Laser-micromachined Fabry-Perot optical fiber tip sensor for high-resolution temperature-independent measurement of refractive index

Optical fiber biosensors toward in vivo detection

This review takes stock of the various optical fiber-based biosensors that could be used for in vivo applications. We discuss the characteristics that biosensors must have to be suitable for such applications and the corresponding transduction modes. In particular, we focus on optical fiber biosensors based on fluorescence, evanescent wave, plasmonics, interferometry, and Raman phenomenon. The operational principles, implemented solutions, and performances are described and debated. The different sensing configurations, such as the side- and tip-based fiber biosensors, are illustrated, and their adaptation for in vivo measurements is discussed. The required implementation of multiplexed biosensing on optical fibers is shown. In particular, the use of multi-fiber assemblies, one of the most optimal configurations for multiplexed detection, is discussed. Different possibilities for multiple localized functionalizations on optical fibers are presented. A final section is devoted to the practical in vivo use of fiber-based biosensors, covering regulatory, sterilization, and packaging aspects. Finally, the trends and required improvements in this promising and emerging field are analyzed and discussed.

High-accuracy wide-range refractive index demodulation based on under-sampled fiber F-P cavity length spectrum

A scheme of fiber Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity refractive index (RI) demodulation named under-sampled length spectrum retrieval (ULSR) is proposed. Unlike the wavelength spectrum method, ULSR can be used for physical quantity detection with just a monochromatic laser and photodetectors, avoiding the need for wideband lasers or expensive infrared spectrometers. Eight F-P cavities of different lengths were fabricated to sample the cavity length spectrum, and then the obtained under-sampled length spectrum was used to demodulate the RI of F-P cavity fillings. It was demonstrated that the ULSR system can achieve an index measurement accuracy of 1 × 10^-4 in the glucose solution index range of 1.3294-1.3746 at wavelength λ = 1.55 µm. An index demodulation with higher accuracy and wider range is expected when more than 8 F-P cavities are used. The proposed scheme, with advantages of low system complexity, low cost, high reliability, high detecting accuracy, and wide detecting range, holds great promise for facilitating the wide application of F-P cavity sensors. Additionally, ULSR liberates wavelength freedom, making it a strong candidate for multiplexed sensing based on wavelength division multiplexing.

Ultrasensitive tapered optical fiber refractive index glucose sensor

Refractive index (RI) sensors are of great interest for label-free optical biosensing. A tapered optical fiber (TOF) RI sensor with micron-sized waist diameters can dramatically enhance sensor sensitivity by reducing the mode volume over a long distance. Here, a simple and fast method is used to fabricate highly sensitive refractive index sensors based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Two TOFs (l = 5 mm) with waist diameters of 5 µm and 12 µm demonstrated sensitivity enhancement at λ = 1559 nm for glucose sensing (5-45 wt%) at room temperature. The optical power transmission decreased with increasing glucose concentration due to the interaction of the propagating light in the evanescent field with glucose molecules. The coating of the TOF with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as an active layer for glucose sensing generated LSPR through the interaction of the evanescent wave with AuNPs deposited at the tapered waist. The results indicated that the TOF (Ø = 5 µm) exhibited improved sensing performance with a sensitivity of 1265%/RIU compared to the TOF (Ø = 12 µm) at 560%/RIU towards glucose. The AuNPs were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolent-visible spectroscopy. The AuNPs-decorated TOF (Ø = 12 µm) demonstrated a high sensitivity of 2032%/RIU toward glucose. The AuNPs-decorated TOF sensor showed a sensitivity enhancement of nearly 4 times over TOF (Ø = 12 µm) with RI ranging from 1.328 to 1.393. The fabricated TOF enabled ultrasensitive glucose detection with good stability and fast response that may lead to next-generation ultrasensitive biosensors for real-world applications, such as disease diagnosis.

Review of Seawater Fiber Optic Salinity Sensors Based on the Refractive Index Detection Principle

This paper presents a systematic review of the research available on salinity optic fiber sensors (OFSs) for seawater based on the refractive index (RI) measurement principle for the actual measurement demand of seawater salinity in marine environmental monitoring, the definition of seawater salinity and the correspondence between the seawater RI and salinity. To further investigate the progress of in situ measurements of absolute salinity by OFSs, the sensing mechanisms, research progress and measurement performance indices of various existing fiber optic salinity sensors are summarized. According to the Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater-2010 (TEOS-10), absolute salinity is recommended for sensor calibration and measurement. Comprehensive domestic and international research progress shows that fiber-optic RI sensors are ideal for real-time, in situ measurement of the absolute salinity of seawater and have excellent potential for application in long-term in situ measurements in the deep ocean. Finally, based on marine environmental monitoring applications, a development plan and the technical requirements of salinity OFSs are proposed to provide references for researchers engaged in related industries.

Simultaneous Measurement of Refractive Index and Temperature Based on SMF-HCF-FCF-HCF-SMF Fiber Structure

In this research, we proposed and experimentally verified a compact all-fiber sensor that can measure refractive index (RI) and temperature simultaneously. Two segments of hollow-core fiber (HCF) are connected to the two ends of the four-core fiber (FCF) as a beam splitter and a coupler, and then spliced with two sections of single-mode fibers (lead-in and lead-out SMF), respectively. The two hollow-core fibers can excite the higher-order modes of the four-core fiber and recouple the core modes and higher-order modes into the outgoing single-mode fiber, thereby forming inter-mode interference. The different response sensitivities of two interference dips to RI and temperature manifest that the proposed structure can achieve simultaneous measurement. From the experimental results, it can be seen that the maximum sensitivity of the sensor to RI and temperature is 275.30 nm/RIU and 94.4 pm/°C, respectively. When the wavelength resolution is 0.02 nm, the RI and temperature resolutions of the sensor are 7.74 × 10^-5 RIU and 0.335 °C. The proposed dual-parameter optical sensor has the advantages of high sensitivities, good repeatability, simple fabrication, and structure. In addition, it has potential application value in multi-parameter simultaneous measurement.

Microbubble end-capped fiber-optic Fabry-Perot sensors

We report on a simple fabrication technique for Fabry-Perot (FP) sensors formed by a microbubble within a polymer drop deposited on the tip of an optical fiber. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) drops are deposited on the tips of standard single-mode fibers incorporating a layer of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs). A microbubble inside this polymer end-cap, aligned along the fiber core, can be readily generated on launching light from a laser diode through the fiber, owing to the photothermal effect produced in the CNP layer. This approach allows for the fabrication of microbubble end-capped FP sensors with reproducible performance, showing temperature sensitivities as large as 790 pm/°C, larger than those reported for regular polymer end-capped devices. We further show that these microbubble FP sensors may also prove useful for displacement measurements, with a sensitivity of ∼5.4 nm/µm.

Implementation of a Fuzzy Inference System to Enhance the Measurement Range of Multilayer Interferometric Sensors

This work presents a novel methodology to implement a fuzzy inference system (FIS) to overcome the measurement ambiguity that is typically observed in interferometric sensors. This ambiguity occurs when the measurand is determined by tracing the wavelength position of a peak or dip of a spectral fringe. Consequently, the sensor measurement range is typically limited to the equivalent of 1 free spectral range (FSR). Here, it is demonstrated that by using the proposed methodology, the measurement range of this type of sensor can be widened several times by overcoming the ambiguity over some FSR periods. Furthermore, in order to support the viability of the methodology, it was applied to a couple of temperature interferometric sensors. Finally, experimental results demonstrated that it was possible to quintuple the measurement range of one of the tested sensors with a mean absolute error of MAE = 0.0045 °C, while for the second sensor, the measurement range was doubled with an MAE = 0.0073 °C.

Resonant fiber-optic thermometry with high resolution and wide range

We report a high-resolution and wide-range thermometer using a fiber Bragg grating Fabry-Perot cavity (FBG-FP) combined with beat frequency interrogation. Two distributed feedback (DFB) lasers are locked to the FBG-FP sensing head and a hydrogen cyanide H¹³C¹⁴N (HCN) gas cell, respectively, both using the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) technique. The light beams from two lasers are brought together to interfere on a photodetector producing a beat frequency signal which provides a measure of the temperature change. Our sensor exhibits a dynamic range of ∼109 °C, a high resolution of 2×10^-4 °C with an averaging time of 1 s. By introducing the reference frequency, the sensor has demonstrated good long-term stability. This sensor provides a useful tool for those fields where resolving slight temperature changes is crucial, such as deep ocean temperature measurement.

Hermetic Welding of an Optical Fiber Fabry–Pérot Cavity for a Diaphragm-Based Pressure Sensor Using CO2 Laser

A diaphragm-based hermetic optical fiber Fabry–Pérot (FP) cavity is proposed and demonstrated for pressure sensing. The FP cavity is hermetically sealed using one-step CO₂ laser welding with a cavity length from 30 to 100 μm. A thin diaphragm is formed by polishing the hermetic FP cavity for pressure sensing. The fabricated FP cavity has a fringe contrast larger than 15 dB. The experimental results show that the fabricated device has a linear response to the change in pressure, with a sensitivity of −2.02 nm/MPa in the range of 0 to 4 MPa. The results demonstrate that the proposed fabrication technique can be used for fabricating optical fiber microcavities for sensing applications.

Disordered mullite grains in a sapphire-derived fiber for high-temperature sensing

In this study, a sapphire-derived fiber (SDF)-based Fabry-Pérot interferometer (FPI) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated as a high-temperature sensor using the arc discharge crystallization process, forming a region with disordered mullite grains. This shows that the disordered mullite grains are related to the gradual temperature distribution during the arc discharge process, which results in a larger refractive index (RI) modulation of the SDF near the fusing area, forming a reflection mirror. An FPI was obtained by combining the optical fiber end facet. Considering the high-temperature resistance of the fiber, the fabricated FPI was used for high-temperature sensing. This shows that the device can operate at temperatures of up to 1200 °C with a sensitivity of 15.47 pm/°C, demonstrating that the proposed devices have potential applications in high-temperature environments.

High-temperature-sensitive and spectrum-contrast-enhanced sensor using a bullet-shaped fiber cavity filled with PDMS

Low temperature sensitivity and low spectral contrast are serious but common issues for most Fabry Perot (FP) sensors with an air cavity. In this paper, a high-temperature-sensitive and spectrum-contrast-enhanced Fabry Perot interferometer (FPI) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The device is composed of a hollow cylindrical waveguide (HCW) filled with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and a semi-elliptic PDMS end face. The semi-elliptic PDMS end face increases the spectral contrast significantly due to the focusing effect. Experimentally, the spectral contrast is 11.97 dB, which is two times higher than the sensor without semi-elliptic PDMS end face. Ultra-high temperature sensitivity of 3.1501 nm/°C was demonstrated. The proposed sensor exhibits excellent structural stability, high spectral contrast and high temperature sensitivity, showing great potential in biomedicine, industrial manufacturing, agricultural production and other applications.

Micro-newton strain force and temperature synchronous fiber sensor with a high Q-factor based on the quartz microbubble integrated in the capillary-taper structure

A micro-newton strain force and temperature synchronous fiber sensor with a high Q-factor is proposed. The sensor is based on a commercial quartz microbubble (QMB, the diameter is less than 80 µm) that is attached to the end surface of the suspending taper integrated in the hollow core fiber. The multi-beam interference and long-active-length make the sensor show both high sensitivity (0.150 nm/mN) and Q-factor (1470 based on the 3dB-bandwidth). The actual detection limit of the strain force reaches about 50 µN. The UV-cured polymer between the QMB and taper improves the temperature sensitivity. The strain force and temperature can be demodulated synchronously by using band-pass filtering and sensing matrix. The sensor can have actual application in micro-newton strain force detection as its low cost and flexible structure.

Analysis of the Relative Humidity Response of Hydrophilic Polymers for Optical Fiber Sensing

Relative humidity (RH) monitorization is of extreme importance on scientific and industrial applications, and optical fiber sensors (OFS) may provide adequate solutions. Typically, these kinds of sensors depend on the usage of humidity responsive polymers, thus creating the need for the characterization of the optical and expansion properties of these materials. Four different polymers, namely poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(ethylene glycol), Hydromed™ D4 and microbiology agar were characterized and tested using two types of optical sensors. First, optical fiber Fabry–Perot (FP) tips were made, which allow the dynamical measurement of the polymers’ response to RH variations, in particular of refractive index, film thickness, and critical deliquescence RH. Using both FP tips and Long-Period fiber gratings, the polymers were then tested as RH sensors, allowing a comparison between the different polymers and the different OFS. For the case of the FP sensors, the PEG tips displayed excellent sensitivity above 80%RH, outperforming the other polymers. In the case of LPFGs, the 10% (wt/wt) PVA one displayed excellent sensitivity in a larger working range (60 to 100%RH), showing a valid alternative to lower RH environment sensing.

High-Temperature Measurement of a Fiber Probe Sensor Based on the Michelson Interferometer

In this paper, a fiber probe high-temperature sensor based on the Michelson Interferometer (MI) is proposed and experimentally verified. We used a fiber splicing machine to fabricate a taper of the single-mode fiber (SMF) end. The high order modes were excited at the taper, so that different modes were transmitted forward in the fiber and reflected by the end face of the fiber and then recoupled back to the fiber core to form MI. For comparison, we also coated a thin gold film on the fiber end to improve the reflectivity, and the reflection intensity was improved by 16 dB. The experimental results showed that the temperature sensitivity at 1506 nm was 80 pm/°C (100 °C~450 °C) and 109 pm/°C (450 °C~900 °C). The repeated heating and cooling processes showed that the MI structure had good stability at a temperature up to 900 °C. This fiber probe sensor has the advantages of a small size, simple structure, easy manufacturing, good stability, and broad application prospects in industrial and other environments.

Simply Fabricated Inexpensive Dual-Polymer-Coated Fabry-Perot Interferometer-Based Temperature Sensors with High Sensitivity

We designed simply fabricated, highly sensitive, and cost-effective dual-polymer-coated Fabry–Perot interferometer (DFPI)-based temperature sensors by employing thermosensitive polymers and non-thermosensitive polymers, as well as different two successive dip-coating techniques (stepwise dip coating and polymer mixture coating). Seven sensors were fabricated using different polymer combinations for performance optimization. The experiments demonstrated that the stepwise dip-coated dual thermosensitive polymer sensors exhibited the highest sensitivity (2142.5 pm °C⁻¹ for poly(methyl methacrylate)-polycarbonate (PMMA_PC) and 785.5 pm °C⁻¹ for poly(methyl methacrylate)- polystyrene (PMMA_PS)). Conversely, the polymer-mixture-coated sensors yielded low sensitivities (339.5 pm °C⁻¹ for the poly(methyl methacrylate)-polycarbonate mixture (PMMA_PC mixture) and 233.5 pm °C⁻¹ for the poly(methyl methacrylate)-polystyrene mixture (PMMA_PS mixture). Thus, the coating method, polymer selection, and thin air-bubble-free coating are crucial for high-sensitivity DFPI-based sensors. Furthermore, the DFPI-based sensors yielded stable readouts, based on three measurements. Our comprehensive results confirm the effectiveness, reproducibility, stability, fast response, feasibility, and accuracy of temperature measurements using the proposed sensors. The excellent performance and simplicity of our proposed sensors are promising for biomedical, biochemical, and physical applications.

Study of the Vernier Effect Based on the Fabry–Perot Interferometer: Methodology and Application

The optical Vernier effect is a powerful tool for improving the sensitivity of an optical sensor, which relies on the use of two sensor units with slightly detuned frequencies. However, an improper amount of detuning can easily cause the Vernier effect to be unusable. In this work, the effective generation range of the Vernier effect and the corresponding interferometer configuration are suggested and experimentally demonstrated through a tunable cascaded Fabry–Perot interferometer structure. We further demonstrate a practical method to increase the magnification factor of the Vernier effect based on the device bandwidth. Only the optical path length of an interferometer probe and the sensitivity of the measurement parameters are needed to design this practical interferometer based on the Vernier effect. Our results provide potential insights for the sensing applications of the Vernier effect.

Compound Fabry-Pérot interferometer for simultaneous high-pressure and high-temperature measurement

We have proposed and experimentally demonstrated a sapphire-derived fiber (SDF) and silica capillary-based compound Fabry-Pérot interferometer (FPI) for high-pressure and high-temperature sensing. The SDF owns high alumina dopant concentration core, which can generate a mullite crystallization region during an arc discharge process. The crystallization region acts as a reflective interface to form one FPI in the SDF. The other FPI contains an air cavity constructed by the silica capillary and is used for high-pressure sensing. Both gas pressure within a range from 0 MPa to 4 MPa and temperature within a range from 20°C to 700°C are measured. Experimental results show that the wavelength shift of the FPI versus the applied pressure is linear at each tested temperature. The pressure sensitivity is measured to be 5.19 nm/MPa at a high temperature of 700°C, and the linear responses show excellent repeatability with linearity of 0.999. Meanwhile, the proposed FPI can stably function at a high temperature of 700°C with a temperature sensitivity of 0.013 nm/°C. The proposed FPI sensor provides a promising candidate for simultaneous measurement of high pressure and high temperature in extreme conditions.

Microwave-photonic optical fiber interferometers for refractive index sensing with high sensitivity and a tunable dynamic range

We propose and demonstrate an extremely simple yet novel sensing strategy for measurements of a refractive index (RI) based on microwave-photonic optical fiber interferometry. A hybrid interferometric system based on an incoherent optical interferometer (i.e., a Michelson interferometer [MI]) and a coherent optical interferometer (i.e., a Fabry-Perot interferometer [FPI]) is constructed simply by using a low-cost off-the-shelf fiber coupler. The sensing arm of the MI is highly sensitive to a surrounding RI based on Fresnel reflection, where variations of the ambient RI cause changes in both the reflection magnitudes of the resonance frequencies and fringe visibility of the reflection spectra in the microwave domain. The coherent FPI is employed to tune the dynamic range of the MI by adjusting the effective reflectance of the reference arm of the MI. Essentially, other approaches that can vary the reflectance of the reference arm of the MI can also be used to tune the dynamic range of the system based on the proposed strategy. The experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. The prominent advantages of the sensor, including low cost, ease of fabrication, robustness, compactness, high sensitivity, and tunable dynamic range, make it a strong candidate in various chemical, biological, and environmental applications.

Negative curvature hollow core fiber sensor for the measurement of strain and temperature

Three different types of strain and temperature sensors based on negative curvature hollow core fiber (NCHCF) are proposed. Each sensor is produced by splicing a small section of the NCHCF between two sections of single mode fiber. Different types of interferometers are obtained simply by changing the splicing conditions. The first sensor consists on a single Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI). The remaining two configurations are attained with the same sensing structure, depending on its position in relation to the interrogation setup. Thus, a double FPI or a hybrid sensor, the latter being composed by an FPI and a Michelson interferometer, are formed. The inline sensors are of submillimeter size, thus enabling nearly punctual measurements.

Sapphire Fabry-Perot interferometer for high-temperature pressure sensing

An adhesive-free encapsulation sapphire Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) is proposed and demonstrated for high-temperature pressure measurements. The sapphire FPI sensor is packaged by zirconia ferrules and a zirconia sleeve, which is easy to be configured and low in cost. Owing to this packaging technology, the sapphire FPI sensor presents good stability and high temperature resistance. The pressure and temperature properties of the sapphire FPI sensor are investigated within a temperature range from -50^∘C to 1200°C and a pressure range from 0.4 to 4.0 MPa. Experimental results show the FPI has a temperature sensitivity of 23 pm/°C and still works as the temperature is up to 1200°C. Meanwhile, the wavelength shift of the sapphire FPI versus the applied pressure is linear at each tested temperature. The pressure sensitivity is measured to be 1.20 nm/MPa at 1200°C, and the linear response shows the proposed sensor has good repeatability within 0.4-4.0 MPa. Such a sapphire FPI sensor has potential applications in engineering areas, such as the oil industry and gas boilers.

Combined Long-Period Fiber Grating and Microcavity In-Line Mach-Zehnder Interferometer for Refractive Index Measurements with Limited Cross-Sensitivity

This work discusses sensing properties of a long-period grating (LPG) and microcavity in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (µIMZI) when both are induced in the same single-mode optical fiber. LPGs were either etched or nanocoated with aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) to increase its refractive index (RI) sensitivity up to ≈2000 and 9000 nm/RIU, respectively. The µIMZI was machined using a femtosecond laser as a cylindrical cavity (d = 60 μm) in the center of the LPG. In transmission measurements for various RI in the cavity and around the LPG we observed two effects coming from the two independently working sensors. This dual operation had no significant impact on either of the devices in terms of their functional properties, especially in a lower RI range. Moreover, due to the properties of combined sensors two major effects can be distinguished-sensitivity to the RI of the volume and sensitivity to the RI at the surface. Considering also the negligible temperature sensitivity of the µIMZI, it makes the combination of LPG and µIMZI sensors a promising approach to limit cross-sensitivity or tackle simultaneous measurements of multiple effects with high efficiency and reliability.

Optical Fiber Temperature Sensors and Their Biomedical Applications

The use of sensors in the real world is on the rise, providing information on medical diagnostics for healthcare and improving quality of life. Optical fiber sensors, as a result of their unique properties (small dimensions, capability of multiplexing, chemical inertness, and immunity to electromagnetic fields) have found wide applications, ranging from structural health monitoring to biomedical and point-of-care instrumentation. Furthermore, these sensors usually have good linearity, rapid response for real-time monitoring, and high sensitivity to external perturbations. Optical fiber sensors, thus, present several features that make them extremely attractive for a wide variety of applications, especially biomedical applications. This paper reviews achievements in the area of temperature optical fiber sensors, different configurations of the sensors reported over the last five years, and application of this technology in biomedical applications.

Ultrasensitive Gas Refractometer Using Capillary-Based Mach-Zehnder Interferometer

In this paper, we report a capillary-based Mach–Zehnder (M–Z) interferometer that could be used for precise detection of variations in refractive indices of gaseous samples. The sensing mechanism is quite straightforward. Cladding and core modes of a capillary are simultaneously excited by coupling coherent laser beams to the capillary cladding and core, respectively. An interferogram would be generated as the light transmitted from the core interferes with the light transmitted from the cladding. Variations in the refractive index of the air filling the core lead to variations in the phase difference between the core and cladding modes, thus shifting the interference fringes. Using a photodiode together with a narrow slit, we could interrogate the fringe shifts. The resolution of the sensor was found to be ~5.7 × 10⁻⁸ RIU (refractive index unit), which is comparable to the highest resolution obtained by other interferometric sensors reported in previous studies. Finally, we also analyze the temperature cross sensitivity of the sensor. The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate that the ultra-sensitive sensing of gas refractive index could be realized by simply using a single capillary fiber rather than some complex fiber-optic devices such as photonic crystal fibers or other fiber-optic devices fabricated via tricky fiber processing techniques. This capillary sensor, while featuring an ultrahigh resolution, has many other advantages such as simple structure, ease of fabrication, straightforward sensing principle, and low cost.

Optical Fiber FP Sensor for Simultaneous Measurement of Refractive Index and Temperature Based on the Empirical Mode Decomposition Algorithm

In this work, a dual refractive index and temperature sensor based on an interferometric system and on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) algorithm is presented. Here, it is shown that the EMD provides a comprehensive way to analyze and decompose complex reflection spectra produced by an interferometric filter build at the tip of an optical fiber. By applying the EMD algorithm, the spectrum can be decomposed into a set of intrinsic mode functions (IMF) from which the temperature and the refractive index can be easily extracted. Moreover, the proposed methodology provides a detailed insight of the behavior of this type of interferometric sensors and allows widening of the dynamic measurement ranges of both variables. Here, for proof of principle purposes, a filter based on a stack of three layers (two of them were thermo-sensitive) was fabricated. Finally, it is shown that the proposed methodology can decompose the experimental measured spectra and to determine the refractive index and the temperature, supporting the mathematical model.

Up-down Taper Based In-Fiber Mach-Zehnder Interferometer for Liquid Refractive Index Sensing

A novel in-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on cascaded up-down-taper (UDT) structure is proposed by sandwiching a piece of polarization maintaining fiber between two single-mode fibers (SMF) and by utilizing over-fusion splicing method. The dual up tapers respectively act as fiber splitter/combiner, the down taper acts as an optical attenuator. The structure parameters are analyzed and optimized. A larger interference fringe extinction ratio ~15 dB is obtained to achieve refractive index (RI) sensing based on intensity demodulation. The experimental results show that the RI sensitivity is -310.40 dB/RIU with the linearity is improved to 0.99 in the range of 1.3164-1.3444. The corresponding resolution can reach 3.22 × 10^-5 RIU, which is 6.8 times higher than wavelength demodulation. The cross sensitivity which caused by temperature fluctuation is less than 1.4 × 10^-4.

A Refractive Index Sensor Based on a Fabry–Perot Interferometer Manufactured by NIR Laser Microdrilling and Electric Arc Fusion

In-line Fabry–Perot cavities manufactured by a new technique using electric arc fusion of NIR laser microdrilled optical fiber flat tips were studied herein for refractive index sensing. Sensors were produced by creating an initial hole on the tip of a standard single-mode telecommunication optical fiber using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Laser ablation and plasma formation processes created 5 to 10 micron cavities. Then, a standard splicing machine was used to fuse the microdrilled fiber with another one, thus creating cavities with lengths around 100 micrometers. This length has been proven to be necessary to obtain an interferometric signal with good fringe visibility when illuminating it in the C-band. Then, the sensing tip of the fiber, with the resulting air cavity, was submitted to several cleaves to enhance the signal and, therefore, its response as a sensor, with final lengths between tens of centimeters for the longest and hundreds of microns for the shortest. The experimental results were analyzed via two signal analysis techniques, fringe visibility and fast Fourier transform, for comparison purposes. In absolute values, the obtained sensitivities varied between 0.31 nm−1/RIU and about 8 nm−1/RIU using the latter method and between about 34 dB/RIU and 54 dB/RIU when analyzing the fringe visibility.

Design of Transmission-Type Refractive Index Sensor, Based on Silica Planar Lightwave Circuit Using Combination of Refractive Angle and Phase Measurements

A transmission-type refractive index sensor, based on planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technology is proposed. In the proposed structure, we introduce a combination of coarse measurements, using the dependence of the angle of refraction and fine measurement, and the dependence of the phase on the refractive index to measure the absolute refractive index precisely, without expensive optical measurement equipment. The theoretical model of the proposed refractive index sensor is derived based on Fourier optics and transfer function to simulate its performance. The simulation results for the use of the 2.5%-Δ silica-based PLC technology indicate that the proposed structure has the potential to achieve a refractive index error of approximately 1 × 10^-6 RIU or less when a monitored power deviation of ±0.05 dB is accepted.

Analytical study of the numerical aperture of cone-shaped optical fibers: A tool for tailored designs

In this work, a set of analytical expressions to tailor the numerical aperture of cone-shaped step optical fibers is proposed. The expressions are derived from the geometrical study of light-ray tracing at the cone-shaped tip of a regular step-index optical fiber. Analysis of the different physical phenomena that can take place at the tip of the fiber led to numerical apertures ranging from 0 to 1.5 which can be achieved via a variety of cone angles, providing great versatility in the design of light sources or light collecting devices based on step-index optical fibers.

Temperature-insensitive fiber-optic tip sensors array based on OCMR for multipoint refractive index measurement

A temperature-insensitive fiber-optic tip sensors array is proposed for multipoint refractive index measurement using optical carrier based on microwave reflection (OCMR). The tip sensors array is made of a series of cleaved fiber end-faces and is spatially multiplexed by physically connecting with a fiber-optic splitter with different lengths of short delay fiber. A sensors array with eight sensing tips is demonstrated for multipoint refractive index measurement. Experimental results show that it can offer a high refractive-index resolution of 3.60 × 10^-6 RIU and a low temperature-refractive index cross sensitivity of 3.74 × 10^-7 RIU/°C. Such a sensors array not only possesses excellent sensing performances, but also can be integrated into a chip for biochemical sensing applications.

Construction of cascaded Fabry-Perot interferometers by four in-fiber mirrors for high-temperature sensing

An optical fiber high-temperature sensor is proposed and demonstrated by use of cascaded Fabry-Perot interferometers based on four in-fiber mirrors fabricated by femtosecond laser inscription. The output fringe pattern of the device exhibits dominant/highly distinguishable dip wavelength, which helps in unambiguous measurement beyond the free spectral range. The device has excellent thermal stability in high temperature up to 1100°C, and the temperature sensitivity obtained is 9.91 pm/°C within the temperature range of 100°C to 400°C, and 15.88 pm/°C within the temperature range of 400°C to 1100°C, respectively. The device features compact size, simple fabrication, and convenient operation, which make it attractive for monitoring of extreme environment.

High-accuracy hybrid fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot sensor based on MEMS for simultaneous gas refractive-index and temperature sensing

We present a high-accuracy fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot (F-P) sensor capable of simultaneously measuring the temperature and gas refractive-index (RI). The sensor consists of a silicon F-P cavity for temperature sensing and a glass F-P cavity with a side groove for gas RI sensing. Two F-P cavities are simply fabricated and connected in series by microelectromechanical system (MEMS) techniques. The hybrid F-P sensor produces a superposition of signals. Changes in temperature and RI can be separated and detected by a fast Fourier transform (FFT) and the wavelength-tracing method. The experimental results demonstrate that the sensitivities of the proposed sensor are 80.7 pm/°C from 10 °C to 60 °C and over 1535.8 nm/RIU in the gas RI range of 1.0000248-1.0007681. Furthermore, the gas RI measurement reaches a high accuracy of ± 7.6 × 10^-6 RIU, owing to the temperature compensation. In addition, the measured precisions of the temperature and gas RI are 1.07 × 10^-3 °C and 2.73 × 10^-8 RIU, respectively.

A Recent Progress of Steel Bar Corrosion Diagnostic Techniques in RC Structures

Corrosion of steel bar is one of key factors undermining reinforced concrete (RC) structures in a harsh environment. This paper attempts to review the non-destructive procedures from the aspect of the corrosion measurement techniques, especially their advantages and limitations. Systematical classification of diagnostic methods is carried out to determine any probable corrosion issues before the structures become severe, and helps choose the suitable method according to different construction features. Furthermore, the three electrochemical factors method is introduced to inspire researchers to combine various techniques to improve corrosion evaluation accuracy. The recommendations for future work are summarized, in conclusion.

Compact gas refractometer based on a tapered four-core fiber

A compact in-line interferometer is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for gas refractive index (GRI) measurement. The sensor comprises a tapered four-core fiber (TFCF) sandwiched between two single-mode fibers (SMFs), forming an in-line SMF-TFCF-SMF structure. The fiber taper acts as a bridge between the external GRI variation and the multimode interference within the TFCF segment. A high sensitivity of 1280.94 dB/refractive index unit is obtained in GRI measurement around 1.0. Temperature change only shifts the interference wavelength, and the cross-sensitivity of temperature can be ignored by intensity demodulation. The proposed gas refractometer, with its improved performance, can be a good candidate for chemical sensing or bio-sensing.

Crystallization-sapphire-derived-fiber-based Fabry-Perot interferometer for refractive index and high-temperature measurement

A crystallization-sapphire-derived-fiber (CSDF)-based Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) for refractive index (RI) and high-temperature measurement is proposed and demonstrated. The FPI is formed by splicing sapphire-derived fiber (SDF) to the end face of a well-cleaved single-mode fiber (SMF). CSDF is generated hundreds of micrometers away from the fusion joint resulting from arc discharge and then cuts the SDF to the edge of the CSDF. The FPI consists of two cavities, one of which is formed by CSDF, and the other is SDF, between the SMF and CSDF. The fringe contrast of the reflection spectrum varying with the RI changes of the external environment is used for RI sensing, while the wavelength shifting is for the ambient temperature sensing. In the experiment, the refractive index and temperature sensitivities are about 233.8 dB/RIU in the RI range of 1.333-1.363 and 13.571 pm/°C in the temperature range of 20°C-1000°C.

Dual-wavelength intensity-modulated Fabry-Perot refractive index sensor driven by temperature fluctuation

A refractive index sensor based on an in-line Fabry-Perot interferometer is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Two lasers are combined and injected into the sensor head. The power responses of two wavelengths are measured by a dual-channel optical power meter simultaneously. The two reflected power signals distribute along an ellipse. The refractive index of the liquid is calculated from the half length of the longer axes of the fitted ellipse. The refractive index sensing system is demonstrated to measure the refractive index of the salt solutions with different concentrations. The demodulated results matched well with the refractive index measured by the Abbe refractometer, and a resolution of 0.0017 was obtained. Since the temperature is eliminated during the ellipse fitting, the measuring result is insensitive to the temperature fluctuation. The proposed refractive index sensing sensor has outstanding advantages, such as low demodulation cost, simple fabrication, easy cleaning, and good mechanical strength, and will be of importance in biological detection, chemical analysis, and water pollution monitoring.

Investigation of optical force on magnetic nanoparticles with magnetic-fluid-filled Fabry-Perot interferometer

The optical force acting on the magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) is investigated with the magnetic-fluid-filled fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer. The shift of interference spectra is related with the local refractive index variation in the light path, which is assigned to the optical-force-induced outward movement of MNPs. The influence of magnetic fluid’s viscosity, ambient temperature, strength and orientation of the externally applied magnetic field on the optical-force-induced MNPs’ movement is studied in details. The results of this work provide a further understanding of interaction between light and MNPs and clarify the dynamic micro-processes of MNPs within magnetic fluid under external stimuli. It may have the potentials in the fields of light-controllable magnetic-fluid-based devices and vector magnetic field detection.

Optomechanical time-domain reflectometry

Optical fibres constitute an exceptional sensing platform. However, standard fibres present an inherent sensing challenge: they confine light to an inner core. Consequently, distributed fibre sensors are restricted to the measurement of conditions that prevail within the core. This work presents distributed analysis of media outside unmodified, standard fibre. Measurements are based on stimulated scattering by guided acoustic modes, which allow us to listen where we cannot look. The protocol overcomes a major difficulty: guided acoustic waves induce forward scattering, which cannot be mapped using time-of-flight. The solution relies on mapping the Rayleigh backscatter contributions of two optical tones, which are coupled by the acoustic wave. Analysis is demonstrated over 3 km of fibre with 100 m resolution. Measurements distinguish between air, ethanol and water outside the cladding, and between air and water outside polyimide-coated fibres. The results establish a new sensor configuration: optomechanical time-domain reflectometry, with several potential applications.

Novel High-Sensitivity Racetrack Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor Modified by Graphene

In order to overcome the existing challenges presented by conventional sensors, including their large size, a complicated preparation process, and difficulties filling the sensing media, a novel high-sensitivity plasmonic resonator sensor which is composed of two graphene-modified straight waveguides, two metallic layers, and a racetrack nanodisk resonator is proposed in this study. The transmission characteristics, which were calculated by the finite element theory, were used to further analyze the sensing properties. The results of quantitative analysis show that the proposed plasmonic sensor generates two resonance peaks for the different incident wavelengths, and both resonance peaks can be tuned by temperature. In addition, after optimizing the structural parameters of the resonator, the Q value and the refractive sensitivity reached 21.5 and 1666.67 nmRIU⁻¹, respectively. Compared with other studies, these values translate to a better performance. Furthermore, a temperature sensitivity of 2.33 nm/5 °C was achieved, which allows the sensor to be easily applied to practical detection. The results of this study can broaden the useful range for a nanometer-scale temperature sensor with ultrafast real-time detection and resistance to electromagnetic interference.

High-resolution, flexible, and transparent nanopore thin film sensor enabled by cascaded Fabry-Perot effect

This Letter reports a method to significantly improve the optical resolution of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanopore thin film sensor based on multi-cavity Fabry-Perot interference. The newly designed sensor is fabricated by bonding a layer of transparent polymer thin film (pTF), which is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), to a transparent AAO thin film to form a flexible pTF-nanopore sensor. In comparison with the AAO nanopore thin film sensor, the pTF-nanopore sensor shows a much-improved quality (Q) factor and optical resolution. Typical thicknesses of a PDMS layer and an AAO layer of the pTF-nanopore sensor are 80 μm and 2 μm, respectively. The pTF-nanopore sensor used for angle detection shows a sensitivity of 0.4 nm/deg with a resolution of 0.2 deg. The pTF-nanopore sensor can also be used for temperature monitoring with a sensitivity of 0.2 nm/°C and a resolution of 1°C.

Hypersonic force measurements using internal balance based on optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometry

Force measurements using wind tunnel balance are necessary for determining a variety of aerodynamic performance parameters, while the harsh environment in hypersonic flows requires that the measurement instrument should be reliable and robust, in against strong electromagnetic interference, high vacuum, or metal (oxide) dusts. In this paper, we demonstrated a three-component internal balance for hypersonic aerodynamic force measurements, using novel optical micromachined Fabry-Perot interferometric (FPI) strain gauges as sensing elements. The FPI gauges were fabricated using Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) surface and bulk fabrication techniques. High-reflectivity coatings are used to form a high-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity, which benefits a high resolution. Antireflective and passivation coatings are used to reduce unwanted interferences. The FPI strain gauge based balance has been calibrated and evaluated in a Mach 5 hypersonic flow. The results are compared with the traditional technique using the foil resistive strain gauge balance, indicating that the proposed balance based on the MOEMS FPI strain gauge is reliable and robust and is potentially suitable for the hypersonic wind tunnel harsh environment.

Towards Electrotuneable Nanoplasmonic Fabry-Perot Interferometer

Directed voltage-controlled assembly and disassembly of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) at electrified solid–electrolyte interfaces (SEI) offer novel opportunities for the creation of tuneable optical devices. We apply this concept to propose a fast electrotuneable, NP-based Fabry–Perot (FP) interferometer, comprising two parallel transparent electrodes in aqueous electrolyte, which form the polarizable SEI for directed assembly–disassembly of negatively charged NPs. An FP cavity between two reflective NP-monolayers assembled at such interfaces can be formed or deconstructed under positive or negative polarization of the electrodes, respectively. The inter-NP spacing may be tuned via applied potential. Since the intensity, wavelength, and linewidth of the reflectivity peak depend on the NP packing density, the transmission spectrum of the system can thus be varied. A detailed theoretical model of the system’s optical response is presented, which shows excellent agreement with full-wave simulations. The tuning of the peak transmission wavelength and linewidth is investigated in detail. Design guidelines for such NP-based FP systems are established, where transmission characteristics can be electrotuned in-situ, without mechanically altering the cavity length.

Overlapped fiber-optic Michelson interferometers for simultaneous refractive index measurement at two sensing points

We present a fiber refractometer based on the implementation of overlapped Michelson interferometers; the refractometer allows simultaneous refractive index measurement at two sensing points for samples discrimination. The fiber refractometer uses the Fresnel reflection in each fiber tip of the overlapped interferometers to generate the interference signal. Experimental results, implementing the two sensing points, for discrimination between non-contaminated and contaminated distilled water are presented. Despite the simplicity of the presented system, resolution and repeatability of 3×10^-4 and 5×10^-4 are obtained in a dip and read experiment using both sensing points simultaneously for refractive index measurement.

High-sensitivity and large-dynamic-range refractive index sensors employing weak composite Fabry-Perot cavities

Most sensors face a common trade-off between high sensitivity and a large dynamic range. We demonstrate here an all-fiber refractometer based on a dual-cavity Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) that possesses the advantage of both high sensitivity and a large dynamic range. Since the two composite cavities have a large cavity length difference, one can observe both fine and coarse fringes, which correspond to the long cavity and the short cavity, respectively. The short-cavity FPI and the use of an intensity demodulation method mean that the individual fine fringe dips correspond to a series of quasi-continuous highly sensitive zones for refractive index measurement. By calculating the parameters of the composite FPI, we find that the range of the ultra-sensitive zones can be considerably adjusted to suit the end requirements. The experimental trends are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. The co-existence of high sensitivity and a large dynamic range in a composite FPI is of great significance to practical RI measurements.

Ultra-sensitive refractive index sensor based on an extremely simple femtosecond-laser-induced structure

We demonstrate here an extremely simple, compact, and robust refractive index (RI) probe sensor based on a femtosecond-laser induced refractive index-modified dot (RIMD) fabricated near the end face of a single-mode fiber. The RIMD and the fiber end face form a Fabry-Perot interferometer, which is highly sensitive to surrounding RI. The fabrication process of the RIMD involves only one step and takes ∼0.1  s, which is extremely short, compared with other techniques. The proposed sensor exhibits an ultra-high sensitivity of ∼2523.2  dB/RIU at an RI of 1.435, which is one to two orders of magnitude higher than that of the existing intensity-modulated RI sensors. Moreover, the proposed sensor has the distinct advantages of compact size (∼50  μm), easy fabrication, and no temperature cross-sensitivity. The advantages of the device make it a promising candidate for applications in designing highly sensitive sensors in a biochemical and environmental measurement field.

Miniaturized fiber-taper-based Fabry-Perot interferometer for high-temperature sensing

A microminiaturized all-fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) for high-temperature sensing has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The FPI is composed of a micro-air bubble and a taper probe with a tip less than 2 μm in diameter as reflected interfaces. A temperature sensitivity of 14.68 pm/°C near the wavelength of 1550 nm is obtained. The sensor, with its miniature size, can work in an ultra-small space with a large range of temperature variation.

High-resolution, large dynamic range fiber-optic thermometer with cascaded Fabry-Perot cavities

The paradox between a large dynamic range and a high resolution commonly exists in nearly all kinds of sensors. Here, we propose a fiber-optic thermometer based on dual Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) made from the same material (silicon), but with different cavity lengths, which enables unambiguous recognition of the dense fringes associated with the thick FPI over the free-spectral range determined by the thin FPI. Therefore, the sensor combines the large dynamic range of the thin FPI and the high resolution of the thick FPI. To verify this new concept, a sensor with one 200 μm thick silicon FPI cascaded by another 10 μm thick silicon FPI was fabricated. A temperature range of -50°C to 130°C and a resolution of 6.8×10^-3°C were demonstrated using a simple average wavelength tracking demodulation. Compared to a sensor with only the thick silicon FPI, the dynamic range of the hybrid sensor was more than 10 times larger. Compared to a sensor with only the thin silicon FPI, the resolution of the hybrid sensor was more than 18 times higher.