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Optical Fiber Sensors

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16 views39 pages

Optical Fiber Sensors

Uploaded by

muyucel3
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Fundamental of Fiber Optics

Optical Fiber
Total Internal Reflection
V-Number and Fiber Modes

2.405

V 2a NA/ 
a : radius of core
 : wavelength of ligth
Cut-off Wavelength

Definition: the wavelength below which multiple modes of light can be


propagated along a particular fiber, i.e., >=c, single mode, <c,
multi-mode

2a
c  NA
2.405
Multi-Mode vs. Single-mode
Wavelength of Transmitted Light
Wavelength-dependant Attenuation
Typical Optical Fiber Sensing Mechanism

Transmission Measurement

Photo-detector
Light source Focus Sensing
lens element

Reflection Measurement

Coupler
Light source Focus
lens

Photo-detector
Light Parameters

• Power/Intensity
– Unit:
 Watts
 dbm: 10log(P*1000)

– Attenuation/loss
 db: 10log(P1/P0)

• Wavelength (spectral distribution)

• Polarization

• Phase (Optical path)


Optical Transmitter

Definition: a device that converts electrical signal


into optical signal

• Lasers
– Fabry-Perot Lasers (FP)
– Distributed Feedback Lasers (DFB)
– Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSEL)
– ASE fiber laser

• Light Emitting Diodes (LED)


– Surface-Emitting LED (SLED)
– Edge-emitting LED (EELED)
Transmitter

Fabry-Perot Laser
(FB Laser)
– Radiation pattern: 60o
angle cone-shape
– Output power: several
mW
– Modulation: at high
rates
– Spectral width:
relatively big
Transmitter

Distributed Feedback
Laser (DFB laser)
– Single longitudinal
mode
– Can be internally or
externally modulated
Transmitter

Vertical Cavity
Surface Emitting
Laser (VCSEL)
– Single longitudinal
mode
– Low cost
– Low power
– Mostly used for MM
communication
Transmitter

Light Emitting Diode


(LED)
– Low cost
– Low power
– Broad spectral width
– Can be modulated to
several hundred MHz
– Two types
 Surface-emitting LED
(SLED): <1mW power
 Edge-emitting LED
(EELED): several mW
power
Transmitter Comparison
Optical Receiver

Definition: convert optical signal into electrical signal

Types:
– p-i-n photodetector: photon-electron converter
– Avalance photodetector (APD): more sensitive for high speed
systems

Photodetector parameters:
– Responsivity: the amount of current produced per unit of input
optical power
– Wavelength bandwidth: the bandwidth the PD is sensitive to.
– Damage threshold: the maximum optical power the PD can take
before damage
Wavelength-dependent Sensitivity of
Detectors
Typical Optical Fiber Measurement
System

Photo-detector
Light source Focus Sensing
lens element
Coupling Light into Fiber

Coupling Efficiency:
• NA of light source
• Dimension of light source
• NA of fiber
• Fiber core diameter

MM fiber coupling:
• Overfilled: high order mode in
the light source will be loss into
cladding area
• Underfilled: all mode available
in the source can propagate
along the fiber

Question: if light is propagated


from a SM fiber to a MM fiber,
what mode can propagate in the
MM fiber
Light Distribution in a SMF

Mode field radius


Coupling Light into SM Fiber
Optical Fiber Sensor
Optical fiber sensor: A sensor that measures a
physical quantity based on its modulation on the
intensity, spectrum, phase, or polarization of light
traveling through an optical fiber.

Advantages of optical fiber sensors


Compact size
Multi-functional
Remote accessible
Multiplexing
Resistant to harsh environment
Immunity to electro-magnetic interference
Optical Fiber Sensor Types

Intrinsic: the effect of the measurand on the


light being transmitted take place in the fiber

Extrinsic: the fiber carries the light from the


source and to the detector, but the
modulation occurs outside the fiber
Optical Fiber Sensor Types

Point sensor: Opto-


detect measurand electronics
Sensing
variation only in the element
Output, M(t)
vicinity of the sensor

Multiplexed sensor: Opto-


Multiple localized sensors electronics
are placed at intervals
Output, M(t, Zi)
along the fiber length.

Distributed sensor: Opto-


Sensing is distributed electronics
along the length of
the fiber Output, M(t,z)
Optical Fiber Sensor Types

Intensity-based: measure physic measurand


based on the intensity of the light detected
through the fiber, e.g. fiber break, OTDR

Interferometric (phase modulation):


– Fabry-Perot Interferometry

Grating based (wavelength modulation)


– Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)
– Long Period Fiber Grating (LPFG)
Intensity-based Optical Fiber Sensor

Advantages:
• Simple signal processing
• Inexpensive measurement instrument

Disadvantages:
• Susceptible to power fluctuation of the light source
• Susceptible to fiber bending losses
• Variation in modal power distribution in Multi-mode
fiber (MMF)
Intensity-based Optical Fiber Sensor

Reference: “Split-spectrum intensity-based


optical fiber sensors for measurement of
microdisplacement, strain, and pressure”, by
Anbo Wang et al.
Optical Fiber Components

• Fiber connector
• Broadband light source (BBS)
• Fiber coupler/circulator
• Mode scrambler
• Index matching fluid
• Wavelength division multiplexer
Fiber Connector
Fiber Connector Type

FC/PC: polished curved


FC/UPC: ultra-PC
FC/APC: angle PC
Broadband Light Source

Definition: a light source that emit lights


over a large wavelength range

Examples:
• ASE source
• EELED
• SLED

LED spectrum ASE spectrum


Fiber Coupler

Definition: an optical device that combines or splits power from optical fibers

1X2 coupler
(95/5, 90/10, 80/20, 50/50)

2X2 coupler

1X2 coupler
Circulator

Definition: a passive three-port device that couple


light from Port 1 to 2 and Port 2 to 3 and have high
isolation in other directions.
Mode scrambler
Mode Scrambler: an optical device that mixes optical power in
fiber to achieve equal power distribution in all modes.

Mode stripper: an optical device that removes light in the cladding


of an optical fiber.
Other Mode Scrambler
Index matching fluid

Definition: A liquid with refractive index similar to glass that is used to


match the materials at the ends of two fibers to reduce loss and back
reflection.

Applications:
• Reduce back reflection
• increase coupling between two fibers
Wavelength division multiplexer

Definition: a device that combines and split


lights with different wavelengths
Intensity-based Distance Sensor

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