Defected-core photonic crystal fiber magnetic field sensor based on Sagnac interferometer

Abstract

A high-sensitivity magnetic field sensor based on photonic crystal fiber (PCF) Sagnac interferometer is proposed by finite element method (FEM). The elliptical-hole PCF is injected with water-based magnetic fluid. The fiber core is introduced in an elliptical hole to act as a defected core. The sensitivities are 13.25 and −14.32 nm/Oe at the wavelength of 1750 and 1780 nm, respectively, as the magnetic field H is 100 Oe. The simulation result shows that the sensitivity is extremely high near the wavelength of 1765 nm, because the group birefringence Bg is about zero at that wavelength. The above theory is examined in a different configuration by the transmission mode. The average sensitivities are 0.265, 1.63 and −1.915 nm/Oe, respectively, for the dip wavelength A, B and C as the fiber length is 5 cm. The detecting window is 60Oe. We also demonstrate that the sensitivity can be greatly enhanced by 1–2 orders of magnitude by introducing a defected core.