Temperature and strain sensitivities of surface and hybrid acoustic wave Brillouin scattering in optical microfibers

Temperature and strain sensitivities of surface acoustic wave(SAW)and hybrid acoustic wave(HAW)Brillouin scat-tering(BS)in 1μm-1.3μm diameter optical microfibers are simulated.In contrast to stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS)from bulk acoustic wave in standard optical fiber,SAW and HAW BS,due to SAWs and HAWs induced by the coupling of longitudinal and shear waves and propagating along the surface and core of microfiber respectively,facilitate innovative detection in optical microfibers sensing.The highest temperature and strain sensitivities of the hybrid acoustic modes(HAMs)are 1.082 MHz/℃and 0.0289 MHz/με,respectively,which is suitable for microfiber sensing applica-tion of high temperature and strain resolutions.Meanwhile,the temperature and strain sensitivities of the SAMs are less affected by fiber diameter changes,ranging from 0.05 MHz/℃/μm to 0.25 MHz/℃/μm and 1×10^(-4) MHz/με/μm to 5×10^(-4) MHz/με/μm,respectively.It can be found that that SAW BS for temperature and strain sensing would put less stress on manufacturing constraints for optical microfibers.Besides,the simultaneous sensing of temperature and strain can be realized by SAW and HAW BS,with temperature and strain errors as low as 0.30℃-0.34℃and 14.47με-16.25με.

Long-period grating inscription on polymer functionalized optical microfibers and its applications in optical sensing

We demonstrated long-period grating(LPG) inscription on polymer functionalized optical microfibers and its applications in optical sensing. Optical microfibers were functionalized with ultraviolet-sensitive polymethyl methacrylate jackets and, thus, LPGs could be inscribed on optical microfibers via point-by-point ultraviolet laser exposure. For a 2 mm long microfiber LPG(MLPG) inscribed on optical microfibers with a diameter of 5.4 μm, a resonant dip of 15 d B at 1377 nm was observed. This MLPG showed a high sensitivity of strain and axial force, i.e.,-1.93 pm∕με and-1.15 pm∕μN, respectively. Although the intrinsic temperature sensitivity of the LPGs is relatively low, i.e.,-12.75 pm∕°C, it can be increased to be-385.11 pm∕°C by appropriate sealing. Benefiting from the small footprint and high sensitivity, MLPGs could have potential applications in optical sensing of strain,axial force, and temperature.

Simultaneous Force and Temperature Measurement Using Optical Microfiber Asymmetrical Interferometer

A novel optical microfiber asymmetric Fabry-Perot interferometric （MAFPI） sensor is developed for simultaneous measurement of force and temperature. The MAFPI structure is formed by a weak fiber Bragg grating （FBG）, a section of the microfiber, and a cleaved fiber end surface. The narrowband beam reflected from the low-reflectivity FBG and the broadband beam from the Fresnel reflection interfere lead to its unique sensing performance. The force sensing is performed by detecting the bending-loss induced fringe contrast changes, while the Bragg wavelength shift is employed for temperature measurement. Sensitivities of 9.8pm/℃ and 0.025dB/μN were obtained experimentally for temperature and force measurements, respectively.

Micro/Nanofiber Optical Sensors

As a low-dimensional optical fiber with diameter close to or below the wavelength of light,optical micro/nanofiber(MNF)offers a number of favorable properties for optical sensing,which have been exploited in a variety of sensing applications,including physical,chemical,and biological sensors.In this paper we review the principles and applications of silica,glass,and polymer optical micro/nanofibers for physical and chemical sensing.

Recent Progress in Microfiber-Optic Sensors

Recently,microfiber-optic sensors with high sensitivity,fast response times,and a compact size have become an area of interest that integrates fiber optics and nanotechnology.Distinct advantages of optical microfiber,such as large accessible evanescent fields and convenient configurability,provide attractive benefits for micro-and nano-scale optical sensing.Here,we review the basic principles of microfiber-optic sensors based on a broad range of microstructures,nanostructures,and functional materials.We also introduce the recent progress and state-of-the-art in this field and discuss the limitations and opportunities for future development.