Long distance fiber-optic displacement sensor based on fiber collimator

Abstract

A simple fiber-optic displacement sensor based on reflective intensity modulated technology is demonstrated using a fiber collimator. The sensing range is over 30 cm, which is over 100 times that of the conventional fiber-optic displacement sensor based on the normal single-mode fiber. The measured data are fitted into linear equation very well and the values of R-square are more than 0.995. The sensitivity of the device achieves 0.426 dB∕cm over the range of 5-30 cm. By applying the relative technique, the errors resulted from the fluctuation of light source and influences of environment are effectively eliminated, and the stability for wide range measurement can be improved. The simplicity of the design, high dynamic range, stability and the ease of the fabrication make it suitable for applications in industries.