may be mass deployed,focuses on the insights of advanced optical fiber sensors into the processes of one-dimensional nano-micro-level battery material structural phase transition,electrolyte degradation,electrode-electrolyte interface dynamics to three-dimensional macro-safety evolution.The paper contributes to understanding how to use optical fiber sensors to achieve“real”and“embedded”monitoring.Through the inherent advantages of the advanced optical fiber sensor,it helps clarify the battery internal state and reaction mechanism,aiding in the establishment of more detailed models.These advancements can promote the development of smart batteries,with significant importance lying in essentially promoting the improvement of system consistency.Furthermore,with the help of smart batteries in the future,the importance of consistency can be weakened or even eliminated.The application of advanced optical fiber sensors helps comprehensively improve the battery quality,reliability,and life.

Distributed fiber optic sensors for tunnel monitoring:A state-of-the-art review

Distributed fiber optic sensors(DFOSs)possess the capability to measure strain and temperature variations over long distances,demonstrating outstanding potential for monitoring underground infrastructure.This study presents a state-of-the-art review of the DFOS applications for monitoring and assessing the deformation behavior of typical tunnel infrastructure,including bored tunnels,conventional tunnels,as well as immersed and cut-and-cover tunnels.DFOS systems based on Brillouin and Rayleigh scattering principles are both considered.When implementing DFOS monitoring,the fiber optic cable can be primarily installed along transverse and longitudinal directions to(1)measure distributed strains by continuously adhering the fiber to the structure’s surface or embedding it in the lining,or(2)measure point displacements by spot-anchoring it on the lining surface.There are four critical aspects of DFOS monitoring,including proper selection of the sensing fiber,selection of the measuring principle for the specific application,design of an effective sensor layout,and establishment of robust field sensor instrumentation.These four issues are comprehensively discussed,and practical suggestions are provided for the implementation of DFOS in tunnel infrastructure monitoring.

Remote structural health monitoring with serially multiplexed fiber optic acoustic emission sensors

Development and testing of a serially multiplexed fiber optic sensor system is described.The sensor differs from conventional fiber optic acoustic systems,as it is capable of sensing AE emissions at several points along the length of a single fiber.Multiplexing provides for single channel detection of cracks and their locations in large structural systems. An algorithm was developed for signal recognition and tagging of the AE waveforms for detection of' crack locations,Labora- tory experiments on plain concrete beams and post-tensioned FRP tendons were pcrlormed to evaluate the crack detection capability of the sensor system.The acoustic emission sensor was able to detect initiation,growth and location of the cracks in concrete as well as in the FRP tendons.The AE system is potentially suitable lot applications involving health monitoring of structures following an earthquake.

3D printed fiber-optic nanomechanical bioprobe

Ultrasensitive nanomechanical instruments,e.g.atomic force microscopy(AFM),can be used to perform delicate biomechanical measurements and reveal the complex mechanical environment of biological processes.However,these instruments are limited because of their size and complex feedback system.In this study,we demonstrate a miniature fiber optical nanomechanical probe(FONP)that can be used to detect the mechanical properties of single cells and in vivo tissue measurements.A FONP that can operate in air and in liquids was developed by programming a microcantilever probe on the end face of a single-mode fiber using femtosecond laser two-photon polymerization nanolithography.To realize stiffness matching of the FONP and sample,a strategy of customizing the microcantilever’s spring constant according to the sample was proposed based on structure-correlated mechanics.As a proof-of concept,three FONPs with spring constants varying from 0.421 N m^(−1)to 52.6 N m^(−1)by more than two orders of magnitude were prepared.The highest microforce sensitivity was 54.5 nmμN^(−1)and the detection limit was 2.1 nN.The Young’s modulus of heterogeneous soft materials,such as polydimethylsiloxane,muscle tissue of living mice,onion cells,and MCF-7 cells,were successfully measured,which validating the broad applicability of this method.Our strategy provides a universal protocol for directly programming fiber-optic AFMs.Moreover,this method has no special requirements for the size and shape of living biological samples,which is infeasible when using commercial AFMs.FONP has made substantial progress in realizing basic biological discoveries,which may create new biomedical applications that cannot be realized by current AFMs.

A Fiber Optic Sensor for the Simultaneous Measurement of Dual-parameter Based on Hydrogel-immobilized Enzyme Complex

A novel fiber optic sensor based on hydrogel-immobilized enzyme complex was developed for the simultaneous measurement of dual-parameter,the leap from a single parameter detecting fiber optic sensor to a fiber optic sensor that can continuously detect two kinds of parameters was achieved.By controlling the temperature from high to low,the function of fiber sulfide sensor and fiber DCP sensor can be realized,so as to realize the continuous detection of dual-parameter.The different variables affecting the sensor performance were evaluated and optimized.Under the optimal conditions,the response curves,linear detection ranges,detection limits and response times of the dual-parameter sensor for testing sulfide and DCP were obtained,respectively.The sensor displays high selectivity,good repeatability and stability,which have good potentials in analyzing sulfide and DCP concentration of practical water samples.

Modeling, Simulation and Experimental Studies of Refractometric Fiber Optic Sensor

Refractometric fiber optic sensors have a number of applications in industry due to advantages like remote sensing ability, compact size, easy to fit, etc. A refractometric sensor contains a pair of parallel fibers and a gap between the sensor probe and reflector, wherein the liquid whose refractive index is to be measured is filled. This paper describes the importance of mathematical modeling of this sensor. Ray tracing approach is used to model the sensor mathematically. This mathematical model is generalized for any scenario which is useful to avoid tedious trial and error techniques to design the sensor prototype. Mathematical modelling is a useful tool to optimize the gap distance for a detection of refractive index of liquid. The model is developed and analyzed rigorously considering adulteration of diesel by kerosene where refractive index varies from 1.44 to 1.46. Simulation experiments are carried out to optimize the gap distance which is found to be 6.8 mm using both models. Experiments are carried out where sensor probe is fabricated and results are analyzed. It is observed that for suggested gap distance sensor output varies almost linear over the entire range.

Absolute Measurement Fiber-optic Sensors inLarge Structural Monitoring

The security of civil engineering is an important task due to the economic, social and environmental significance. Compared with conventional sensors, the optical fiber sensors have their unique characteristics.Being durable, stable and insensitive to external perturbations,they are particular interesting for the long-term monitoring of civil structures.Focus is on absolute measurement optical fiber sensors, which are emerging from the monitoring large structural, including SOFO system, F-P optical fiber sensors, and fiber Bragg grating sensors. The principle, characteristic and application of these three kinds of optical fiber sensors are described together with their future prospects.

An Optical Fiber Sensor for Simultaneous Measurement of pO2 and pH

Whether in the monitoring of critically ill patients such as shock, respiratory failure, brain injury, or in major anesthesia surgeries, it is necessary to evaluate the patient’s pO2 and pH. An optical fiber sensor presented is capable of monitoring the presence of oxygen partial pressure (pO2) and pH in the real-time. The sensor is based on fluorescence sensing of polymer immobilized in the oxygen/pH-sensitive membranes and covalently attached to the optical fiber probe. The design of this sensor uses LED as light source, which is an excitation light source, inducing specific wavelengths of fluorescence on the oxygen/pH-sensitive membrane. The intensity and lifetime of fluorescence are related to the pO2 and pH. So the pO2 and pH can be measured by the relationship between the pO2/pH values and the intensity and lifetime of fluorescence. The signal conditioning system based on DSP and STM32 was used to store and process data, and display test values. The response of the sensor for pO2 and pH monitoring with nitrogen (N2) as a balancing gas in the laboratory was performed. Finally, the oxygen/pH sensing scheme presented in this work is intended for using in biological, medical and environmental applications.

DETERMINATION OF INTERNAL STRAIN IN 3-D BRAIDED COMPOSITES USING OPTIC FIBER STRAIN SENSORS

A reliable understanding of the properties of 3-D braided composites is of primary importance for proper utilization of these materials. A new method is introduced to study the mechanical performance of braided composite materials using embedded optic fiber sensors. Experimental research is performed to devise a method of incorporating optic fibers into a 3-D braided composite structure. The efficacy of this new testing method is evaluated on two counts. First, the optical performance of optic fibers is studied before and after incorporated into 3-D braided composites, as well as after completion of the manufacturing process for 3-D braided composites, to validate the ability of the optic fiber to survive the manufacturing process. On the other hand, the influence of incorporated optic fiber on the original braided composite is also researched by tension and compression experiments. Second, two kinds of optic fiber sensors are co-embedded into 3-D braided composites to evaluate their respective ability to measure the internal strain. Experimental results show that multiple optic fiber sensors can be co-braided into 3-D braided composites to determine their internal strain which is difficult to be fulfilled by other current existing methods.

A bellow pressure fiber optic sensor for static ice pressure measurements

Static ice pressure affects safe operation of hydraulic structures. However, current detection methods are hindered by the following limitations： poor real-time performance and errors owing to the partial pressure of the surrounding wall on traditional electrical resistance strain bellow pressure sensors. We developed a fiber optic sensor with a special pressure bellow to monitor the static ice pressure on hydraulic structures and used the sensor to measure static pressure in laboratory ice growth and melting tests from -30℃ to 5℃. The sensor resolution is 0.02 kPa and its sensitivity is 2.74 × 10-4/kPa. The experiments suggest that the static ice pressure peaks twice during ice growth and melting. The first peak appears when the ice temperature drops to -15℃ owing to the liquid water to solid ice transition. The second peak appears at 0℃ owing to the thermal expansion of the ice during ice melting. The novel fiber optic sensor exhibits stable performance, high resolution, and high sensitivity and it can be used to monitor the static ice pressure during ice growth and melting.

PLASMA RESONANCE FIBER OPTIC SENSOR FOR CURE MONITORING OF EPOXY COMPOSITE

The plasma resonance fiber optic sensor has a research values in theory and is widely used in engineering because of its simple structure and high sensitivity. It is a simple and sensitive method to measure the refractive index with optical fiber plasma wave. We make use of this characteristic to manufacture the plasma resonance fiber optic sensor which can detect the cure of epoxy compo site. We study the method of testing the solutions which have different refractive index with plasma resonance fiber optic sensor. A fiber optic sensing probe which has reliable performance and convenient operation for detecting the refractive index has been designed. The system for detecting the solution refractive index is developed and used to measure the refractive index of epoxy during the different phases in the cure process. Result shows that this system is credible and stable, the parameters tested are in accord with the facts.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON OPTIC PERFORMANCES OF OPTIC FIBER BRAIDED IN CARBON FIBER BRAIDED COMPOSITES

D braiding technology has stimulated a great deal of interest in the world at large and been widely used in aerospace, military, civil construction and medical fields. Although 3 D braided composites have many good features, their features are very complicated. Optic fiber sensors can be multi braided into 3 D braided composites to fulfill a new kind of 3 D smart composites to monitor RTM process, study mechanical behaviors and damage states after molding, and monitor its own condition during service life. Since optic performances of optic fibers have direct and important relation to the performances of optic fiber sensors, experimental research is done to devise a method to incorporate the optic fiber into a 3 D structure. The optical performances of the braided optic fibers are tested and compared with the original one to study the optic performances of optic fibers, before their being braided into composites and after the RTM process.

DISTRIBUTED MICROBEND FIBER-OPTIC STRAIN SENSOR

The distributed strain sensor has significant application in real time measurement of strain status for large and important engineering structures such as aircraft, bridge and dam. In this paper, a quasi distributed optical fiber strain sensor system is set up using optical time domain reflect technique. The local strain sensors based on a novel microbend configuration are designed and applied to measure local strains along the optical fiber. As the result of the experimental research, the microbend sensors show high sensitivity, good linearity and repeatability in certain operation range.

AN OPTICAL FIBER SENSOR TECHNIQUE BASED ON SLIGHT DISTURBANCE RADIATION LOSS OF STOCHASTIC WALL

This paper presents an optical sensor technique used in the damage evaluation which is formed by structurally integrated fiber optic reticulate sensors embedded in the composite materials. The fibers are processed by chemical method and their outsides are peeled to form particles of irregular distribution and they differ in size, so the slight disturbance range of stochastic wall are formed in fibers. According to the characteristics of power loss of waveguide mode caused by slight disturbance of stochastic wall and radiative mode transmission, the range of slight disturbance of stochastic wall may be served as the sensitive range of the sensor. On the basis of theory of slight disturbance of stochastic wall of planar optical waveguide, the relation between the corrosion time and the opposite power loss by experiments is investigated. In this paper, the measurement results of object of SIFORS are also presented. The results show that the optical sensor technique may be used in the damage evaluation of an aircraft.

A Self-Referenced Fiber-Optic Refractive Index Sensor for Cure Monitoring of Epoxy Composites

A self referenced fiber optic refractive index sensor is developed to measure quantitative cure extent of epoxy. In case the sensor is applied to in situ cure monitoring of epoxy composites, each sensor embedded in different location within the structure is self referenced and can be normalized to a common scale. Therefore, the real time comparative of each sensor’s output becomes possible and variations in the extent of cure at different locations can be monitored. The developed sensor was used to monitor the isothermal cure of an epoxy system. The output of the sensor was compared with the results of the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The self referencing function of the sensor is confirmed.

Strain measurement using frequency modulation fiber optic interferometer

The method for measuring the strain of an object using an optical fiber and a frequency modulation(FM) coupled cavity semiconductor laser is proposed.This method uses the coherent FM heterodyne principle of the Michelson interferometer and can avoid the π/2 nonreciprocal phase bias and phase shifting problem existing in general fiber optic interferential sensors, the maximum detection range is limited by the coherent length of the semiconductor laser and its relative factor.

Novel Fiberoptic Sensing Array and Fundamental Experiments

A suitable fiberoptic sensing array embedded in the smart structure to monitor quasi-distributed forces on the structure is presented in this paper.Artificial nearal networks are used in processing of fiberoptic sensing array signals.Fundamental experiments have been done and the results are also given.

Structural Damage Assessment by an Embedded Fiberoptic Sensor Array and Its ANN Signal Processor

A novel type of two-dimensional damage assessment system for real time monitoring the structural health of composite structure is described. The configuration of the embedded fiberoptic sensor array and the model of the artificial neural network (ANN) are discussed. The experimental system and results show that the system can monitor a damage of structures with potential application in areas such as space aeronautics, civil engineering, etc.

Miniaturized Fiber-Optic Fabry-Perot Interferometer for Highly Sensitive Refractive Index Measurement

This paper presents a novel miniaturized fiber-optic Fabry-Peort interferometer （FPI） for highly sensitive refractive index measurement. This device was tested for the refractive indices of various liquids including acetone and ethanol at room temperature. The sensitivity for measurement of refractive index change of ethanol is 1138 nm/RIU at the wavelength of 1550 nm. In addition, the sensor fabrication is simple including only cleaving, splicing, and etching. The signal is stable with high visibility. Therefore, it provides a valuable tool in biological and chemical applications.