MZI/FPI Fiber Optic Dual-parameter Sensor Based on a Double Cone and Air Cavity Structure(Invited)

This paper proposes a Mach Zehnder/Fabry Perot Interferometer(MZI/FPI)fiber sensor based on Single-mode Fiber(SMF)and Hollow-core Fiber(HCF),which has high sensitivity to temperature and lateral loads.The proposed device consists of two single-mode fiber cones formed by manually controlling the fusion splicer and an air cavity formed by fusing a section of hollow-core fiber.The structure of the sensor is a double cone cascaded air cavity.At the beginning of the design,we compared the basic transmission spectra of single cone structure and double cone structure experimentally,and therefore chose to use double cone structure and air cavity cascade.Light undergoes its first reflection at the first interface between the single-mode fiber and the air cavity structure,and its second reflection at the second interface between the air cavity structure and the single-mode fiber.The two reflected light waves produced by the two reflections form FP interference,which can be used to measure lateral loads.The transmitted light is excited through the first cone,and a portion of the core mode light is excited to the cladding,while another portion of the core mode light continues to propagate in the core.The light couples at the second cone,and the cladding mode light couples back into the core,forming MZ interference with the core mode light,which can be used to measure temperature.The use of hollow-core fiber to form an air cavity has little effect on transmitted light,while avoiding the problem of crosstalk in dual parameter measurements.By designing temperature and lateral load experiments,this article verifies the sensitivity characteristics of this sensor to temperature and lateral loads.A significant redshift phenomenon was observed in the temperature experiment.A significant redshift phenomenon also occurred in the lateral load experiment.Through wavelength demodulation,the experimental results show that the wavelength sensitivity of the sensor to temperature is 56.29 pm/℃in the range of 30℃to 80℃.The wavelength sensitivity of the sensor to lateral loads is 1.123 nm/N in the range of 0~5 N.In addition,we have prepared multiple sets of fiber optic sensors with this structure and conducted repeated experiments to verify that the sensing performance of this structure of fiber optic sensors for temperature and lateral load is relatively stable.Also,the different waist diameters of cones will have a certain impact on the transmission spectrum of MZ,while the length of the air cavity will also have a certain impact on the reflection spectrum of FP.This article lists some fiber optic sensors for dual parameter measurement of temperature and lateral load.Compared with the listed sensors,the fiber optic sensor proposed in this article has better sensitivity to temperature and lateral load.And the fiber optic sensor proposed in this article has a simple manufacturing process,low production cost,and good performance,which has certain prospects in scientific research and industrial production.

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.

Quantitative Identification of Delamination Damage in Composite Structure Based on Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors and Model Updating

Delamination is a prevalent type of damage in composite laminate structures.Its accumulation degrades structural performance and threatens the safety and integrity of aircraft.This study presents a method for the quantitative identification of delamination identification in composite materials,leveraging distributed optical fiber sensors and a model updating approach.Initially,a numerical analysis is performed to establish a parameterized finite element model of the composite plate.Then,this model subsequently generates a database of strain responses corresponding to damage of varying sizes and locations.The radial basis function neural network surrogate model is then constructed based on the numerical simulation results and strain responses captured from the distributed fiber optic sensors.Finally,a multi-island genetic algorithm is employed for global optimization to identify the size and location of the damage.The efficacy of the proposed method is validated through numerical examples and experiment studies,examining the correlations between damage location,damage size,and strain responses.The findings confirm that the model updating technique,in conjunction with distributed fiber optic sensors,can precisely identify delamination in composite structures.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Highly sensitive fiber refractive index sensor based on side-core holey structure

We propose a side-core holey fiber （SCHF）-based surface plasmon resonance （SPR） sensor to achieve high refractive index （RI） sensitivity. The SCHF structure can facilitate analyte filling and enhance the overlapping area of the core mode and surface plasmon polariton （SPP） mode. The coupling properties of the sensor are analyzed by numerical simulation. The maximum sensitivity of 5000 nm/RIU in an RI range of 1.33-1.44, and the average sensitivity of 9295 nm/RIU in an RI range from 1.44 to 1.54 can be obtained.

Advances in femtosecond laser direct writing of fiber Bragg gratings in multicore fibers:technology,sensor and laser applications

In this article,we review recent advances in the technology of writing fiber Bragg gratings(FBGs)in selected cores of multicore fibers(MCFs)by using femtosecond laser pulses.The writing technology of such a key element as the FBG opens up wide opportunities for the creation of next generation fiber lasers and sensors based on MCFs.The advantages of the technology are shown by using the examples of 3D shape sensors,acoustic emission sensors with spatially multiplexed channels,as well as multicore fiber Raman lasers.

Optical Fiber Grating Sensor for Force Measurement of Anchor Cable

The development of the sensor suitable for measuring large load stress to the anchor cable becomes an important task in bridge construction and maintenance. Therefore, a new type of optical fiber sensor was developed in the laboratory - optical fiber grating sensor for force measurement of anchor cable （OFBFMAC）. No similar report about this kind of sensor has been found up to now in China and other countries. This sensor is proved to be an effective way of monitoring in processes of anchor cable installation, cable cutting, cable force regulation, etc, with the accurate and repeatable measuring results. Its successful application in the tie bar cable force safety monitoring for Wuhan Qingchuan bridge is a new exploration of optical fiber grating sensing technology in bridge tie bar monitoring system.

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.

Femtosecond laser fabrication of nanograting-based distributed fiber sensors for extreme environmental applications

The femtosecond laser has emerged as a powerful tool for micro-and nanoscale device fabrication. Through nonlinear ionization processes, nanometer-sized material modifications can be inscribed in transparent materials for device fabrication. This paper describes femtosecond precision inscription of nanograting in silica fiber cores to form both distributed and point fiber sensors for sensing applications in extreme environmental conditions. Through the use of scanning electron microscope imaging and laser processing optimization,high-temperature stable, Type II femtosecond laser modifications were continuously inscribed,point by point, with only an insertion loss at 1 d B m~(-1) or 0.001 d B per point sensor device.High-temperature performance of fiber sensors was tested at 1000℃, which showed a temperature fluctuation of ±5.5℃ over 5 days. The low laser-induced insertion loss in optical fibers enabled the fabrication of a 1.4 m, radiation-resilient distributed fiber sensor. The in-pile testing of the distributed fiber sensor further showed that fiber sensors can execute stable and distributed temperature measurements in extreme radiation environments. Overall, this paper demonstrates that femtosecond-laser-fabricated fiber sensors are suitable measurement devices for applications in extreme environments.

NOVEL SPECTRUM ABSORPTION OPTICAL FIBER METHANE SENSOR

Based on spectrum principle and analyzing the infrared absorption spectrum ofmethane, a kind of optical fiber methane gas sensor and its system are developed. DFBLD(Distributedfeedback laser diode) in 1 300 nm waveband is used as illuminant and phase-detecting technology isused to carry out harmonic wave detecting the concentration of methane. The sensitivity can arriveat 10^(-5). Experiments results show that the performance targets of the sensor such as sensitivitycan basically satisfy the requests of methane detection.

A Fiber Optic Sensor for 2,4-dichlorophenol Analysis based on Optical Composite Oxygen-sensitive Film

A novel fiber optic sensor based on optical composite oxygen-sensitive film was developed for determination of 2,4-dichlorophenol(DCP).The optical composite oxygen-sensitive film consists of tris(2,2’-bipyridyl)dichloro ruthenium(II)hexahydrate(Ru(bpy)3Cl2)as the fluorescence indicator and iron(III)tetrasulfophthalocyanine(Fe(III)PcTs)as bionic enzyme.A lock-in amplifier was used for detecting the lifetime of the composite oxygen-sensitive film by measuring the phase delay of the sensor head.The different variables affecting the sensor performance were evaluated and optimized.Under the optimal conditions(i e,pH 6.0,25℃,Fe(III)PcTs concentration of 5.0×10^-5 mol/L),the linear detection range,detection limit and response time of the fiber optic sensor are 3.0×10^-7-9.0×10^-5 mol/L,4.8×10^-8 mol/L(S/N=3),and 220 s,respectively.The sensor displays high selectivity,good repeatability and stability,which have good potentials in analyzing DCP concentration in practical water samples.

A modified soil water content measurement technique using actively heated fiber optic sensor

Soil water content measurement is critical in practical engineering.The actively heated fiber Bragg grating optic sensor(FBGS)has great potential of multi-point measurement for soil water content measurement in field.In this study,the effect of heating time on the measurement accuracy is discussed,and modifications are made for actively heated fiber optic(AHFO)sensors.The results demonstrate that if an integration data analysis method is used,the accuracy and reliability of soil water content measurement with AHFO sensors will be improved.Both a short fiber length and a short-term heating pattern are effective and can help to reduce soil disturbance.With the proposed integration method,a short heating time is guaranteed for measuring the soil water content.Such improvements will reduce the thermal disturbance to soil sample and improve the reliability of measurement.

DISTRIBUTED OPTICAL FIBER SENSOR FOR LONG-DISTANCE OIL PIPELINE HEALTH

A fully distributed optical fiber sensor （DOFS） for monitoring long-distance oil pipeline health is proposed based on optical time domain reflectometry （OTDR）. A smart and sensitive optical fiber cable is installed along the pipeline acting as a sensor, The experiments show that the cable swells when exposed to oil and induced additional bending losses inside the fiber, and the optical attenuation of the fiber coated by a thin skin with periodical hardness is sensitive to deformation and vibration caused by oil leakage, tampering, or mechanical impact. The region where the additional attenuation occurred is detected and located by DOFS based on OTDR, the types of pipeline accidents are identified according to the characteristics of transmitted optical power received by an optical power meter, Another prototype of DOFS based on a forward traveling frequency-modulated continuous-wave （FMCW） is also proposed to monitor pipeline. The advantages and disadvantages of DOFSs based on OTDR and FMCW are discussed. The experiments show that DOFSs are capable of detecting and locating distant oil pipeline leakages and damages in real time with an estimated precision of ten meters over tens of kilometers.

A Fiber Optic Sensor for Determination of 2,4-dichlorophenol based on Iron(Ⅱ) Phthalocyanine Catalysis

A new fi ber optic sensor based on the oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol（DCP） catalyzed by iron（II） phthalocyanine（Fe（II）Pc） was developed for the determination of DCP. The optical oxygen sensing fi lm containing fl uorescence indicator Ru（bpy）3Cl2 was used to detect the consumption of oxygen in solution. Moreover, a lock-in amplifier was used to determine the lifetime of the sensor head by detecting its phase delay change. The results reveal that the sensor has a linear detection range of 1.0×10^-6- 9.0×10^-5 mol/L and a response time of 5 min. The sensor also has high selectivity, good repeatability and stability. It can be used effectively to determine DCP concentration in real samples.

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.