Table of Content

31 January 2018, Volume 36 Issue 1

Previous Issue    Next Issue

Optical Fiber Sensors Technology

Application-Oriented Fiber Optic Hydrogen Sensing Technology

YANG Ming-hong, WANG Gao-peng, DAI Ji-xiang, JIANG De-sheng

2018, 36(1):  1-19.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0255-8297.2018.01.001

Asbtract ( 1018 )   PDF (25248KB) ( 554 )  

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Fiber optic hydrogen sensing, due to its optical nature, is intrinsically safe and immune to electromagnetic interference, and therefore has become a focus in the research of hydrogen sensors. It is applicable to health monitoring of electric power equipment, hydrogen energy, earthquake monitoring and other fields. This paper reviews the basic principle of four different types of fiber optic hydrogen sensors, and the latest research accomplishments in several types including micro-mirror, interference, evanescent-field, and fiber Bragg grating (FBG). The recent work of the authors' group is introduced in detail. These include palladium alloy fiber optic hydrogen sensor applied to high concentration of hydrogen monitoring, platinum-doped tungsten trioxide fiber optic hydrogen sensor applied to low-medium hydrogen concentration alarm, and tungsten trioxide-palladium-platinum nanocomposite film fiber optic hydrogen sensor applied to ultra-low hydrogen concentration trace monitoring. The state of the above research areas is summarized, and existing problems and prospects of the applications are analyzed.

Stimulated Brillouin Scattering in Optical Fiber Sensing Systems

MENG Zhou, CHEN Mo, CHEN Wei, HU Xiao-yang, WANG Jian-fei

2018, 36(1):  20-40.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0255-8297.2018.01.002

Asbtract ( 1212 )   PDF (15570KB) ( 716 )  

References | Related Articles | Metrics

As an important nonlinear effect in fibers, stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) has significant influence on fiber sensing systems. SBS increases phase noise and deteriorates detection sensitivity in a long-haul interferometric sensing system, therefore it is critical to study SBS suppression techniques. On the other hand, SBS can be used in distributed sensing of temperature and strain. Distributed sensing techniques based on SBS have attracted much research attention. Meanwhile, lasers with ultra-narrow linewidth based on SBS have wide applications in coherent sensing systems due to their unique characteristics. This paper explains the effects of SBS on interferometric sensing systems, and compares some SBS suppression techniques. Major performance criteria of a Brillouin time domain analyzer and several techniques for improvements are introduced. Finally, the development history and present situation of the ultra-narrow linewidth Brillouin/erbium fiber lasers are presented.

Progress in Research of Distributed Fiber Acoustic Sensing Techniques

CAI Hai-wen, YE Qing, WANG Zhao-yong, LU Bin, CAO Yu-long

2018, 36(1):  41-58.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0255-8297.2018.01.003

Asbtract ( 1353 )   PDF (28231KB) ( 965 )  

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Distributed fiber acoustic sensing (DAS) has wide application prospects, including security monitoring for important places and critical infrastructure, large-scale structure health monitoring,oil and gas resource exploration, etc. This is due to its capability of quantitative measurement for distributed dynamic strain over a long distance in real time. Recently, this technology attracts much attention from scientists and industries all over the world. In this paper, the development progress of distributed fiber acoustic sensing is reviewed and commented. Moreover, the relevant research in the author's group, represented by phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometry (Φ-OTDR), are highlighted. Three parts of the research are summarized:high-fidelity signal restoration,system performance improvement, and engineering applications.

Research Progress of Sapphire-Derived Fibers and Sensors

PANG Fu-fei, MA Zhang-wei, LIU Huan-huan, CHEN Na, CHEN Zhen-yi, WANG Ting-yun

2018, 36(1):  59-74.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0255-8297.2018.01.004

Asbtract ( 963 )   PDF (37789KB) ( 754 )  

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Sapphire-derived fiber (SDF) has advantages such as good mechanical properties and high temperature resistance. It has a wide range of potential applications in high temperature and distributed strain sensors. This article briefly introduces basic characteristics of SDF.Based on the research accomplishments of the authors' group in recent years, typical components of SDF are presented, mainly including fiber Bragg grating (FBG), Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity, long period grating (LPG) and Mach-Zehnder interferometer (M-Z). The principle and fabrication method of these SDF-based sensors are investigated and discussed.

Tilted Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

GUO Tuan, LIU Fu, SHAO Li-yang

2018, 36(1):  75-103.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0255-8297.2018.01.005

Asbtract ( 817 )   PDF (66988KB) ( 482 )  

References | Related Articles | Metrics

By inducing a tilted angle between the grating and the normal direction of optical fibers, tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) provides an effective means to lead the forward-propagating input light to the backward-propagating cladding modes and the core mode. Taking advantage of novel configurations and functional material coating, TFBG can be used as a powerful lab-on-fiber component for various measurements of mechanical, electrical, magnetic, biological, medical, and chemical parameters. In this paper, we present a brief review of TFBG sensing technology, including TFBG fabrication, mode coupling theory, sensing principle properties (especially the surface plasmon sensing technology). Recent progresses in various applications are discussed. These applications include mechanical sensing (bending, vibration, micro-displacement), electromagnetic sensing (electric field, magnetic field), biological sensing (cell density, protein, glucose) and chemical sensing (gas, electroactive microbe). Thanks to the multidisciplinary cooperation, especially the great progress of functional materials and nanotechnologies, the future of TFBG is promising in advanced and practical sensing.

Optical Fiber Sensors Based on In-Fiber Air Bubble Microcavirties

LIU Shen, LIAO Chang-rui, WANG Yi-ping

2018, 36(1):  104-147.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0255-8297.2018.01.006

Asbtract ( 1060 )   PDF (56034KB) ( 691 )  

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Optical fiber sensors based on Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with an infiber air bubble have attracted much attention for sensing applications in gas-pressure and tensile-strain measurement. Based on the recent research progress, a new technique is presented, which can create an air-bubble-based FPI by means of improved electrical arc discharge. Only a common fusion splicer is needed without any additional equipment. In this paper, the FPI sensor with air bubbles is described. The fabrication method, principle of operation and sensing applications are discussed. Furthermore, a novel optical microresonator based on an in-fiber rectangular air bubble is demonstrated. Whispering-gallery modes can be tuned by applying tensile strain to the rectangular air bubbles.

Tapered Optical Fiber Sensing Technology

YU Ji-bo, WANG Xian-fan, YANG Wen-lei, WANG Peng-fei

2018, 36(1):  148-175.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0255-8297.2018.01.007

Asbtract ( 970 )   PDF (25737KB) ( 655 )  

References | Related Articles | Metrics

As a novel sensing technology, tapered optical fiber sensing technology has attracted much more attention due to its advantages in many sensing related applications, such as sensing in electricity, petrochemical industry, biochemistry, aerospace, environmental protection and national defense. Compared with the conventional optical fiber based sensors, tapered optical fiber sensing devices offer a number of outstanding optical properties, including fast response, scale in micro/nano meters, strong confinement, large evanescent field and high sensitivity. In this chapter the following parts are presented:1) the principles, fabrication process, refractive index and temperature sensing characteristics based on microfiber coupler sensors were reviewed; 2) the sensing principles of singlemode-multimode-singlemode (SMS) fiber structure and singlemode-tapered multimode-singlemode (STMS) fiber structure were discussed and their applications on refractive index and temperature sensing were presented; 3) a multimode interference halftapered optical fiber probe based sensors were demonstrated for temperature and refractive index sensing; 4) Finally tapered optical fiber based devices can also be used for optical telecommunications and micromanipulation applications.

Miniature Lab on/in Fiber

WANG Dong-ning, CHEN Wei-ping, LIU Ye, YANG Yu-bang, LI Wei-wei, LIU Jing, YANG Fan, LI Liu-jiang

2018, 36(1):  176-208.  doi:10.3969/j.issn.0255-8297.2018.01.008

Asbtract ( 663 )   PDF (38407KB) ( 393 )  

References | Related Articles | Metrics

Fiber optic devices and optical fiber sensors have been developed rapidly due to their light weight, small size, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and remote sensing capability. With the emergence of various types of fiber structures, the key is to develop optical fiber sensors with practical applications. This paper focuses on the experimental study of grating, microholes and micro-hole based long-period grating, fiber in-line MZI interferometers and FP interferometers, device based on selective liquid filling of photonic crystal fibers, micro/nano fiber device and microstructure integration. Their applications are discussed and potentials for the use in lab on/in fiber explored.