In this thesis, we explore the four aspects of fiber Bragg grating sensors: mathematical modeling of Fiber Bragg Grating response/spectral characteristics, fabrication using phase mask, application and interrogation. Applications of fiber Bragg gratings, also known as in-fiber gratings, with emphasis on their sensing capabilities, interrogation of an array of sensors and their performance in structural health monitoring scenario are documented. First, we study the process of photosensitivity phenomenon in glasses, in particular GeO2:SiO2 glasses. For mathematical modeling we consider the 1-D refractive index profile along the propagation axis of an optical fiber drawn from the preform of such glasses. These 1-D index structures exhibit a bandgap for propagation along the fiber axis. We show how the bandgap is dependent on the two structural parameters: index periodicity and effective refractive index. The mathematical model provides the characteristics of three sensor parameters -resonance wavelength also known as the Bragg wavelength (λB ), filter bandwidth (ΔλB ), and reflectivity (R). We show that the evolution of the index structure in germanosilicate glasses is dependent on the inscription parameters such as exposure time, intensity of the laser used for inscribing, the interference pattern, and coherence of the laser system. In particular, a phase mask is used as the diffffacting element to generate the required interference pattern, that is exposed on the photosensitive fiber. We present a mathematical model of the electromagnetic diffraction pattern behind the phase mask and study the effect of the limited coherence of the writing laser on the interference pattern produced by the diffracting beams from the mask. Next, we demostrate the sensing capabilities of the fiber Bragg gratings for measuring strain, temperature and magnetic fields. We report linearity of 99.7% and sensitivity of 10.35pm/◦C for the grating temperature sensor. An array of gratings assigned with non-overlapping spectral windows is inscribed in a single fiber and applied for distributed sensing of structural health monitoring of an aircraft’s composite air-brake panel. The performance of these sensors is compared with the industry standard resistance foil gauges. We report good agreement between the two gauges (FBG and RSG). In some applications it is more desirable to know the spectral content, rather than the magnitude of perturbation. Fiber Bragg gratings sensors can be used to track events that occur in a very small span of time and contain high frequencies. Such applications demand very high speed wavelength demodulation methods. We present two interrogation techniques: wavelength-shift time-stamping (WSTS) and reflectivity division multiplexing (RDM). WSTS interrogation method employs the multiple threshold-crossing technique to quantize the sensor grating fluctuations and in the process produces the time stamps at every level-cross. The time-stamps are assembled and with the a priori knowledge of the threshold levels, the strain signal is reconstructed. The RDM methodology is an extension of the WSTS model to address multiple sensors. We show that by assigning unique reflectivities to each of the sensors in an array, the time-stamps from each of the sensors can be tagged. The time-stamps are collected by virtue of their corresponding pulse heights, and assembled to reconstruct the strain signal of each of the array sensor. We demonstrate that the two interrogation techniques are self-referencing systems, i.e., the speed at which the signals are reconstructed is instantaneous or as fast as the signal itself.

Multimode devices play an increasingly important role in both communication and sensing systems. Mode division multiplexing (MDM) in multimode fiber (MMF) is becoming a promising method to further increase the capacity of optical transmission link with a controllable mode coupler. Similarly, optic sensors based on core-cladding-mode interference can be widely used in measurement of refractive index (RI), temperature and strain. Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) in single mode operation have been extensively studied as in-line optical components for both communication and sensing applications. In recent years, research has been extended to FBGs in few-mode operation as mode couplers in MDM applications. Experimentally, mode conversion from fundamental linear polarization (LP) mode LP01 to higher order LP11 mode in two-mode FBG (TMFBG) has been observed. Index asymmetry and electric field distortion induced by ultraviolet (UV) side illumination in fabrication of FBG make the two modes no longer orthogonal. However, its spectrum analysis mainly depends on experimental data and software simulation using the complex finite element method (FEM). Here a simpler theoretical model based on coupled mode theory (CMT) and Runge-Kutta method (RKM) is proposed. An analytical expression of the mode coupling coefficient is derived and the modeling results match very well with experimental data. Abrupt fiber tapers allow power transfer between core and cladding modes and show promise as RI sensing components when two abrupt tapers are cascaded into an in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI). The main advantage of the MZI taper sensor is its low manufacturing cost. However, the optical spectrum analyzer (OSA) used as the receiver and demodulation device in the conventional setup is still expensive. Three simplified schemes of fiber taper MZI RI sensor systems are designed and demonstrated experimentally. The transmitter and the demodulation devices for the three schemes are a single wavelength laser and a photodetector (PD), two modulated lasers and a PD together with data acquisition and processing module, and a broadband source (BBS) and a PD together with matched MZI, respectively. In all those implementations OSA is not required, which significantly lowers the cost and leads to easy integration. Although extra modulation/demodulation devices are required, the second implementation has the best performance. Automatic operation is realized by LabVIEW programming. High sensitivity (2371 mV/RI unit (RIU)) and high stability are achieved experimentally. Those new schemes have great potential to be applied to other interferometric optic sensor systems. / Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-09 11:44:44.837

In this thesis, miniaturized wavelength interrogators based on planar lightwave circuits (PLCs) are investigated and developed for the optical fiber sensing applications in the aircraft structural health monitoring (SHM) and optofluidic analysis. Two interrogation systems based on an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) and an Echelle diffractive grating (EDG) are developed and used to convert the optical sensing signals into strain, temperature, vibration, damage, and humidity information for the aircraft SHM. A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing system using developed interrogators is then demonstrated in a field test for aircraft SHM applications. For optofluidic analysis, a PLCs based optofluidic device consisting of two on-chip lens sets is built to enhance the optical manipulation capability of particles. Then, a solution to a multi-functional Lab-on-a-Chip platform for optofluidic analysis is proposed, which integrates the developed particle maneuvering device, grating-structured sensors, and miniaturized interrogators.

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.

In this thesis, miniaturized wavelength interrogators based on planar lightwave circuits (PLCs) are investigated and developed for the optical fiber sensing applications in the aircraft structural health monitoring (SHM) and optofluidic analysis. Two interrogation systems based on an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) and an Echelle diffractive grating (EDG) are developed and used to convert the optical sensing signals into strain, temperature, vibration, damage, and humidity information for the aircraft SHM. A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing system using developed interrogators is then demonstrated in a field test for aircraft SHM applications. For optofluidic analysis, a PLCs based optofluidic device consisting of two on-chip lens sets is built to enhance the optical manipulation capability of particles. Then, a solution to a multi-functional Lab-on-a-Chip platform for optofluidic analysis is proposed, which integrates the developed particle maneuvering device, grating-structured sensors, and miniaturized interrogators.

The objective of this thesis was to investigate if an optical fiber sensing method with the use of two overlapping fiber Bragg gratings to measure Lamb wave $S_0$ modes in a steel plate, and how it would compare to traditional PZT transducers. A solution was proposed where the use of an optical fiber sensing system was built and took advantage of the strain dependence of a fiber Bragg grating mounted to a steel plate. Together with an overlapping reference fiber Bragg grating, the system can translate strain to light intensity. A method of controlling the Bragg wavelength of the reference fiber Bragg grating to optimize the overlap between the two fiber Bragg gratings, enabling the system to compensate for drift in the sensing fiber Bragg grating. Testing of the system was performed and yielded promising results, being able to measure the Lamb wave signal from the steel plate. The system showed some sensitivity limitations and signal to noise ratio, as well as the software created to compensate for the drift. With the improvement proposed for further work with the system in terms of improving the system's sensitivity, signal to noise ratio and drift control should make the system able to perform at levels as traditional PZT transducers.

No description available.

No description available.

During the past decades, femtosecond laser micro-fabrication has gained growing interests owing to its several unique features including direct and maskless fabrication, flexible choice of materials and geometries, and truly three-dimensional fabrication. Moreover, fiber-optic sensors have demonstrated distinct advantages over traditional electrical sensors such as the immunity to electromagnetic interference, miniature footprint, robust performance, and high sensitivity. Therefore, the marriage between femtosecond laser micro-fabrication and optical fibers have enabled and will continue to offer vast opportunities to create novel structures for sensing applications. This dissertation focuses on design, fabrication and characterization of optical-fiber based interferometric devices for sensing applications. Three novel devices have been proposed and realized, including point-damage-based Fiber Bragg gratings in single-crystal sapphire fibers, all-sapphire fiber-tip Fabry-Pérot cavity, and in-fiber Whispering-Gallery mode resonator / Doctor of Philosophy / Optical fibers are an optical platform with cylindrical symmetry with overall diameter typically within 50 to 500 μm. The miniature footprint and large aspect ratio make it attractive in sensing applications, where intrusion, flexibility, robustness and small size are key design parameters. Beyond that, fiber-optic sensors also possess distinct operational advantages over traditional electrical sensors such as high sensitivity, immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI), and fully distributed deployment. Owing to the above advances, fiber-optic sensors have been one of the key technologies in the broader sensing field for the past decades. However, the unique cylindrical shape of optical fiber makes it naturally less compatible to those well-developed fabrication technologies in the current sophisticated semiconductor industry. During the past decades, the possibility of three-dimensional (3D) writing inside transparent materials with tightly focused ultrafast laser pulses has attracted attention widely among the academy as well as the industry. Therefore, the marriage between ultrafast laser micro-fabrication and optical fibers have enabled and will continue to offer vast opportunities to create novel structures for sensing applications. This dissertation focuses on design, fabrication and characterization of optical-fiber based interferometric devices for sensing applications. Three novel devices have been proposed and realized, including point-damage-based Fiber Bragg gratings in single-crystal sapphire fibers, all-sapphire fiber-tip Fabry-Pérot cavity, and in-fiber Whispering-Gallery mode resonator.

This paper reports a reciprocal Mach-Zehnder interferometer in a dual Sagnac ring configuration, and one of two arms in Mach-Zehnder interferometer is used for underwater optic fiber hydrophone. Two Mach-Zehnder interferometers operated in opposite sense are simultaneously induced from the underwater acoustic wave and the PZT phase modulation. Thus, at the output, four interferometric beams occur such that the intensity of interferometric beams will enhance. In general, one stage of a double Mach-Zehnder interferometer is just used as a sensor, another one for compensation. Specially, this paper presents two stages of a double Mach-Zehnder interferometer sense the measurand at the same time due to the topology structure of Sagnac ring pairs. In the other words, the characteristic is to win the affection of two beauties at the same time. Two rings in the same direction make a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Besides, the inner ring in the clockwise direction and the outer one in the counterclockwise direction also make a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. So as to the unbalanced arms of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer, the underwater acoustic wave induces the light beam phase difference in optic fiber hydrophone interrogator to demodulate the acoustic wave signal by PGC circuit.