The main topic of this thesis is realization and characterization of fibre Bragg gratings. A novel versatile grating fabrication technique is developed and a number of gratings are realized, showing the potential of the system. Arbitrarily-shaped gratings are sequentially imprinted in the fibre by a moving interference pattern created with a continuous-wave ultraviolet (UV) source. This scheme allows for a very good control and stability of the grating shape, which is also shown experimentally. As opposed to most other present fabrication techniques, the proposed method offers a total control over the grating parameters by software, enabling simple implementation of new designs. Different kinds of error sources when stitching long gratings are identified and investigated regarding impact on the final grating result. Another important question within this field is how to characterize gratings. We propose a new characterization method based on optical low-coherence reflectometry (OLCR). A new interferometer design allows for simple simultaneous detection of the reflection response from two different points in the interrogated grating, so that differential measurements can be performed. The advantage of this is that the sensitivity to noise caused by e.g. thermal fluctuations in the system is substantially reduced. Several test gratings have been investigated and a very good agreement to the expected results is noted. A second characterization technique using interferometric detection of the side diffraction from the grating under test is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. With aid of two-dimensional theory for wave propagation, it is shown that there is a linear relation between the detected phase and modulation depth and the corresponding grating properties. The technique is evaluated with a novel scheme of implementation where the UV source provided in a fabrication setup is used assource for the side probe. This approach results in a very simple implementation and opens for an integration of the characterization and fabrication systems. Finally, a tuning method for transmission filters based on local heating of linearly chirped fibre Bragg gratings is analysed and further developed to allow for fully software-controlled operation. The potential of this technique is illustrated by some promising initial experimental results. / QC 20100812

A humidity fiber optic sensor based on phase-shifted (PS) Fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) is demonstrated. Compared to the standard FBG sensors, the peak of the PS-FBG slips into 2 narrow peaks and forms a sharp dip in the middle. As a result, the resolution of the measurement will be higher. The sensors used in the experiments were fabricated by coating the PS-FBG surface with a moisture-sensitive polyimide and is based on the strain effect caused by the swelling of the coating after moisture absorption. The same trend seen in a standard FBG sensor can be achieved, but with higher measurement resolution in environments differing by humidity and temperature. This thesis presents simulation and measurement results, including sensitivity and response time, of the PS-FBG sensor approach for humidity sensing, as compared to the standard FBG sensors. Stability and hysteresis are also discussed.

Free Spectral Range Matched Interrogation (FSRMI) technique for wavelength demodulation of fiber Bragg grating sensors. We designed and tested a new wavelength demodulation system based on free-spectral-range-matched interrogation which employs a tunable fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) and a multi-channel bandpass filter. This technique was deployed to test fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), long period gratings (LPG) and tilted fiber Bragg gratings (TFBG). In the experimental setup, a broadband source launches light into a fiber Bragg grating under test and the reflection/transmission spectrum is fed into a tunable FPI. By tuning an external bias applied to the FPI, the transmission spectrum of FPI scans over a wavelength range. The input optical signal is therefore selectively passed through the FPI and then fed into a four-channel bandpass filter followed by four photodetectors. The optical signal is converted to electrical signal by the photodiodes and is acquired by a data acquisition system. Since a bandpass filter with four channels are used in this interrogation system it can scan four distinguished wavelength ranges simultaneously and thus the scan rate is four time faster. We used this setup for doing some temperature and strain sensitivity measurements on some fiber gratings. Strain sensitivity measurements were done on FBG, TFBG and LPG and temperature sensitivity measurements were performed on TFBG. The strain and temperature sensitivity coefficients of these fiber Bragg grating sensors were obtained from experimental data. Our results show the potential of the integration of the FSRMI system with fiber Bragg gratings for temperature and strain multiple-sensor arrays with high sampling speed and high accuracy.

Free Spectral Range Matched Interrogation (FSRMI) technique for wavelength demodulation of fiber Bragg grating sensors. We designed and tested a new wavelength demodulation system based on free-spectral-range-matched interrogation which employs a tunable fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) and a multi-channel bandpass filter. This technique was deployed to test fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), long period gratings (LPG) and tilted fiber Bragg gratings (TFBG). In the experimental setup, a broadband source launches light into a fiber Bragg grating under test and the reflection/transmission spectrum is fed into a tunable FPI. By tuning an external bias applied to the FPI, the transmission spectrum of FPI scans over a wavelength range. The input optical signal is therefore selectively passed through the FPI and then fed into a four-channel bandpass filter followed by four photodetectors. The optical signal is converted to electrical signal by the photodiodes and is acquired by a data acquisition system. Since a bandpass filter with four channels are used in this interrogation system it can scan four distinguished wavelength ranges simultaneously and thus the scan rate is four time faster. We used this setup for doing some temperature and strain sensitivity measurements on some fiber gratings. Strain sensitivity measurements were done on FBG, TFBG and LPG and temperature sensitivity measurements were performed on TFBG. The strain and temperature sensitivity coefficients of these fiber Bragg grating sensors were obtained from experimental data. Our results show the potential of the integration of the FSRMI system with fiber Bragg gratings for temperature and strain multiple-sensor arrays with high sampling speed and high accuracy.

In this study, we researched three kinds of surface treatment (no surface treatment, homogeneous alignment (HA) and vertical alignment (VA)) effect for the optoelectronic properties of cholesteric blue phase liquid crystals (BPLCs). We demonstrate the surface treatments have influence on the temperature range of BPLCs. The VA-BPLC possesses the widest temperature range, about 6.0 ¢J. The temperature range of both no surface treatment BPLC and HA-BPLC are about 5.5 ¢J. In the process of cooling, the surface treatments will restrain the change of the pitch of BPLC. Besides, surface treatment will let the crystalline of BPLC shipshape, so that it can reduce the scattering of the reflection light of BPLC. In the vertical electric field, the reflection wavelength of BPLC will be red-shift when the applied voltage increased. The reflection wavelength of the HA-BPLC can be tuned about 90 nm. The reflection wavelength of the VA-BPLC can be tuned about 120 nm. We have demonstrated the treatment of vertical alignment will reduce the operating voltage of BPLC.

In this study, we study three kinds of surface treatments in the blue phase lasers. Three kinds of surface treatments include no surface treatment, homogeneous alignment ,HA, and vertical alignment ,VA. Blue Phase liquid crystal is a three-dimensional photonic crystal, and it can be used to be a laser cavity. When the blue phase doped with a laser dye, a laser emission can be observed under appropriate pumping energy. In the first part, we fabricate the blue phase lasers with three kinds of surface, there are different surface treatments to study the surface effect of the optoelectronic properties. It is found that the threshold pumping power is significantly decreased under a surface treatment on glass substrate. In the second part, we change cooling rate in the formation of the blue phase liquid crystals, and study the optoelectronic properties of blue phase lasers. The experiment results reveal that the slower cooling rate leads to a order blue phase substrate, resulting in a lower threshold pumping energy of the blue phase laser.

Structural born vibration is the most concern issue for industry. Traditionally, the accelerometer is usually used as the major monitoring device for vibration. As the mechanism getting more and more complexity, more compact, tinier and more lighting, the traditional accelerometers are suffered from the loading effect. Its accuracy of measurement is suspected and cannot match the modern measurement requirement. Hence, the studies of fiber optic vibration sensors become an urgent issue in this era. The reflection wavelength of a fiber Bragg grating¡]FBG¡^is sensitive to the variation of the strain and temperature. Our sensor configuration is made of an interferometer and fiber Bragg grating. The vibration induces a strain of the fiber Bragg grating, and it makes a phase difference between those two light beams in the interferometer. A demodulation circuit is needed to detect the phase difference caused by the vibration. In this project, the aim is focused on the vibration measurement for some complicated rotational machines or structures. A fiber optic accelerometer will be designed and studied as a vibration monitor for the other subprojects. In this the thesis, two kinds of vibration sensor head are designed and studied, the first is a bending loss sensor head and the other is an optic fiber Bragg grating sensor head. The results are narrated as follows¡G¡]1¡^ The dynamic range of the bending loss sensing head is about 50 dB.¡]2¡^The dynamic range of the optic fiber Bragg grating sensing head is 38 dB with test frequency range between 100 ~ 400 Hz, the noise level is around 1.95 ¡Ñ 10-2 rad.

This thesis utilized pulse shaping technology to study chirp response of SSBR and attempt to analyze contribution of SSBR in mode-locked process. A home-made pulse shaping system (based on 4f scheme) with Freezing algorithm and Gerchberg-Saton algorithm was demonstrated. A normal dispersion at nonabsorbable wavelength and an anomalous dispersion around absorbable wavelength region in SSBR were obtained. Meanwhile, a Kramers-Kronig relation like behavior of pulse depression/broadening ratio in the strained multiple quantum well was observed and also refer to that pulse starting force is stronger at short wavelength. Decrease of pulse compression with increasing power of negative chirp incident pulse was characterized. Unclear power dependence for positive chirp case was also performed. These could be due to competition of band-filling and pump dump process. In addition, higher reflectivity and tendency of lower saturation fluence of SSBR for negative chirp incident pulse were observed.

The reflection wavelength of Fiber Bragg Grating is sensitive to the strain and the temperature¡¦s variation. We use Fiber Bragg Grating to be the sensor head and measure the vibration frequency in constant temperature environment. The vibration of object can make the sinusoidal strain to Fiber Bragg Grating, and it will make a little phase difference to the light of the fiber. Using the interferometer and demodulation system, we can measure the phase difference and vibration frequency. Our sensor configuration is made up of imbalance Mach-Zehnder interferometer and Fiber Bragg Grating. The two light of different path need different time to pass through the vibration source, so they make phase difference. We use the demodulation circuit to measure the phase difference causing by vibration and get the vibration frequency. Our experiment structure is a novel configuration of Fiber Bragg Grating vibration sensor. Its intensity of signal is larger than the intensity of original sensor configuration, about 4dB.The novel sensor configuration is easier spread than traditional accelerometer and it is designed of all fiber. The accuracy for measuring low frequency vibration is 99.971%. The Dynamic range of the system is more than 45dB. It is larger than the dynamic range of original sensor configuration, about 9dB. The smallest signal that can be measured is about 0.0075rad.

Abstract The electrical microphone has came to maturity, which has some restrictions on high electromagnetic and wet environments¡CFiber-Optic sensor can improve the problems, because it has better characters in electromagnetic interference and wet environment than the traditional microphone. The structure of Sagnac interferometer is circulator, so the design of head to a sensor has to wind fiber around. Because the minimum radius of winded fiber has a threshold, we can not miniaturize the sensor-head. A typical Mach-Zehnder interferometer has to use high-coherence light source and the length of two arms in equality without any interference, so it is difficult in fabrication. If we make a microphone by FBG and Mach-Zehnder interferometer, and the advantage is that we can use low-coherence light source, and shorten the length of two arms in interferometer. By using the structure, the minimum measured pressure of sound is 0.6 Pa, and the dynamic range is 30dB.