Since their discovery in 1978 by Hill et al. and the development of the transverse holographic technique for their fabrication by Meltz et al. in 1989, fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) have become an important device for applications in optical communications, optical signal processing and fiber-optical sensors. A superstructured fiber Bragg grating (SFBG), also called a sampled fiber Bragg grating, is a special FBG that consists of a several small FBGs placed in close proximity to one another. SFBGs have attracted much attention in recent years with the discovery of techniques allowing the creation of equivalent chirp or equivalent phase shifts. The biggest advantage of an SFBG with equivalent chirp or equivalent phase shifts is the possibility to design and fabricate gratings with greatly varying phase and amplitude responses by adjusting the spatial profile of the superstructure. The realization of SFBGs with equivalent chirp or equivalent phase shifts requires only sub-millimeter precision. This is a relief from the sub-micron precision required by traditional approaches. In this thesis, the mathematical modeling of FBGs and SFBGs is reviewed. The use of SFBGs for various applications in photonic microwave signal processing is considered. Four main topics are presented in this thesis. The first topic is the use of SFBG as a photonic true-time delay (TTD) beamformer for phased array antennas (PAAs). The second topic addresses non-linearities in the group delay response of an SFBG with equivalent chirp in its sampling period. An SFBG with an equivalent chirp using only a linear chirp coefficient may yield a group delay response that deviates from the linear response required by a TTD beamformer. In the thesis, a technique to improve the linearity of the group delay response is proposed and an adaptive algorithm to find the optimal linear and non-linear chirp coefficients to produce the best linear group delay response is described. Since no closed-form solution exists to represent the amplitude and phase responses of an SFBG, we rely on a Fourier transform analogy under a weak grating approximation as a starting point in the design of an SFBG. Simulations are then used to refine the response of the SFBG. The algorithm proposed provides an optimal set of chirp coefficients that minimizes the error in the group delay response. Four gratings are fabricated using the optimized chirp coefficients and their application in a TTD PAA system is discussed. The third topic discusses the use of an SFBG with equivalent phase shifts in its sampling period as a means to realize optical single sideband (SSB) modulation. SSB modulation eliminates the power penalty caused by chromatic dispersion experienced by an optical signal traveling through a long length of optical fiber. By introducing two π phase shifts through equivalent sampling to the SFBG, two ultra-narrow transmission bands are created in the grating stop band of the +/- 1st spectral orders. In the proposed system, a double-sideband plus carrier (DSB+C) modulated optical signal is sent to the input of an optical SSB filter based on the equivalent phase-shift SFBG in order to select the optical carrier and a single sideband, effectively blocking one sideband from propagating. Finally, the fourth topic focuses on the implementation of a photonic microwave bandpass filter based on an SFBG with equivalent chirp. Photonic microwave filters are used to process microwave signals in the optical domain. By using a technique called phase-modulation to intensity-modulation (PM-IM) conversion, a two-tap delay line filter is created with one negative tap. A single SFBG with a chirp in its sampling period is used as a means to achieve the PM-IM conversion for the two taps. Two phase modulated optical carriers are used to generate the two taps, each entering a different port of the SFBG and thus experiencing an opposite dispersion value. The two optical signals are then recombined before being sent to a photodetector (PD) where the filtered microwave signal is recovered.

FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Duas contribuiÃÃes caracteristicamente distintas, nÃo obstante correlacionÃveis num mesmo sistema de telecomunicaÃÃo, sÃo apresentadas. A primeira versa sobre antenas ressoadoras constituÃdas por novas cerÃmicas dielÃtricas à base de Fe2O3. Os materiais desenvolvidos foram caracterizados na faixa de micro-ondas. Tratam-se de dielÃtricos com baixa permissividade relativa, baixa tangente de perda, e, no caso das amostras monofÃsicas, com coeficiente de temperatura na frequÃncia de ressonÃncia negativo. Posteriormente, as antenas ressoadoras dielÃtricas de geometria cilÃndrica (CDRAs) suportadas em plano de terra retangular e alimentadas por sonda monopolar sÃo analisadas segundo critÃrios de desempenho de irradiaÃÃo, quais sejam: frequÃncia de ressonÃncia, impedÃncia de entrada, largura de banda e padrÃes de irradiaÃÃo. AlÃm de experimentaÃÃo, o seu estudo envolveu procedimento computacional, no que foi promovida a comparaÃÃo de resultados. O mÃtodo dos elementos finitos, no qual està baseado o programa comercial empregado, foi utilizado para anÃlise destas antenas. Resulta que para maiores valores de permissividade relativa de uma amostra, menores sÃo a frequÃncia em que a mesma ressoa e a sua largura de banda. Ainda, foi observado satisfatÃrio casamento de impedÃncia e padrÃes de irradiaÃÃo "broadside", o que candidata os novos materiais desenvolvidos a esta importante aplicaÃÃo. Adicionalmente, mediante empilhamento dos protÃtipos monofÃsicos examinados, foi verificada a remodelagem da largura de banda em relaÃÃo Ãs contrapartidas individuais, provavelmente devido à excitaÃÃo de modos de ordem elevada das CDRAs. A segunda contribuiÃÃo està enfocada no contexto dos guias de ondas dielÃtricos operando em frequÃncias Ãpticas. Neste cenÃrio, sÃo investigados acopladores refletores de Bragg a fibra (FBGCs), estruturas resultantes da combinaÃÃo de dois dispositivos reconhecidamente versÃteis e de ampla aplicaÃÃo: redes de Bragg e acopladores direcionais. Foram apreciados dois estudos de caso numÃricos nos quais se fez promover a interaÃÃo de sinais Ãpticos com as estruturas propostas. Na medida em que descreve com satisfatÃria precisÃo as propriedades Ãpticas dos dispositivos de interesse, o modelo matemÃtico empregado à baseado na teoria dos modos acoplados. O tratamento numÃrico à realizado mediante codificaÃÃo, em linguagem de programaÃÃo FORTRAN, de um algoritmo preditivo-corretor. Considerando regimes pulsados em termos da potÃncia operacional, o problema foi analisado no domÃnio da frequÃncia e, sobretudo, no domÃnio do tempo. Em condiÃÃes especÃficas, a possibilidade de realizaÃÃo da extraÃÃo, reconfiguraÃÃo e comutaÃÃo de pulsos, exemplos de funÃÃes essenciais ao processamento totalmente Ãptico, reforÃam a importÃncia de tais estruturas hÃbridas. / Two heterogeneous contributions to modern communication systems â although fully possible to be correlated â are presented. The first one deals with resonant antennas consisting of new dielectric ceramics based on Fe2O3. These materials characterized at microwave frequency range possess low relative permittivity, low loss tangent and, concerned with the monophasic samples, negative temperature coefficient of resonant frequency. Subsequently, the cylindrical dielectric resonator antennas (CDRAs) supported on rectangular ground plane and fed by monopole are analyzed according to the following radiation performance criteria: resonant frequency, input impedance, bandwidth and radiation patterns. Besides experimentation, the study involved computational procedure, so that the results of both can be compared. A commercial software based on the finite element method was employed to examine the CDRAs. It follows that as higher is the permittivity of a material, the lower are the frequency at which it resonates as well as its bandwidth. Satisfactory impedance matching and broadside radiation patterns are observed, what enables the materials investigated to this relevant application. Additionally, the stacking of the monophasic CDRAs prototypes resulted in bandwidth enhancement, presumably due to their excited high order modes. The second contribution focuses on dielectric waveguides operating at optical frequencies, being fiber Bragg grating couplers (FBGCs) investigated in this scenario. Indeed, they result from a combination of two versatile and widely applied devices: fiber Bragg gratings and directional couplers. Two numerical case studies related to the interaction between optical signals and structures were performed. The theoretical model observed is based on the coupled mode theory since it provides a satisfactorily accurate description of the devices optical properties. By the way, the theoretical model is coded in FORTRAN programming language according to a predictor-corrector algorithm. In terms of operational power levels, analyses are carried out in frequency and (mainly) time domains. Under specific conditions, the capability of the extraction, reshaping and switching of pulses â examples of essential functions for all-optical processing â reinforces the importance of such hybrid structures.

Since their discovery in 1978 by Hill et al. and the development of the transverse holographic technique for their fabrication by Meltz et al. in 1989, fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) have become an important device for applications in optical communications, optical signal processing and fiber-optical sensors. A superstructured fiber Bragg grating (SFBG), also called a sampled fiber Bragg grating, is a special FBG that consists of a several small FBGs placed in close proximity to one another. SFBGs have attracted much attention in recent years with the discovery of techniques allowing the creation of equivalent chirp or equivalent phase shifts. The biggest advantage of an SFBG with equivalent chirp or equivalent phase shifts is the possibility to design and fabricate gratings with greatly varying phase and amplitude responses by adjusting the spatial profile of the superstructure. The realization of SFBGs with equivalent chirp or equivalent phase shifts requires only sub-millimeter precision. This is a relief from the sub-micron precision required by traditional approaches. In this thesis, the mathematical modeling of FBGs and SFBGs is reviewed. The use of SFBGs for various applications in photonic microwave signal processing is considered. Four main topics are presented in this thesis. The first topic is the use of SFBG as a photonic true-time delay (TTD) beamformer for phased array antennas (PAAs). The second topic addresses non-linearities in the group delay response of an SFBG with equivalent chirp in its sampling period. An SFBG with an equivalent chirp using only a linear chirp coefficient may yield a group delay response that deviates from the linear response required by a TTD beamformer. In the thesis, a technique to improve the linearity of the group delay response is proposed and an adaptive algorithm to find the optimal linear and non-linear chirp coefficients to produce the best linear group delay response is described. Since no closed-form solution exists to represent the amplitude and phase responses of an SFBG, we rely on a Fourier transform analogy under a weak grating approximation as a starting point in the design of an SFBG. Simulations are then used to refine the response of the SFBG. The algorithm proposed provides an optimal set of chirp coefficients that minimizes the error in the group delay response. Four gratings are fabricated using the optimized chirp coefficients and their application in a TTD PAA system is discussed. The third topic discusses the use of an SFBG with equivalent phase shifts in its sampling period as a means to realize optical single sideband (SSB) modulation. SSB modulation eliminates the power penalty caused by chromatic dispersion experienced by an optical signal traveling through a long length of optical fiber. By introducing two π phase shifts through equivalent sampling to the SFBG, two ultra-narrow transmission bands are created in the grating stop band of the +/- 1st spectral orders. In the proposed system, a double-sideband plus carrier (DSB+C) modulated optical signal is sent to the input of an optical SSB filter based on the equivalent phase-shift SFBG in order to select the optical carrier and a single sideband, effectively blocking one sideband from propagating. Finally, the fourth topic focuses on the implementation of a photonic microwave bandpass filter based on an SFBG with equivalent chirp. Photonic microwave filters are used to process microwave signals in the optical domain. By using a technique called phase-modulation to intensity-modulation (PM-IM) conversion, a two-tap delay line filter is created with one negative tap. A single SFBG with a chirp in its sampling period is used as a means to achieve the PM-IM conversion for the two taps. Two phase modulated optical carriers are used to generate the two taps, each entering a different port of the SFBG and thus experiencing an opposite dispersion value. The two optical signals are then recombined before being sent to a photodetector (PD) where the filtered microwave signal is recovered.

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt die Entwicklung eines Drucksensorkatheters auf Basis von Faser-Bragg-Gittern. Dazu werden der medizinische Hintergrund aus technischer Sicht strukturiert dargelegt und bereits verfügbare Messmethoden für Manometrieuntersuchungen erörtert. Der Stand der Technik bei Faser-Bragg-Gitter basierten Sensoren und deren Auswertegeräten wird im Zusammenhang mit den aus dem medizinischen Hintergrund und dem Vergleich mit den anderen Messmethoden erwachsenden Anforderungen dargestellt. Die Entwicklung eines zweistufigen für die Herstellung mittels Koextrusion geeigneten Mantels für die optischen Fasern wird beschrieben. Mehrere Funktionsmuster für einen Drucksensorkatheter werden experimentell charakterisiert und die Ergebnisse hinsichtlich der Medizineignung bewertet.:Formelzeichen- und Abkürzungsverzeichnis 8 Vorwort 11 1 Einleitung 12 1.1 Motivation 12 1.2 Funktionsprinzip 14 1.3 Ziel und Struktur der Arbeit 15 2 Medizinischer Hintergrund 17 2.1 Anatomie des Nahrungstransports zum Magen 17 2.1.1 Anatomie des Pharynx 17 2.1.2 Anatomie des Ösophagus 18 2.1.3 Anatomie des Magens 19 2.2 Physiologie des Schluckens 19 2.2.1 Physiologie des Pharynx 21 2.2.2 Physiologie des oberen Ösophagus-Sphinkters (OÖS) 21 2.2.3 Physiologie des tubulären Ösophagus 22 2.2.4 Physiologie des unteren Ösophagus-Sphinkters (UÖS) 22 2.3 Anatomie des Rektums 23 2.4 Physiologie des Rektums 24 2.5 Manometrie als Diagnosewerkzeug in Hohlorganen 24 2.5.1 Manometrie des Ösophagus 24 2.5.2 Manometrie des Rektums 26 2.5.3 Sphinkter Oddi-Manometrie (SOM) 27 2.6 Manometriemethoden 29 2.6.1 Perfusionsmanometrie 30 2.6.2 Transducer Manometrie 31 2.6.3 Durchzugsmanometrie 32 2.6.4 Manometrie mit Luftkathetern 32 2.6.5 Manometrie mit Faser-Bragg-Gittern 33 2.7 Limitierungen der Manometrie 33 2.8 High-Resolution Manometry (HRM) 34 2.9 Hygiene 36 2.10 Bewertungen und Schlussfolgerungen 37 3 Stand von Wissenschaft und Technik 40 3.1 Optische Fasern 40 3.2 Faser-Bragg-Gitter (FBG) 41 3.2.1 Einschreibeverfahren 41 3.2.2 Eigenschaften von FBGs 43 3.2.3 Typen von FBGs 44 3.3 Faser-Bragg-Gitter Sensoren 46 3.3.1 Dehnungsempfindlichkeit 46 3.3.2 Temperaturempfindlichkeit 47 3.3.3 Druckempfindlichkeit 47 3.4 Sensorische Wirkung von Bragg-Gittern in Polymerfasern 48 3.5 Auswerteverfahren 49 3.5.1 Interrogatoren mit breitbandigen Lichtquellen 50 3.5.2 Interrogatoren mit abstimmbaren Laserlichtquellen 52 3.5.3 Bewertung der Anwendbarkeit für Drucksensorkatheter 53 3.5.4 Unterscheidung von Temperatur und Dehnung 55 3.6 Faser-Bragg-Gitter basierte Drucksensoren 57 4 Entwicklung eines Drucksensorkatheters auf Basis von Faser-Bragg-Gittern 59 4.1 Zusammenfassung der Anforderungen 59 4.2 Vorbetrachtungen 59 4.2.1 Was bedeutet Druck bei einem Katheter? 59 4.2.2 Verwendete Faser-Bragg-Gitter 60 4.2.3 Mechanische Eigenschaften der optischen Fasern 62 4.2.4 Auswahl und Materialparameter des Mantelmaterials 63 4.2.5 Bestmögliche Druckempfindlichkeit – fluidgefüllte Zelle 66 4.2.6 Druckempfindlichkeit einer Faser im dicken Kunststoffmantel 67 4.3 Entwurf 69 4.3.1 Mögliche im Extrusionsverfahren herstellbare Katheterquerschnitte 69 4.3.2 Simulation der Druckempfindlichkeit 70 4.3.3 Dehnungsempfindlichkeit 73 4.3.4 Biegesteifigkeit 74 4.3.5 Festlegung der geometrischen Parameter für Kathetermuster 76 4.4 Herstellung von Mustern 76 4.5 Simulierte Eigenschaften der hergestellten Muster 78 4.5.1 Druckempfindlichkeit 78 4.5.2 Dehnungsempfindlichkeit 80 4.6 Auswerteverfahren 82 4.6.1 Interrogator „Blue Fiber Box“ 82 4.6.2 Betrachtungen zum Aliasing 82 5 Charakterisierung der Kathetermuster 84 5.1 Querschnittsgeometrie 84 5.1.1 Durchmesser 84 5.1.2 Exzentrizität 85 5.2 Konstruktion eines Prüfstands für die Charakterisierung der Druckempfindlichkeit 86 5.2.1 Mechanischer Aufbau 86 5.2.2 Druckbeeinflussung der Katheter 87 5.3 Druckempfindlichkeit der Kathetermuster 90 5.4 Zugfestigkeit 95 5.5 Dehnungsempfindlichkeit 99 5.6 Biegesteifigkeit 100 5.7 Temperaturempfindlichkeit 101 6 Ergebnisbewertung 103 6.1 Vergleich der gemessenen und berechneten Parameter 103 6.2 Änderungsvorschlag 104 6.3 Ergebnisse im Kontext medizinischer Anforderungen 105 7 Zusammenfassung und Ausblick 107 A Optische Faser in einem dicken Kunststoffmantel unter hydrostatischem Druck 109 B Modellierung in ANSYS 110 C Simulierte Druckempfindlichkeit der Kathetermuster 112 D Messverfahren für die Exzentrizität 113 E Messunsicherheit bei der Messung einer Referenzdruckkennlinie 116 Literaturverzeichnis 117 Tabellenverzeichnis 127 Abbildungsverzeichnis 128 Thesen 132

The objective of this dissertation is to generate high power ultrashort optical pulses from an all-semiconductor mode-locked laser system. The limitations of semiconductor optical amplifier in high energy, ultrashort pulse amplification are reviewed. A method to overcome the fundamental limit of small stored energy inside semiconductor optical amplifier called "eXtreme Chirped Pulse Amplification (X-CPA)" is proposed and studied theoretically and experimentally. The key benefits of the concept of X-CPA are addressed. Based on theoretical and experimental study, an all-semiconductor mode-locked X-CPA system consisting of a mode-locked master oscillator, an optical pulse pre-stretcher, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) pulse picker, an extreme pulse stretcher/compressor, cascaded optical amplifiers, and a bulk grating compressor is successfully demonstrated and generates >kW record peak power. A potential candidate for generating high average power from an X-CPA system, novel grating coupled surface emitting semiconductor laser (GCSEL) devices, are studied experimentally. The first demonstration of mode-locking with GCSELs and associated amplification characteristics of grating coupled surface emitting SOAs will be presented. In an effort to go beyond the record setting results of the X-CPA system, a passive optical cavity amplification technique in conjunction with the X-CPA system is constructed, and studied experimentally and theoretically.

Para poder satisfacer la demanda de mayores anchos de banda y los requisitos de los nuevos servicios, se espera que se produzca una evolución de las redes ópticas hacia arquitecturas reconfigurables dinámicamente. Esta evolución subraya la importancia de ofrecer soluciones en la que la escalabilidad y la flexibilidad sean las principales directrices. De acuerdo a estas características, las redes ópticas de conmutación de paquetes (OPS) proporcionan altas capacidades de transmisión, eficiencia en ancho de banda y excelente flexibilidad, además de permitir el procesado de los paquetes directamente en la capa óptica. En este escenario, la solución all-optical label switching (AOLS) resuelve el cuello de botella impuesto por los nodos que realizan el procesado en el dominio eléctrico. A pesar de los progresos en el campo del networking óptico, las redes totalmente ópticas todavía se consideran una solución lejana . Por tanto, es importante desarrollar un escenario de migración factible y gradual desde las actuales redes ópticas basadas en la conmutación de circuitos (OCS). Uno de los objetivos de esta tesis se centra en la propuesta de escenarios de migración basados en redes híbridas que combinan diferentes tecnologías de conmutación. Además, se analiza la arquitectura de una red OPS compuesta de nodos que incorporan nuevas funcionalidades relacionadas con labores de monitorización y esquemas de recuperación. Las redes ópticas permiten mejorar la transparencia de la red, pero a costa de aumentar la complejidad de las tareas de gesión. En este escenario, la monitorización óptica de prestaciones (OPM) surge como una tecnología capaz de facilitar la administración de las redes OPS, en las que cada paquete sigue su propia ruta en la red y sufre un diferente nivel de degradación al llegar a su destino. Aquí reside la importancia de OPM para garantizar los requisitos de calidad de cada paquete. / Vilar Mateo, R. (2010). Optical performance monitoring in optical packet-switched networks [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/8926

En esta tesis doctoral se presenta el diseño, la implementación y la caracterización de sensores en fibra óptica para la monitorización de diversas magnitudes en ambientes adversos. Se entiende como ambientes adversos aquellas condiciones ambientales externas a los sensores que por su naturaleza dificultan el uso y la fiabilidad a largo plazo de los sistemas de monitorización. Existe una gran variedad de ambientes adversos tales como temperaturas extremas, altas presiones, ambientes químicos o ionizantes, vibraciones o impactos mecánicos, entre otros. Este trabajo de tesis, realizado en el Grupo de Comunicaciones Ópticas y Cuánticas (GCOC) del Instituto de Telecomunicaciones y Aplicaciones Multimedia (ITEAM) de la Universitat Politècnica de València así como el trabajo realizado durante la estancia en la School of Engineering and Applied Science de la Aston University, contempla algunos de estos escenarios, por lo que en el diseño e implementación de los sensores ópticos se han empleado distintas tecnologías ópticas, como las redes de difracción de Bragg (FBGs) o los interferómetros ópticos, con el fin de optimizar las prestaciones de los sensores. En primer lugar, se ha realizado un estudio exhaustivo de las redes de difracción de Bragg regeneradas (RFBGs) para la medida de temperaturas extremas, cercanas a los 1300ºC en algunos casos. Este estudio comprende desde el proceso de fabricación de estos dispositivos fotónicos hasta la caracterización como sensores de temperatura y el estudio de la estabilidad térmica a largo plazo. Se ha realizado también un estudio teórico y experimental sobre la multiplexación de interferómetros modales que, por su sensibilidad y robustez, son muy apropiados para su uso en condiciones ambientales adversas. La técnica de multiplexación desarrollada permite multiplexar los interferómetros modales en distintas configuraciones minimizando la interferencia entre ellos. Por último, se muestra la implementación de un sistema de inscripción de FBGs en fibras ópticas de polímeros y el uso de los dispositivos obtenidos para el diseño, la implementación y la caracterización de sensores ópticos para la medida de curvaturas, grandes deformaciones y deformaciones dinámicas. / Barrera Vilar, D. (2013). Diseño, fabricación y caracterización de FBGs e interferómetros en fibra óptica para la monitorización en ambientes adversos [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/33399 / Premios Extraordinarios de tesis doctorales

[EN] Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is a discipline that quantitatively assesses the integrity and performance of infrastructures, relying on sensors, and support the development of efficient Maintenance and Rehabilitation (M&R) plans. Optical Multicore Fiber (MCF) Shape Sensors offer an innovative alternative to traditional methods and enable the reconstruction of the deformed shape of structures directly and in real-time, with no need of computation models or visual contact and exploiting all the advantages of Optical Fiber Sensors (OFS) technology. Despite the intense research efforts centered on this topic by research groups worldwide, a comprehensive investigation on the parameters that influence the performance of these sensors has not been conducted yet. The first part of the thesis presents a numerical study that examines the effects of strain measurement accuracy and core position errors on the performance of optical multicore fiber shape sensors in sensing three-dimensional curvature, which is at the basis of shape reconstruction. The analysis reproduces the strain measurement process using Monte Carlo Method (MCM) and identifies several parameters which play a key role in the phenomenon, including core spacing (distance between outer cores and sensor axis), number of cores and curvature measured. Finally, a set of predictive models were calibrated, by fitting the results of the simulations, to predict the sensors performance. Afterward, an experimental study is proposed to evaluate the performance of optical multicore fiber in sensing shape, with particular focus on the influence of strain sensors length. Two shape sensors were fabricated, by inscribing long (8.0 mm) and short (1.5 mm) Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) into the cores of a multicore seven-core fiber. Thus, the performance of the two sensors was assessed and compared, at all the necessary phases for shape reconstruction: strain sensing, curvature calculation and shape reconstruction. To conclude, an innovative approach, based on the Saint-Venant's Torsion Theory, is presented to determine the twisting of multicore fiber and to compensate the errors due to twisting during shape reconstruction. The efficiency of the theoretical approach was then corroborated performing a series of twisting tests on a shape sensor, fabricated by inscribing FBGs sensors into an optical spun multicore seven-core fiber. The investigation of the mechanical behavior of multicore optical shape sensors has synergically involved diverse disciplines: Solid Mechanics, Photonics, Statistics and Data Analysis. Such multidisciplinary research has arisen from the prolific cooperation between the Institutes of the Institute of Science and Technology of Concrete (ICITECH) and the Institute of Telecommunications and Multimedia Applications (iTEAM) - Photonics Research Labs (PRL) - of Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), in addition to valuable collaboration with other members of the European ITN-FINESSE project, to which this work belongs. This research work aims to enhance the performance optical multicore fiber shape sensors and support the development of new sensor geometries, with great potential for structural health monitoring applications. / [ES] La Monitorización de la Salud Estructural (MSE) evalúa cuantitativamente la integridad y el comportamiento de las infraestructuras y permite desarrollar planes eficaces de Mantenimiento y Rehabilitación (M&R), utilizando los datos de los sensores. Sensores de forma basados en fibra óptica multinúcleo ofrecen una alternativa a los métodos tradicionales y permiten la reconstrucción de la deformada de estructuras de forma directa y en tiempo real, sin necesidad de modelos de cálculo o contacto visual y con todas las ventajas de la tecnología de los Sensores de Fibra Óptica (SFO). A pesar de los grandes esfuerzos en la investigación centrada en este tema por parte de los grupos de investigación de todo el mundo, todavía no se ha realizado una investigación exhaustiva que estudie los parámetros que influyen en el comportamiento de estos sensores. En la primera parte de la tesis se presenta un estudio numérico en el que se examinan los efectos de la precisión de la medición de la tensión y los errores de posición del núcleo en el comportamiento de los sensores de forma basados en fibra óptica multinúcleo para definir la curvatura tridimensional, que es la base de la reconstrucción de la forma. El análisis reproduce el proceso de medición de la tensión utilizando el método de Monte Carlo (MC) e identifica una serie de parámetros que desempeñan un papel en el proceso, entre ellos la separación del núcleo (distancia entre los núcleos exteriores y el eje del sensor), el número de núcleos y la curvatura medida. Por último, se calibró un conjunto de modelos de predicción ajustando los resultados de las simulaciones para predecir el comportamiento de los sensores. A continuación, se propone un estudio experimental para evaluar el comportamiento de los sensores de forma basado en fibra óptica multinúcleo, con especial atención en la influencia de la longitud de los sensores de deformación. Se fabricaron dos sensores de forma, inscribiendo Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) con longitudes de 8,0 mm y 1,5 mm en los núcleos de una fibra multinúcleo de siete núcleos. Así, se evaluó y comparó el comportamiento de los dos sensores en todas las fases necesarias para la reconstrucción de la forma, incluyendo la medición de la tensión, el cálculo de la curvatura y la reconstrucción de la forma. Para concluir, se presenta un enfoque innovador, basado en la Teoría de la Torsión de Saint-Venant, para determinar la torsión de la fibra multinúcleo y compensar los errores debidos a la torsión durante la reconstrucción de la forma. La eficiencia del enfoque teórico fue verificada realizando una serie de pruebas de torsión en un sensor de forma, fabricado inscribiendo los sensores de FBGs en una fibra óptica multinúcleo torcida y siete núcleos. La investigación del comportamiento mecánico de los sensores ópticos de forma multinúcleo ha involucrado sinérgicamente diversas disciplinas: Mecánica del sólido, Fotónica, Estadística y Análisis de datos. Esta investigación multidisciplinaria ha surgido de la prolífica cooperación entre el Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Hormigón (ICITECH) y el Instituto de Telecomunicaciones y Aplicaciones Multimedia (iTEAM) - Laboratorio de Investigación Fotónica (LIF) - de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), además de la valiosa colaboración con otros miembros del proyecto europeo ITN-FINESSE, al que pertenece este trabajo. Este trabajo de investigación puede permitir mejorar el comportamiento de los sensores de forma basados en fibra óptica multinúcleo y apoyar el desarrollo de nuevas geometrías de sensores, con un gran potencial para aplicaciones de control de la salud estructural. / [CA] Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) avalua quantitativament la integritat i el comportament de les infraestructures i permet desenrotllar plans eficaços de Maintenance and Rehabilitation (M&R), utilitzant les dades dels sensors. Optical Multicore Fiber (MCF) Shape Sensors oferixen una alternativa als mètodes tradicionals i permeten la reconstrucció de la forma de la deformació de les estructures de forma directa i en temps real, sense necessitat de models de càlcul o contacte visual i amb tots els avantatges de l'Optical Fiber Sensors (OFS) Technology. A pesar dels grans esforços en la investigació centrada en aquest tema per part dels grups d'investigació de tot el món, encara no s'ha realitzat una investigació exhaustiva que estudie els paràmetres que influïxen en el comportament d'aquestos sensors. En la primera part de la tesi es presenta un estudi numèric en què s'examinen els efectes de la precisió del mesurament de la tensió i els errors de posició del nucli en el comportament dels sensors de forma basats en fibra òptica multinucli per a definir la curvatura tridimensional, que és la base de la reconstrucció de la forma. L'anàlisi reproduïx el procés de mesurament de la tensió utilitzant el mètode de Monte Carlo (MC) i identifica una sèrie de paràmetres que exercixen un paper en el procés, entre ells la separació del nucli (distància entre els nuclis exteriors i l'eix del sensor), el nombre de nuclis i la mesura de la curvatura. Finalment, es va calibrar un conjunt de models de predicció ajustant els resultats de les simulacions per a predir el comportament dels sensors. A continuació, es proposa un estudi experimental per a avaluar el comportament dels sensors de forma basat en fibra òptica multinucli, amb especial atenció en la influència de la longitud dels sensors de deformació. Es van fabricar dos sensors de forma, inscrivint Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) amb longituds de 8,0 mm i 1,5 mm en els nuclis d'una fibra multinucli de set nuclis. Així, es va avaluar i es va comparar el comportament dels dos sensors en totes les fases necessàries per a la reconstrucció de la forma, incloent el mesurament de la tensió, el càlcul de la curvatura i la reconstrucció de la forma. Per a concloure, es presenta un enfocament innovador, basat en la Teoria de la Torsió de Saint-Venant, per a determinar la torsió de la fibra multinucli i compensar els errors deguts a la torsió durant la reconstrucció de la forma. L'eficiència de l'enfocament teòric va ser verificada realitzant una sèrie de proves de torsió en un sensor de forma, fabricat inscrivint els sensors de FBGs en una fibra òptica de set nuclis de filat múltiple. La investigació del comportament mecànic dels sensors òptics de forma multinucli ha involucrat sinèrgicament diverses disciplines: Mecànica del sòlid, Fotónica, Estadística i Anàlisi de dades. Aquesta investigació multidisciplinària ha sorgit de la prolífica cooperació entre l'Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia del Formigó (ICITECH) i l'Institut de Telecomunicacions i Aplicacions Multimèdia (iTEAM) - Laboratori de investigación fotònica (LIF) - de la Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), a més de la valuosa col·laboració amb altres membres del projecte europeu ITN- FINESSE, al qual pertany aquest treball. Aquest treball d'investigació pot permetre millorar el comportament dels sensors de forma basats en fibra òptica multinucli i ajudar al desenrotllament de noves geometries de sensors, amb un gran potencial per a aplicacions de control de la salut estructural. / Floris, I. (2020). Optical Multicore Fiber Shape Sensors. A numerical and experimental performance assessment [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/148715

A fatigue test has been performed on 7075-T651 aluminum specimens which were bonded with polyimide coated optical fibers with discrete Bragg gratings. These fibers were bonded with AE-10 strain gage adhesive. The results indicate that lower strain amplitudes do not produce cause for concern, but that larger strain amplitudes (on the order of 3500 μ) may cause some sensors to become unreliable. The strain response of acrylate coated optical fiber strain sensors bonded to aluminum specimens with AE-10 and M-Bond 200 strain gage adhesives was investigated with both axial and cantilever beam tests. These results were compared to both the strain response of conventional strain gages and to model predictions. The results indicate that only about 82.6% of the strain in the specimen was transferred through the glue line and fiber coating into the fiber. Thus, multiplying by a strain transfer factor of approximately 1.21 was sufficient to correct the optical fiber strain output. This effect was found to be independent of the adhesive used and independent of the three-dimensional profile of the glue line used to attach the fiber. Finally, this effect did not depend on whether the fiber had a polyimide or an acrylate coating. Further investigation was conducted on the feasibility of using optical fiber strain sensors for monitoring subcritical damage (such as matrix cracks) in fiber reinforced composite materials. These results indicate that an array of optical fibers which monitor the strain profile on both sides of a composite panel may be sufficient for these purposes / Master of Science

[pt] O aumento dos custos relacionados aos processos de manutenção em estruturas como aeronaves, aliadas à crescente demanda das mesmas, alimentam a necessidade de investimentos em técnicas inovadoras de monitoramento estrutural. Dessa forma, o trabalho realizado nesta tese, busca o desenvolvimento de uma técnica de monitoramento ativo, visando o acompanhamento de parâmetros da estrutura analisada, a fim de identificar e caracterizar processos de dano não visíveis, tais como corrosão e delaminação. A metodologia empregada, teve como base a análise dos padrões de deformação superficial, obtidos com o uso de grades de sensores à fibra óptica baseadas em redes de Bragg (FBG). Inicialmente, tais padrões foram provocados por carregamentos estáticos (tração), e posteriormente por atuadores PTZ fixados à estrutura. Estes últimos são submetidos a uma voltagem alternada e frequência fixa. Esta técnica apresenta todas as vantagens dos sensores FBG (massa e dimensões reduzidas, imunidade eletromagnética, elevado poder de multiplexação e alta sensibilidade entre outras), alem de permitir a visualização de alterações nos padrões de deformação, provocados por danos, através da variação da frequência de excitação. Com relação à interpretação dos resultados, a estratégia empregada consistiu em separar o problema de detecção e caracterização dos danos. Dessa forma, a detecção é realizada comparando a energia das deformações superficiais dos corpos de prova nos casos com e sem defeito, enquanto a caracterização é obtida através a utilização de redes neurais artificiais (RNA), por meio de rotinas de reconhecimento de padrões. / [en] The higher costs related to maintenance processes in structures such as aircraft, coupled with the growing demand of them, fueling the need for investment in innovative techniques for structural monitoring. Thus, the work done in this thesis seeks to develop a technique of active monitoring, aiming at monitoring of structure parameters analyzed in order to identify and characterize processes of hidden damage such as corrosion and delamination. The maid methodology was based on the analysis of patterns of surface deformation, obtained with the use of nets of optical fiber sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings ( FBG ). Initially, these patterns were caused by static loads (tension ), and later by PTZ actuators fixed to the frame, who are subjected to an AC voltage and fixed frequency. This technique has all the advantages of the FBG s sensors (mass and small dimensions, electromagnetic immunity, high multiplexing s power and high sensitivity among others), in addition to allowing visualization of changes in the patterns of deformation caused by damage, by varying the frequency excitation. With respect to the interpretation of the results, the strategy employed was to separate the problem of detection and characterization of damage. Thus, the detection is performed by comparing the deformation energy of the surface of the specimens in the cases with and without defect, whereas the characterization is obtained through the use of artificial neural networks (ANN) by means of pattern recognition routines.