Fiber Cladding Research Articles

Highly sensitive threaded LPFG strain sensor

Long Period Fiber Grating (LPFG) strain sensors have been used to monitor the structural health of bridges and buildings, and there is a need to further improve their sensing sensitivity. This article proposed a threaded LPFG strain sensor, which used a CO2 laser to etch a long groove at the top of the cladding of a single-mode fiber. The fiber in the long groove area was heated and twisted to fabricate a long period fiber grating (TH-LPFG) strain sensor with a threaded groove on the cladding. When strain is applied, the strain is concentrated in the threaded area on the cladding, increasing and decreasing the effective refractive index changes of the cladding mode and core mode respectively, achieving enhanced strain sensing. The experimental outcomes demonstrate that the TH-LPFG strain sensor achieves a sensitivity of 44.9 pm/µε to strain, while its cross-sensitivity to temperature is minimal, at just 1.28 µε/°C. TH-LPFG provides a new solution for enhancing the sensitivity of LPFG strain sensing, with low production cost and low temperature crosstalk. It can be used in the field of highly sensitive strain monitoring of building structures.

Hexagonal-inner-cladding fluorotellurite fiber based on hot-extrusion

Laser output power can be significantly enhanced by a double-cladding fiber, as it possesses a large area of inner-cladding for pumping. However, the coupling efficiency of the double-cladding fiber (DCF) is impacted by the shape of the inner cladding. In this study, the simulation results showed that, the hexagonal inner cladding fiber exhibits the highest absorption efficiency of 94.07 % among the fibers with various typical shapes using the three-dimensional ray tracing method at a length of 100 mm. For the experiments, a type of fluorotellurite (TBY, TeO2-BaF2-Y2O3) glass was chosen for its high capacity of rare-earth ions adoption. Subsequently, a finely structured erbium-doped hexagonal DCF was fabricated based on the hot-extrusion method for the first time, with a minimum loss of 1.25 dB/m at 1310 nm. Additionally, the coupling efficiency of the hexagonal DCF was recorded to be 39.47 % at a fiber length of 53 cm, based on the energy distribution experiment. The damage threshold of the hexagonal DCF at 980 nm could be increased to above 26.5 W, nearly doubling that of the single-cladding fiber. Furthermore, a wider fluorescence spectrum with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 30 nm was demonstrated by the hexagonal double-cladding fiber, which indicates its potential for high-power laser applications.

Self-supported FeCoNi(OHy)Ox oxy-hydroxide doped with Cr and Cu as robust low-loading catalyst for the alkaline oxygen evolution reaction

Self-supported FeCoNi(OHy)Ox oxy-hydroxides co-doped with Cr and Cu were obtained from a CrFeCoNiCu low ordered high entropy precursor synthesised by electrodeposition onto carbon cloth fibres (act-CrFeCoNiCu/CC). For comparison a dopant-free FeCoNi(OHy)Ox catalyst (act-FeCoNi/CC) was also synthesised following the same route. No heat treatment was performed to retain their low ordered structure. When assessed towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte, act-CrFeCoNiCu/CC and act-FeCoNi/CC catalyst reached a comparable current density of 10 mA cm−2 at ca. 1.6 VRHE (η10 of 380–390 mV). Nevertheless, Cr and Cu co-doping translated into improved stability. Evident degradation was observed during OER for act-FeCoNi/CC after 12 h operating at 100 mA cm−2, whereas no signs of degradation were detected for act-CrFeCoNiCu/CC under the same reaction conditions. The latter catalyst even delivered a constant potential for 160 h at 50 mA cm−2 aided to the stabilizing effect of Cr and Cu co-doping.

Ultracompact all-fiber self-transceiving ultrasonic probe with an enhanced working distance.

All-optical ultrasonic probes exhibit notable benefits in ultrasonic detection and imaging. Typically, two separate optical fibers are used for excitation and detection, yet limited research has explored the integration of both functionalities within a single fiber. In this Letter, to our knowledge, a new method for fabricating an all-fiber self-transceiving ultrasonic probe is proposed with a lateral dimension of less than 500 µm. Double cladding fiber (DCF) is spliced with a short segment of thin-diameter single-mode fiber (TDSMF), which is then embedded into a fiber bubble to form a Fabry-Perot cavity, and the bubble surface is coated with a composite material layer. The pulsed laser propagates through the inner cladding of DCF and leaks from the splicing point of DCF-TDSMF, inducing the material excitation for efficient ultrasound generation. The core-guided detection laser is directed to the TDSMF end, entering the bubble microcavity and inducing an optical interference for weak echo detection. The emitting functionality produces an ultrasound with a -6 dB bandwidth of 17.5 MHz and a peak frequency of 6.29 MHz, which is well-matched with the fiber microcavity's response frequency of 3.29 MHz. Through self-transceiving experiments, low-noise pulse-echo signals are captured at varying working distances of up to 3.78 cm. The proposed probe exhibits great potential in biomedical and industrial fields due to its all-fiber miniaturization and enhanced-distance detection capability.

Picosecond laser with Yb-doped tapered low birefringent double clad fiber

Abstract In this study, we present results of development fiber picosecond laser by using an active ytterbium tapered double clad optical fiber with mode field diameter of 35 μm and low intrinsic birefringence (1.45 * 10−8 rad m−1). We have demonstrated 1040 nm/50 ps optical source with tunable repetition rate (within range of 1–20 MHz) and an average power of 160 W (peak power 160 kW, 8 μJ per pulse) delivering Gaussian beam with excellent quality (M 2 ∼ 1.11/1.22).

Investigation on the randomly-coupled unit grouping multi-core fibers with different unit arrangement

Randomly-coupled unit grouping multi-core fiber (RC-UG-MCF) is a new fiber structure that combines weakly and strongly coupled multi-core fiber technologies. Compared to the weakly-coupled MCF with a large cladding size, the RC-UG-MCF can shrink the cladding size by grouping the cores. On the other hand, the RC-UG-MCF only maintains a few cores in the strongly-coupled condition, which can reduce the multiple-input multiple- output digital signal processing (MIMO-DSP) complexity compared to the coupled MCFs with full MIMO-DSP for all the cores. In this paper, we intro- duce three types of randomly-coupled unit grouping 12-core fiber, which are randomly-coupled 2-core unit grouping MCF (RC-2CUG-MCF), RC-3CUG- MCF and RC-4CUG-MCF. Subsequently, we compare these three RC-UG- MCFs in terms of group delay spread, inter-unit crosstalk (XT), and cladding size. To achieve an inter-unit XT of −40 dB/100 km, RC-3CUG-MCF can provide a solution to maintain MIMO-DSP scale at the level of 6 × 6 with 180-µm cladding radius. However, the RC-2CUG-MCF has worse inter-unit XT, and the RC-4CUG-MCF has larger MIMO complexity. Based on the analysis, there is a trade-off relationship between the MIMO-DSP scale and the fiber cladding size, assuming that the target inter-unit XT is fixed.

Ultra-low loss Rayleigh scattering enhancement via light recycling in fiber cladding

Rayleigh backscattering enhancement (RSE) of optical fibers is an effective means to improve the performance of distributed optical fiber sensing. Femtosecond laser direct-writing techniques have been used to modulate the fiber core for RSE. However, in-core modulation loses more transmission light, thus limiting the sensing distance. In this work, a cladding-type RSE (cl-RSE) structure is proposed, where the femtosecond laser is focused in the fiber cladding and an array of scatterers is written parallel to the core. The refractive-index modulation structure redistributes the light in the cladding, and the backward scattered light is recovered, which enhances the Rayleigh backscattered signal with almost no effect on the core light. Experimentally, it was demonstrated that in an effectual cl-RSE structure, the insertion loss was reduced to 0.00001 dB per scatterer, corresponding to the lowest value for a point scatterer to date. The cl-RSE structure accomplished measurements up to 800°C. In particular, the temperature measurement fluctuation of the cl-RSE fiber portion is only 0.00273°C after annealing. These results show that the cl-RSE structure has effective scattering enhancement, ultra-low loss, and excellent high-temperature characteristics, and has great potential for application in Rayleigh scattering-enhanced distributed fiber sensing.

A Curvature Mach-Zehnder Interferometer Fiber Sensor Based on Triple Cladding and Coreless Fiber

A Curvature Mach-Zehnder Interferometer Fiber Sensor Based on Triple Cladding and Coreless Fiber

Mode transmission performance study of a novel heterogeneous helical cladding fiber with an isolation ring

Mode transmission performance study of a novel heterogeneous helical cladding fiber with an isolation ring

Concentric circular stress region-assisted pseudo-elliptical-ring-core polarization-maintaining few-mode fiber

In this paper, a pseudo-elliptical-ring-core polarization-maintaining few-mode fiber structure assisted by concentric circular stress-applying region is proposed. Numerical simulation results show that the structure can stably support 14 transmission modes. By introducing two elliptical stress regions with low refractive index inside the core, and a circular stress region with concentric core between the fiber core and cladding, the effective refractive index difference between higher-order modes is significantly improved. In the C + L band, the minimum refractive index difference between adjacent modes is not less than 2 × 10−4. At 1550 nm, the effective refractive index difference between the two fundamental modes reaches 4.8 × 10−4. The mode dispersions are less than |-33| ps/nm/km, and the maximum bending loss is in the order of 10−7 dB/m (bending radius ≥2.5 cm). This work may pave the way for the development of short-distance large-capacity optical fibers.

Double-clad optical fiber as a single-point sensor of imaging quality for scanning laser system

We have developed a single-point optical sensor of imaging quality based on a double-clad optical fiber for laser beam scanning imaging systems. The optimal imaging quality, primarily affected by the accurate focusing, is determined by maximizing the ratio of the optical power coupled to the single-mode core and the inner multi-mode cladding of the double-clad fiber collecting the light scattered from the sample. We present simulations of the sensor’s performance at different levels of defocus and validate it experimentally by optimizing focus when imaging a scattering phantom and a living human eye with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope. In contrast to the existing image-based optimization procedures, our sensor provides feedback independent of illumination intensity or sample reflectivity that can be obtained for each image point, thus exceeding the imaging framerate. Importantly, our sensor can seamlessly be integrated with most laser scanning imaging systems, providing online feedback for correction optics.

Boundary Feedback Fiber Random Microcavity Laser Based on Disordered Cladding Structures

The cavity form of complex microcavity lasers predominantly relies on disordered structures, whether found in nature or artificially prepared. These structures, characterized by disorder, facilitate random lasing through the feedback effect of the cavity boundary and the internal scattering medium via various mechanisms. In this paper, we report on a random fiber laser employing a disordered scattering cladding medium affixed to the inner cladding of a hollow-core fiber. The internal flowing liquid gain establishes a stable liquid-core waveguide environment, enabling long-term directional coupling output for random laser emission. Through theoretical analysis and experimental validation, we demonstrate that controlling the disorder at the cavity boundary allows liquid-core fiber random microcavities to exhibit random lasing output with different mechanisms. This provides a broad platform for in-depth research into the generation and control of complex microcavity lasers, as well as the detection of scattered matter within micro- and nanostructures.

Features of Self-Confinement of the Linearly Polarized Waves in a Nonlinear Fiber with a Light Induced Core

The fundamental modes of nonlinear optical weakly guiding fiber with circular cross section are studied analytically. The dielectric constant of the fiber core is assumed to be differing from the dielectric constant of the fiber cladding. The change between them occurs abruptly when the light intensity reaches a certain level. The core radius formed at a certain intensity level in dependence of the optical characteristics of the waveguide mode and fiber is specified. It is shown that the core radius can be reduced by increasing the frequency of the wave or the magnitude of the jump in the dielectric constant, and also by decreasing the propagation constant. The self-confinement core radius decreases with increasing frequency, but this increases the diameter of the light beam localization in the fiber cross section. Increasing the propagation constant has the opposite effect.

Tilted Bragg grating in a glycerol-infiltrated specialty optical fiber for temperature and strain measurements.

In this Letter, we propose an in-line tilted fiber Bragg grating sensor for temperature and strain measurements. The grating is inscribed in a specialty optical fiber using tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses and the line-by-line direct writing method. Beside the central core in which the grating is produced, a hollow channel filled with glycerol aqueous solution significantly improves the sensitivity of the fiber cladding modes due to its high thermo-optic coefficient. We show that the temperature sensitivity of the core mode is 9.8 pm/°C, while the one of the cladding modes is strongly altered and can reach -24.3 pm/°C, in the investigated range of 20-40°C. For the strain measurement, sensitivities of the core mode and the cladding modes are similar (∼0.60 pm/με) between 0 and 2400 με. The significative difference of temperature sensitivity between the two modes facilitates the discrimination of the dual parameters in simultaneous measurements.

A Simple Structure of High Sensitivity of Plasmonic Photonic Crystal Fiber Sensors with Minimal Air Hole Density in Fiber Cladding

A Simple Structure of High Sensitivity of Plasmonic Photonic Crystal Fiber Sensors with Minimal Air Hole Density in Fiber Cladding

Advanced fabrication of polymer waveguide interferometric sensor utilizing interconnected holey fibers

A universally applicable approach is proposed for the fabrication of fiber-optic polymer sensors. The hollow-core fibers (HCFs) with inner diameters of 30 µm, 50 µm, and 75 µm are spliced coaxially with dual-hole fiber (DHF) or photonic crystal fiber (PCF). Owing to the sized-matched air holes within HCF and DHF/PCF, an interconnected in-fiber microchannel is constructed, which facilitates rapid and complete filling of the HCF’s central hole with liquid glue. After the ultraviolet-induced polymerization, a polymer Fabry-Perot interferometer is achieved by cutting the HCF end with a desired cavity length. Besides, the interference visibility is significantly enhanced by adding a refractive-index-modulated polymer cap onto the cutting surface. Experimental results demonstrate the optimized interference spectra and the interconnection of the matched air-hole fibers. The polymer sensor exhibits a signal-to-noise ratio of 56.8 dB for detecting pulsed ultrasonic waves, which is more than twice that of a partially polymer-filled sensor. Due to the hermetically-sealed structure, the sensor probe presents constrained performance with a temperature sensitivity of 230.2 pm/°C and a humidity sensitivity of 93.7 pm/%RH, which can be further improved by releasing the polymer waveguide from fiber cladding. Based on interconnected holey fibers, the proposed approach has a uniform size-controlled polymer waveguide dimension with increased spectrum visibility, rendering it suitable for a diverse range of microstructure-matched optical fibers.

Influence of cladding tube structure on transmission characteristics of negative curvature terahertz fiber

A novel type of polarization negative curvature terahertz fiber has been designed, which has a cladding region composed of two long semi-circular cladding tubes in the horizontal direction and four long semi-elliptical cladding tubes in the oblique direction. The optimal fiber dimensions are determined to investigate the internal relationship between polarization characteristics and fiber cladding structure. The transmission performances of the negative curvature fiber are investigated by varying the thickness of fiber cladding tubes and adjusting the structural characteristics of cladding tubes in different directions. Relatively good transmission performances can be obtained with a cladding tube thickness of 80 μm. The birefringence can be stably maintained at the order of 10−4, and the confinement loss of the x-polarized mode at 2.55 THz is 0.036 dB cm−1. Moreover, the dispersion coefficient of the two polarized modes is stable between ±0.6 ps (THz·cm)−1 in the 2.3–2.6 THz band. The bent performance of the designed fiber at 2.52 THz is also discussed. The results show that the fiber has low bending sensitivity, and can still maintain excellent birefringence and low confinement loss in the bending state. For the y polarization, the birefringence can be basically stabilized at the order of 10−4 within a bending radius of 10–60 cm.

Torsion Sensor Based on Helical Long-Period Grating Inscribed in the Etched Double Cladding Fiber

Torsion Sensor Based on Helical Long-Period Grating Inscribed in the Etched Double Cladding Fiber

A Micro-Mach–Zehnder Interferometer Temperature Sensing Design Based on a Single Mode–Coreless–Multimode–Coreless–Single Mode Fiber Cascaded Structure

In this paper, a temperature sensing scheme with a miniature MZI structure based on the principle of inter-mode interference is proposed. The sensing structure mainly comprises single mode–coreless–multimode–coreless–single mode fibers (SCMCSs), which have been welded together, with different core diameters. The light beam has been expanded after passing through the coreless optical fiber and is then coupled into a multimode optical fiber. Due to the light passing through the cladding and core mode of the multimode optical fiber with different optical paths, a Mach–Zehnder interferometer is formed. Moreover, due to the thermo-optic and thermal expansion effects of optical fibers, the inter-mode interference spectrum of a multimode fiber shifts when the external temperature changes. Through theoretical analysis, it is found that the change in the length of the sensing fiber during temperature detection has less of an effect on the sensitivity of the sensing structure. During the experiment, temperature changes between 20 and 100 °C are measured at sensing fiber lengths of 1.5 cm, 2.0 cm, 2.5 cm, 3.0 cm, 3.5 cm, and 4.0 cm, respectively, and the corresponding sensitivities are 65.98 pm/°C, 72.70 pm/°C, 67.75 pm/°C, 66.63 pm/°C, 74.80 pm/°C, and 72.07 pm/°C, respectively. All the corresponding correlation coefficients are above 0.9965. The experimental results indicate that in the case of a significant change in the length of the sensing fiber, the sensitivity of the sensing structure changes slightly, which is consistent with the theory that the temperature sensitivity is minimally affected by a change in the length of the sensing fiber. Therefore, the effect of the length on sensitivity in a cascade-based fiber structure is well solved. The sensing scheme has an extensive detection range, small size, good linearity, simple structure, low cost, and high sensitivity. It has a good development prospect in some detection-related application fields.

Distributed sensing along fibers for smart clothing.

Textile sensors transform our everyday clothing into a means to track movement and biosignals in a completely unobtrusive way. One major hindrance to the adoption of "smart" clothing is the difficulty encountered with connections and space when scaling up the number of sensors. There is a lack of research addressing a key limitation in wearable electronics: Connections between rigid and textile elements are often unreliable, and they require interfacing sensors in a way incompatible with textile mass production methods. We introduce a prototype garment, compact readout circuit, and algorithm to measure localized strain along multiple regions of a fiber. We use a helical auxetic yarn sensor with tunable sensitivity along its length to selectively respond to strain signals. We demonstrate distributed sensing in clothing, monitoring arm joint angles from a single continuous fiber. Compared to optical motion capture, we achieve around five degrees error in reconstructing shoulder, elbow, and wrist joint angles.