Abstract
On the basis of intensity modulation, a vibration sensor using a tapered photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is demonstrated. The fiber is a solid-core PCF with a central air hole embedded in the core region. The addition of the air-hole initiates the core/cladding intermodal coupling, and consequently, modulates the output light intensity when the fiber is under external disturbance. The sensing unit is configured by firstly tapering the PCF down to a waist of 72.6 μm, and then splicing its two ends to a single-mode fiber (SMF) and a multi-mode fiber (MMF), respectively. The sensor is then used for measuring a variety of vibrational signals, such as single frequency (in the range of 30∼10000 Hz), dual-frequency vibrations, and vibration accelerations (with linear responses from 0.5 to 10 m/s2). In addition, the sensitivity, influenced by varying the length of the sensor head, is also investigated.
Highlights
Photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is a specialty fiber that in the fiber cross-section, there are twodimensional air-hole channels, running through the whole length of the fiber [1], [2]
The sensing unit is configured by firstly tapering the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) down to a waist of 72.6 μm, and splicing its two ends to a single-mode fiber (SMF) and a multi-mode fiber (MMF), respectively
The configuration of the sensing unit was realized by tapering a short piece PCF and fusionsplicing its two ends with a SMF and a multi-mode fiber (MMF), as illustrated in Fig. 2
Summary
Photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is a specialty fiber that in the fiber cross-section, there are twodimensional air-hole channels, running through the whole length of the fiber [1], [2]. Optical fiber-based vibration sensors have attracted broad interest, due to superior advantages such as compatible size, high sensitivity and reliability, cost-efficiency, anti-electromagnetic interference, fast response and simple structure, etc [12]–[15] These sensors can be generally classified into groups which are based on intensity- [16], phase-, [17] and wavelength-modulation [18]. The influence raised by the taper on the regulation of mode field distributions has been carefully analyzed, in order to figure out the mode-coupling related light modulation On this basis, we constructed a vibration sensor and used it to measure versatile vibration signals in the form of single-/dual-frequency and acceleration. This simple sensor shows high sensitivity over the frequency range from 30 Hz to 10 kHz, with satisfied applicability and flexibility
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