Multiplexed Fiber Bragg Grating Vibration Sensor with Temperature Compensation Using Wavelength-Switchable Fiber Laser

Abstract

A wavelength-switchable and tunable fiber ring laser has been proposed to implement an optical source of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) vibration sensor array based on intensity modulation technique. The laser consists of an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) and an optical switch with tuning FBGs, in which the lasing output is coupled out from a selected tuning FBG and serves as an optical source of one of the multiplexed FBG vibration sensor elements. By changing the channel of the optical switch, the lasing wavelength can be chosen for the sensing FBG of the respective sensor element. In addition, the temperature effects on the sensor outputs due to environmental temperature can be eliminated when the temperature changes are applied commonly to both the tuning and sensing FBGs. In the experiment, multipoint vibration detection with a temperature-insensitive operation is successfully demonstrated by constructing two sensor elements arranged in parallel.