Distributed fiber optic system for oil pipeline leakage detection

Science.gov (United States)

Paranjape, R.; Liu, N.; Rumple, C.; Hara, Elmer H.

2003-02-01

We present a novel approach for the detection of leakage in oil pipelines using methods of fiber optic distributed sensors, a presence-of-oil based actuator, and Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR). While the basic concepts of our approach are well understood, the integration of the components into a complete system is a real world engineering design problem. Our focus has been on the development of the actuator design and testing using installed dark fiber. Initial results are promising, however environmental studies into the long term effects of exposure to the environment are still pending.

Distributed Optical Fiber Radiation and Temperature Sensing at High Energy Accelerators and Experiments

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2090137; Brugger, Markus

The aim of this Thesis is to investigate the feasibility of a distributed optical fiber radiation sensing system to be used at high energy physics accelerators and experiments where complex mixed-field environments are present. In particular, after having characterized the response of a selection of radiation sensitive optical fibers to ionizing radiation coming from a 60Co source, the results of distributed optical fiber radiation measurements in a mixed-field environment are presented along with the method to actually estimate the dose variation. This study demonstrates that distributed optical fiber dosimetry in the above mentioned mixed-field radiation environment is feasible, allowing to detect dose variations of about 10-15 Gy with a 1 m spatial resolution. The proof of principle has fully succeeded and we can now tackle the challenge of an industrial installation taking into account that some optimizations need to be done both on the control unit of the system as well as on the choice of the sensing f...

Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor for Early Detection of Rocky Slopes Movements

Science.gov (United States)

Minardo, Aldo; Picarelli, Luciano; Coscetta, Agnese; Zeni, Giovanni; Esposito, Giuseppe; Sacchi, Marco; Matano, Fabio; Caccavale, Mauro; Luigi, Zeni

2014-05-01

Distributed optical fiber sensors have in recent years gained considerable attention in structural and environmental monitoring due to specific advantages that, apart from the classical advantages common to all optical fiber sensors such as immunity to electromagnetic interferences, high sensitivity, small size and possibility to be embedded into the structures, multiplexing and remote interrogation capabilities [1], offer the unique feature of allowing the exploitation of a telecommunication grade optical fiber cable as the sensing element to measure deformation and temperature profiles over very long distances. In particular, distributed optical fiber sensors based on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) through the so-called Brillouin Optical Time Domain Analysis (BOTDA), allow to measure strain and temperature profiles up to tens of kilometers with a strain accuracy of ±10µɛ and a temperature accuracy of ±1°C [2]. They have already been successfully employed in the monitoring of large civil and geotechnical structures such as bridges, tunnels, dams, pipelines allowing to identify and localize any kind of failures that can occur during their construction and operation [3,4]. In this paper we present the application of BOTDA to the monitoring of movements in a rocky slope, showing how the sensing optical fiber cable is able to detect the formation and follow the growth of fractures, and to identify their location along the slope, as well. The experimental results have been achieved on a test field located in the area of Naples (Italy), where a single mode optical fiber sensing cable has been deployed along a yellow tuffs slope, by spot gluing the cable with epoxy adhesive. In order to assess the validity of the proposed approach, a few existing cracks have been artificially enlarged and the magnitude and location of the induced strain peaks have been clearly identified by the sensing device. It should be emphasized that, due to the distributed nature of the

Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors Based on Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenyang Ding

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS offer unprecedented features, the most unique one of which is the ability of monitoring variations of the physical and chemical parameters with spatial continuity along the fiber. Among all these distributed sensing techniques, optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR has been given tremendous attention because of its high spatial resolution and large dynamic range. In addition, DOFS based on OFDR have been used to sense many parameters. In this review, we will survey the key technologies for improving sensing range, spatial resolution and sensing performance in DOFS based on OFDR. We also introduce the sensing mechanisms and the applications of DOFS based on OFDR including strain, stress, vibration, temperature, 3D shape, flow, refractive index, magnetic field, radiation, gas and so on.

Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors Based on Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry: A review

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chenhuan; Liu, Kun; Jiang, Junfeng; Yang, Di; Pan, Guanyi; Pu, Zelin; Liu, Tiegen

2018-01-01

Distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) offer unprecedented features, the most unique one of which is the ability of monitoring variations of the physical and chemical parameters with spatial continuity along the fiber. Among all these distributed sensing techniques, optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) has been given tremendous attention because of its high spatial resolution and large dynamic range. In addition, DOFS based on OFDR have been used to sense many parameters. In this review, we will survey the key technologies for improving sensing range, spatial resolution and sensing performance in DOFS based on OFDR. We also introduce the sensing mechanisms and the applications of DOFS based on OFDR including strain, stress, vibration, temperature, 3D shape, flow, refractive index, magnetic field, radiation, gas and so on. PMID:29614024

Optical Switching for Dynamic Distribution of Wireless-Over-Fiber Signals in Active Optical Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vegas Olmos, Juan José; Rodes, Guillermo; Tafur Monroy, Idelfonso

2012-01-01

In this paper, we report on an experimental validation of dynamic distribution of wireless-over-fiber by employing optical switching using semiconductor optical amplifiers; we also provide a channel distribution scheme and a generic topology for such an optical switch. The experiment consists...... of a four wavelength-division-multiplexed channel system operating on a WiMax frequency band and employing an orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexing modulation at 625 Mbits/s per channel, transmission of the data over 20 km of optical fiber, and active switching in a 1 × 16 active optical switch....... The results show a negligible power penalty on each channel for both the best and the worst case in terms of inter-channel crosstalk. The presented system is highly scalable both in terms of port count and throughput, a desirable feature in highly branched access networks, and is modulation- and frequency...

Distributed fiber optic interferometric geophone system based on draw tower gratings

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ruquan; Guo, Huiyong; Liang, Lei

2017-09-01

A distributed fiber optic interferometric geophone array based on draw tower grating (DTG) array is proposed. The DTG geophone array is made by the DTG array fabricated based on a near-contact exposure through a phase mask during the fiber drawing process. A distributed sensing system with 96 identical DTGs in an equal separation of 20 m and an unbalanced Michelson interferometer for vibration measurement has been experimentally validated compared with a moving-coil geophone. The experimental results indicate that the sensing system can linearly demodulate the phase shift. Compared with the moving coil geophone, the fiber optic sensing system based on DTG has higher signal-to-noise ratio at low frequency.

Ultra-weak FBG and its refractive index distribution in the drawing optical fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Huiyong; Liu, Fang; Yuan, Yinquan; Yu, Haihu; Yang, Minghong

2015-02-23

For the online writing of ultra-weak fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) in the drawing optical fibers, the effects of the intensity profile, pulse fluctuation and pulse width of the excimer laser, as well as the transverse and longitudinal vibrations of the optical fiber have been investigated. Firstly, using Lorentz-Loren equation, Gladstone-Dale mixing rule and continuity equation, we have derived the refractive index (RI) fluctuation along the optical fiber and the RI distribution in the FBG, they are linear with the gradient of longitudinal vibration velocity. Then, we have prepared huge amounts of ultra-weak FBGs in the non-moving optical fiber and obtained their reflection spectra, the measured reflection spectra shows that the intensity profile and pulse fluctuation of the excimer laser, as well as the transverse vibration of the optical fiber are little responsible for the inconsistency of ultra-weak FBGs. Finally, the effect of the longitudinal vibration of the optical fiber on the inconsistency of ultra-weak FBGs has been discussed, and the vibration equations of the drawing optical fiber are given in the appendix.

Modeling of Distributed Sensing of Elastic Waves by Fiber-Optic Interferometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Just Agbodjan Prince

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the transduction of strain accompanying elastic waves in solids by firmly attached optical fibers. Stretching sections of optical fibers changes the time required by guided light to pass such sections. Exploiting interferometric techniques, highly sensitive fiber-optic strain transducers are feasible based on this fiber-intrinsic effect. The impact on the actual strain conversion of the fiber segment’s shape and size, as well as its inclination to the elastic wavefront is studied. FEM analyses show that severe distortions of the interferometric response occur when the attached fiber length spans a noticeable fraction of the elastic wavelength. Analytical models of strain transduction are presented for typical transducer shapes. They are used to compute input-output relationships for the transduction of narrow-band strain pulses as a function of the mechanical wavelength. The described approach applies to many transducers depending on the distributed interaction with the investigated object.

Distributed fluorescent optical fiber proximity sensor: Towards a proof of concept

Science.gov (United States)

Gălătuș, Ramona; Faragó, Paul; Miluski, Piotr; Valles, Juan-Antonio

2018-06-01

Fluorescent fibers are optical fibers which emit light as a response to an incident phenomenon, usually an incident light. Operation depends on the doping dyes, which determine specific fluorescence and optical characteristics useful in the development of optical sensors. In this work we propose a low-cost distributed proximity sensor implemented using a red fluorescent fiber, to provide a security option for a surface plasmon resonance system. Operation of the proposed sensor relies on having the incident illumination intensity varied by the presence or absence of an obstacle in the vicinity of the sensing element. This will influence the radiated fluorescence accordingly. The proposed setup for the implementation of the optical proximity sensor assumes having a high brightness LED deployed for axial fiber illumination and a blue LED for side illumination. Electronic processing then accounts for gain and digitization. Measurement results of the prototype validate the proposed concept.

In-Space Distributed Fiber Optic Hydrogen Leak Sensor, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Broadband Photonics Inc. proposes development of a patent-pending distributed fiber optic sensor for in-space hydrogen leak detection. Reliable and fast detection of...

Seismic damage identification for steel structures using distributed fiber optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Shuang; Cai, C S; Ou, Jinping

2009-08-01

A distributed fiber optic monitoring methodology based on optic time domain reflectometry technology is developed for seismic damage identification of steel structures. Epoxy with a strength closely associated to a specified structure damage state is used for bonding zigzagged configured optic fibers on the surfaces of the structure. Sensing the local deformation of the structure, the epoxy modulates the signal change within the optic fiber in response to the damage state of the structure. A monotonic loading test is conducted on a steel specimen installed with the proposed sensing system using selected epoxy that will crack at the designated strain level, which indicates the damage of the steel structure. Then, using the selected epoxy, a varying degree of cyclic loading amplitudes, which is associated with different damage states, is applied on a second specimen. The test results show that the specimen's damage can be identified by the optic sensors, and its maximum local deformation can be recorded by the sensing system; moreover, the damage evolution can also be identified.

Recent Progress in Distributed Fiber Optic Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoyi Bao

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Rayleigh, Brillouin and Raman scatterings in fibers result from the interaction of photons with local material characteristic features like density, temperature and strain. For example an acoustic/mechanical wave generates a dynamic density variation; such a variation may be affected by local temperature, strain, vibration and birefringence. By detecting changes in the amplitude, frequency and phase of light scattered along a fiber, one can realize a distributed fiber sensor for measuring localized temperature, strain, vibration and birefringence over lengths ranging from meters to one hundred kilometers. Such a measurement can be made in the time domain or frequency domain to resolve location information. With coherent detection of the scattered light one can observe changes in birefringence and beat length for fibers and devices. The progress on state of the art technology for sensing performance, in terms of spatial resolution and limitations on sensing length is reviewed. These distributed sensors can be used for disaster prevention in the civil structural monitoring of pipelines, bridges, dams and railroads. A sensor with centimeter spatial resolution and high precision measurement of temperature, strain, vibration and birefringence can find applications in aerospace smart structures, material processing, and the characterization of optical materials and devices.

Distributed strain measurement with polymer optical fibers integrated into multifunctional geotextiles

Science.gov (United States)

Liehr, Sascha; Lenke, Philipp; Krebber, Katerina; Seeger, Monika; Thiele, Elke; Metschies, Heike; Gebreselassie, Berhane; Münich, Johannes Christian; Stempniewski, Lothar

2008-04-01

Fiber optic sensors based on polymer optical fibers (POF) have the advantage of being very elastic and robust at the same time. Unlike silica fibers, standard PMMA POF fibers can be strained to more than 40% while fully maintaining their light guiding properties. We investigated POF as a distributed strain sensor by analysing the backscatter increase at the strained section using the optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) technique. This sensing ability together with its high robustness and break-down strain makes POF well-suited for integration into technical textiles for structural health monitoring purposes. Within the European research project POLYTECT (Polyfunctional textiles against natural hazards) technical textiles with integrated POF sensors, among others sensors are being developed for online structural health monitoring of geotechnical structures. Mechanical deformation in slopes, dams, dikes, embankments and retrofitted masonry structures is to be detected before critical damage occurs. In this paper we present the POF strain sensor properties, reactions to disturbing influences as temperature and bends as well as the results of the different model tests we conducted within POLYTECT. We further show the potential of perfluorinated graded-index POF for distributed strain sensing with increased spatial resolution and measurement lengths.

Distributed Anemometry via High-Definition Fiber Optic Sensing, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Luna is developing a distributed anemometer that can directly measure flow field velocity profiles using high-definition fiber optic sensing (HD-FOS). The concept is...

A Review of Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors for Civil Engineering Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Barrias, António; Casas, Joan R.; Villalba, Sergi

2016-01-01

The application of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems to civil engineering structures has been a developing studied and practiced topic, that has allowed for a better understanding of structures’ conditions and increasingly lead to a more cost-effective management of those infrastructures. In this field, the use of fiber optic sensors has been studied, discussed and practiced with encouraging results. The possibility of understanding and monitor the distributed behavior of extensive stretches of critical structures it’s an enormous advantage that distributed fiber optic sensing provides to SHM systems. In the past decade, several R & D studies have been performed with the goal of improving the knowledge and developing new techniques associated with the application of distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) in order to widen the range of applications of these sensors and also to obtain more correct and reliable data. This paper presents, after a brief introduction to the theoretical background of DOFS, the latest developments related with the improvement of these products by presenting a wide range of laboratory experiments as well as an extended review of their diverse applications in civil engineering structures. PMID:27223289

A Review of Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors for Civil Engineering Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrias, António; Casas, Joan R; Villalba, Sergi

2016-05-23

The application of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems to civil engineering structures has been a developing studied and practiced topic, that has allowed for a better understanding of structures' conditions and increasingly lead to a more cost-effective management of those infrastructures. In this field, the use of fiber optic sensors has been studied, discussed and practiced with encouraging results. The possibility of understanding and monitor the distributed behavior of extensive stretches of critical structures it's an enormous advantage that distributed fiber optic sensing provides to SHM systems. In the past decade, several R & D studies have been performed with the goal of improving the knowledge and developing new techniques associated with the application of distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) in order to widen the range of applications of these sensors and also to obtain more correct and reliable data. This paper presents, after a brief introduction to the theoretical background of DOFS, the latest developments related with the improvement of these products by presenting a wide range of laboratory experiments as well as an extended review of their diverse applications in civil engineering structures.

A Review of Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors for Civil Engineering Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

António Barrias

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The application of structural health monitoring (SHM systems to civil engineering structures has been a developing studied and practiced topic, that has allowed for a better understanding of structures’ conditions and increasingly lead to a more cost-effective management of those infrastructures. In this field, the use of fiber optic sensors has been studied, discussed and practiced with encouraging results. The possibility of understanding and monitor the distributed behavior of extensive stretches of critical structures it’s an enormous advantage that distributed fiber optic sensing provides to SHM systems. In the past decade, several R & D studies have been performed with the goal of improving the knowledge and developing new techniques associated with the application of distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS in order to widen the range of applications of these sensors and also to obtain more correct and reliable data. This paper presents, after a brief introduction to the theoretical background of DOFS, the latest developments related with the improvement of these products by presenting a wide range of laboratory experiments as well as an extended review of their diverse applications in civil engineering structures.

Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensor for Detection and Localization of Acoustic Vibrations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sifta Radim

2015-03-01

Full Text Available A sensing system utilizing a standard optical fiber as a distributed sensor for the detection and localization of mechanical vibrations is presented. Vibrations can be caused by various external factors, like moving people, cars, trains, and other objects producing mechanical vibrations that are sensed by a fiber. In our laboratory we have designed a sensing system based on the Φ-OTDR (phase sensitive Optical Time Domain Reflectometry using an extremely narrow laser and EDFAs.

Study of distributed fiber-optic laser-ultrasound generation based on ghost-mode of tilted fiber Bragg gratings

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jiajun; Zhang, Qi; Han, Ming

2013-05-01

Fiber-optic ultrasonic transducers are an important component of an active ultrasonic testing system for structural health monitoring. Fiber-optic transducers have several advantages such as small size, light weight, and immunity to electromagnetic interference that make them much more attractive than the current available piezoelectric transducers, especially as embedded and permanent transducers in active ultrasonic testing for structural health monitoring. In this paper, a distributed fiber-optic laser-ultrasound generation based on the ghost-mode of tilted fiber Bragg gratings is studied. The influences of the laser power and laser pulse duration on the laser-ultrasound generation are investigated. The results of this paper are helpful to understand the working principle of this laser-ultrasound method and improve the ultrasonic generation efficiency.

Ultra-stable long distance optical frequency distribution using the Internet fiber network.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Olivier; Haboucha, Adil; Chanteau, Bruno; Chardonnet, Christian; Amy-Klein, Anne; Santarelli, Giorgio

2012-10-08

We report an optical link of 540 km for ultrastable frequency distribution over the Internet fiber network. The stable frequency optical signal is processed enabling uninterrupted propagation on both directions. The robustness and the performance of the link are enhanced by a cost effective fully automated optoelectronic station. This device is able to coherently regenerate the return optical signal with a heterodyne optical phase locking of a low noise laser diode. Moreover the incoming signal polarization variation are tracked and processed in order to maintain beat note amplitudes within the operation range. Stable fibered optical interferometer enables optical detection of the link round trip phase signal. The phase-noise compensated link shows a fractional frequency instability in 10 Hz bandwidth of 5 × 10(-15) at one second measurement time and 2 × 10(-19) at 30,000 s. This work is a significant step towards a sustainable wide area ultrastable optical frequency distribution and comparison network.

Radiation distribution sensing with normal optical fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawarabayashi, Jun; Mizuno, Ryoji; Naka, Ryotaro; Uritani, Akira; Watanabe, Ken-ichi; Iguchi, Tetsuo; Tsujimura, Norio

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a radiation distribution monitor using a normal plastic optical fiber. The monitor has a long operating length (10m-100m) and can obtain continuous radiation distributions. A principle of the position sensing is based on a time-of-flight technique. The characteristics of this monitor to beta particles, gamma rays and fast neutrons were obtained. The spatial resolutions for beta particles ( 90 Sr -90 Y), gamma rays ( 137 Cs) and D-T neutrons were 30 cm, 37 cm and 13 cm, respectively. The detection efficiencies for the beta rays, the gamma rays and D-T neutrons were 0.11%, 1.6x10 -5 % and 5.4x10 -4 %, respectively. The effective attenuation length of the detection efficiency was 18m. New principle of the position sensing based on spectroscopic analysis was also proposed. A preliminary test showed that the spectrum observed at the end of the fiber depended on the position of the irradiated point. This fact shows that the radiation distributions were calculated from the spectrum by mathematical deconvolution technique. (author)

Fiber optics in SHIVA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severyn, J.; Parker, J.

1978-01-01

SHIVA is a twenty arm laser which is controlled with a network of fifty computers, interconnected with digital fiber optic links. Three different fiber optic systems employed on the Shiva laser will be described. Two of the systems are for digital communications, one at 9600 baud and the other at 1 megabaud. The third system uses fiber optics to distribute diagnostic triggers with subnanosecond jitter

A high spatial resolution distributed optical fiber grating sensing system based on OFDR

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Ke; Xiong, Yuchuan; Wen, Hongqiao; Tong, Xinlin; Zhang, Cui; Deng, Chengwei

2017-10-01

A distributed optical fiber grating sensing system with large capacity and high spatial resolution is presented. Since highdensity identical weak grating array was utilized as sensing fiber, the multiplexing number was greatly increased, meanwhile, optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) technology was used to implement high resolution distributed sensing system. In order to eliminate the nonlinear effect of tunable light source, a windowed FFT algorithm based on cubic spline interpolation was applied. The feasibility of the algorithm was experimentally testified, ultimately, the spatial resolution of system can reach mm-level. The influence of the crosstalk signal in the grating array on the OFDR system was analyzed. A method that a long enough delay fiber was added before the first FBG to remove crosstalk signal was proposed. The experiment was verified using an optical fiber with 113 uniform Bragg gratings at an interval of 10cm whose reflectivity are less than 1%. It demonstrates that crosstalk signal and measurement signal can be completely separated in the distance domain after adding a long enough delay fiber. Finally, the temperature experiment of distributed grating sensing system was carried out. The results display that each raster's center wavelength in the fiber link is independent of each other and the center wavelength drift has a good linear relationship with the temperature. The sensitivity of linear fitting is equal to 11.1pm/°C.

Radiation distribution sensing with normal optical fiber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawarabayashi, Jun; Mizuno, Ryoji; Naka, Ryotaro; Uritani, Akira; Watanabe, Ken-ichi; Iguchi, Tetsuo [Nagoya Univ., Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Nagoya, Aichi (Japan); Tsujimura, Norio [Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Inst., Tokai Works, Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan)

2002-12-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a radiation distribution monitor using a normal plastic optical fiber. The monitor has a long operating length (10m-100m) and can obtain continuous radiation distributions. A principle of the position sensing is based on a time-of-flight technique. The characteristics of this monitor to beta particles, gamma rays and fast neutrons were obtained. The spatial resolutions for beta particles ({sup 90}Sr{sup -90}Y), gamma rays ({sup 137}Cs) and D-T neutrons were 30 cm, 37 cm and 13 cm, respectively. The detection efficiencies for the beta rays, the gamma rays and D-T neutrons were 0.11%, 1.6x10{sup -5}% and 5.4x10{sup -4}%, respectively. The effective attenuation length of the detection efficiency was 18m. New principle of the position sensing based on spectroscopic analysis was also proposed. A preliminary test showed that the spectrum observed at the end of the fiber depended on the position of the irradiated point. This fact shows that the radiation distributions were calculated from the spectrum by mathematical deconvolution technique. (author)

Distributed optical fiber sensors for integrated monitoring of railway infrastructures

Science.gov (United States)

Minardo, Aldo; Coscetta, Agnese; Porcaro, Giuseppe; Giannetta, Daniele; Bernini, Romeo; Zeni, Luigi

2014-05-01

We propose the application of a distributed optical fiber sensor based on stimulated Brillouin scattering, as an integrated system for safety monitoring of railway infrastructures. The strain distribution was measured dynamically along a 60 meters length of rail track, as well as along a 3-m stone arch bridge. The results indicate that distributed sensing technology is able to provide useful information in railway traffic and safety monitoring.

Brillouin suppression in a fiber optical parametric amplifier by combining temperature distribution and phase modulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lorenzen, Michael Rodas; Noordegraaf, Danny; Nielsen, Carsten Vandel

2008-01-01

We demonstrate an increased gain in optical parametric amplier through suppression of stimulated Brillouin scattering by applying a temperature distribution along the fiber resulting in a reduction of the required phase modulation.......We demonstrate an increased gain in optical parametric amplier through suppression of stimulated Brillouin scattering by applying a temperature distribution along the fiber resulting in a reduction of the required phase modulation....

Distributed Fiber Optic Sensors For The Monitoring Of A Tunnel Crossing A Landslide

Science.gov (United States)

Minardo, Aldo; Picarelli, Luciano; Zeni, Giovanni; Catalano, Ester; Coscetta, Agnese; Zhang, Lei; DiMaio, Caterina; Vassallo, Roberto; Coviello, Roberto; Macchia, Giuseppe Nicola Paolo; Zeni, Luigi

2017-04-01

Optical fiber distributed sensors have recently gained great attention in structural and environmental monitoring due to specific advantages because they share all the classical advantages common to all optical fiber sensors such as immunity to electromagnetic interferences, high sensitivity, small size and possibility to be embedded into the structures, multiplexing and remote interrogation capabilities [1], but also offer the unique feature of allowing the exploitation of a telecommunication grade optical fiber cable as the sensing element to measure deformation and temperature profiles over long distances, without any added devices. In particular, distributed optical fiber sensors based on stimulated Brillouin scattering through the so-called Brillouin Optical Time Domain Analysis (BOTDA), allow to measure strain and temperature profiles up to tens of kilometers with a strain accuracy of ±10µɛ and a temperature accuracy of ±1°C. These sensors have already been employed in static and dynamic monitoring of a variety of structures resulting able to identify and localize many kind of failures [2,3,4]. This paper deals with the application of BOTDA to the monitoring of the deformations of a railway tunnel (200 m long) constructed in the accumulation of Varco d'Izzo earthflow, Potenza city, in the Southern Italian Apennine. The earthflow, which occurs in the tectonized clay shale formation called Varicoloured Clays, although very slow, causes continuous damage to buildings and infrastructures built upon or across it. The railway tunnel itself had to be re-constructed in 1992. Since then, the Italian National Railway monitored the structure by means of localized fissure-meters. Recently, thanks to a collaboration with the rail Infrastructure Manager (RFI), monitoring of various zones of the landslide including the tunnel is based on advanced systems, among which the optical fiber distributed sensors. First results show how the sensing optical fiber cable is able

Distributed fiber-optic temperature sensing: recent improvements and Nagra's applications in the Mont Terri URL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogt, Tobias; Mueller, Herwig R.; Vietor, Tim; Frieg, Bernd

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: The application of fiber-optic sensors in large experiments in underground rock laboratories (URL) and for monitoring of pilot repositories offers several advantages in contrast to conventional sensors. By means of optical fibers distributed temperature and deformation measurements can be performed without electric or mechanical components at the measurement location reducing the risk of corrosion and sensor failure. As fiber-optic strain sensors are to some extend still in a prototype stage, we focus here on Raman spectra distributed fiber-optic temperature sensing (DTS). In DTS a fiber-optic cable, which is the temperature sensor, is connected to a light reading unit that sends laser-pulses into the fiber. The backscattered light is detected with high temporal resolution. From the two-way-light-travel-time the location of backscattering is determined. For the temperature information the amplitude ratio of the Stokes and anti-Stokes signals is analyzed. The Stokes and anti- Stokes signals are the result of the Raman effect. The ratio of these signals provides a quantity that depends only on the temperature of the fiber at the location of backscatter. With commercial DTS setups it is possible to measure the temperature distribution along several kilometer long cables with a temperature resolution of 0.01 C and a spatial resolution of 1 m. Recent developments in DTS focus on better temperature precision and resolution. This advancement can be achieved by experiment-specific calibration techniques and sensor-layout as well as improved instruments. To realize high spatial resolution (cm range) wrapped fiber-optic cables can be applied. Another promising approach to monitor moisture along a fiber-optic cable installed in unconsolidated material are heatable cables. We will present a selection of the most recent advancements which may improve temperature monitoring in natural and

Applicability study of optical fiber distribution sensing to nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takada, Eiji; Kimura, Atsushi; Nakazawa, Masaharu; Kakuta, Tsunemi

1999-01-01

Optical fibers have advantages like flexible configuration, intrinsic immunity for electromagnetic fields etc., and they have been used for signal transmission and as optical fiber sensors (OFSs). By some of these sensor techniques, continuous or discrete distribution of physical parameters can be measured. Here, in order to discuss the applicability of these OFSs to nuclear facilities, irradiation experiments to optical fibers were carried out using the fast neutron source reactor 'YAYOI' and a 60 Co γ source. It has been shown that, under irradiation with fast neutrons, the radiation induced loss increase almost linearly with the neutron fluence. On the other hand, when irradiated with 60 Co γ rays, the loss shows a saturation tendency. As an example of the OFSs, applicability of the Raman distributed temperature sensor (RDTS) to the monitoring of nuclear facilities has been examined. Two correction techniques for radiation induced errors have been developed and for the demonstration of their feasibility, measurements were carried out along the primary piping system of the experimental fast reactor: JOYO. During the continuous measurements with the total dose of more than 10 7 [R], the radiation induced errors showed a saturating tendency and the feasibility of the loss correction technique was demonstrated. Although the time response of the system should be improved, the RDTS can be expected as a noble temperature monitor in nuclear facilities. (author)

Distributed strain measurement using modal interference in a birefringent optical fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Dilip; Sengupta, S; Ghorai, S K

2008-01-01

We propose a method based on modal interference in a birefringent optical fiber for distributed strain measurement. A frequency-modulated optical signal from a laser diode was launched in a birefringent fiber whose 'V' number was set in the range 2.405–3.831. The beat signal produced due to the interference of two lower order modes LP 01 and LP 11 was detected in a photodetector. The change in propagation constants between two modes under loading conditions leads to a phase variation of interference signal. The amplitude of the beat frequency was measured in the frequency domain by varying the modulating frequency, and it provides the measurand distribution along the beam. Results for strain distribution of a simply supported beam (51.0 cm × 3.0 cm × 0.6 cm) for an applied load of 250–1500 g are presented

Using Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensing Systems to Estimate Inflow and Reservoir Properties

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Farshbaf Zinati, F.

2014-01-01

Recent developments in the deployment of distributed fiber-optic sensing systems in horizontal wells carry the promise to lead to a new, cheap and reliable way of monitoring production and reservoir performance. Practical applicability of distributed pressure sensing for quantitative inflow

Identification method of non-reflective faults based on index distribution of optical fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Wonkyoung; Myong, Seung Il; Lee, Jyung Chan; Lee, Sangsoo

2014-01-13

This paper investigates an identification method of non-reflective faults based on index distribution of optical fibers. The method identifies not only reflective faults but also non-reflective faults caused by tilted fiber-cut, lateral connector-misalignment, fiber-bend, and temperature variation. We analyze the reason why wavelength dependence of the fiber-bend is opposite to that of the lateral connector-misalignment, and the effect of loss due to temperature variation on OTDR waveforms through simulation and experimental results. This method can be realized by only upgrade of fault-analysis software without the hardware change, it is, therefore, competitive and cost-effective in passive optical networks.

Application of a distributed optical fiber sensing technique in monitoring the stress of precast piles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Y; Shi, B; Wei, G Q; Zhang, D; Chen, S E

2012-01-01

Due to its ability in providing long distance, distributed sensing, the optical fiber sensing technique based on a Brillouin optical time domain reflectometer (BOTDR) has a unique advantage in monitoring the stability and safety of linear structures. This paper describes the application of a BOTDR-based technique to measure the stress within precast piles. The principle behind the BOTDR and the embedding technique for the sensing optical fiber in precast piles is first introduced, and then the analysis method and deformation and stress calculation based on distributed strain data are given. Finally, a methodology for using a BOTDR-based monitoring workflow for in situ monitoring of precast piles, combined with a practical example, is introduced. The methodology requires implantation of optical fibers prior to pile placement. Field experimental results show that the optical fiber implantation method with slotting, embedding, pasting and jointing is feasible, and have accurately measured the axial force, side friction, end-bearing resistance and bearing feature of the precast pile according to the strain measuring data. (paper)

Application of Distributed Optical Fiber Sensing Technique in Monitoring the Ground Deformation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The monitoring of ground deformation is important for the prevention and control of geological disaster including land subsidence, ground fissure, surface collapse, and landslides. In this study, a distributed optical fiber sensing technique based on Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Analysis (BOTDA was used to monitor the ground deformation. The principle behind the BOTDA is first introduced, and then laboratory calibration test and physical model test were carried out. Finally, BOTDA-based monitoring of ground fissure was carried out in a test site. Experimental results show that the distributed optical fiber can measure the soil strain during ground deformation process, and the strain curve responded to the soil compression and tension region clearly. During field test in Wuxi City, China, the ground fissures deformation area was monitored accurately and the trend of deformation can also be achieved to forecast and warn against the ground fissure hazards.

Experimental study on distributed optical fiber-based approach monitoring saturation line in levee engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Huaizhi; Li, Hao; Kang, Yeyuan; Wen, Zhiping

2018-02-01

Seepage is one of key factors which affect the levee engineering safety. The seepage danger without timely detection and rapid response may likely lead to severe accidents such as seepage failure, slope instability, and even levee break. More than 90 percent of levee break events are caused by the seepage. It is very important for seepage behavior identification to determine accurately saturation line in levee engineering. Furthermore, the location of saturation line has a major impact on slope stability in levee engineering. Considering the structure characteristics and service condition of levee engineering, the distributed optical fiber sensing technology is introduced to implement the real-time observation of saturation line in levee engineering. The distributed optical fiber temperature sensor system (DTS)-based monitoring principle of saturation line in levee engineering is investigated. An experimental platform, which consists of DTS, heating system, water-supply system, auxiliary analysis system and levee model, is designed and constructed. The monitoring experiment of saturation line in levee model is implemented on this platform. According to the experimental results, the numerical relationship between moisture content and thermal conductivity in porous medium is identified. A line heat source-based distributed optical fiber method obtaining the thermal conductivity in porous medium is developed. A DTS-based approach is proposed to monitor the saturation line in levee engineering. The embedment pattern of optical fiber for monitoring saturation line is presented.

Radiation distribution sensing with normal optical fiber

CERN Document Server

Kawarabayashi, J; Naka, R; Uritani, A; Watanabe, K I; Iguchi, T; Tsujimura, N

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a radiation distribution monitor using a normal plastic optical fiber. The monitor has a long operating length (10m-100m) and can obtain continuous radiation distributions. A principle of the position sensing is based on a time-of-flight technique. The characteristics of this monitor to beta particles, gamma rays and fast neutrons were obtained. The spatial resolutions for beta particles ( sup 9 sup 0 Sr sup - sup 9 sup 0 Y), gamma rays ( sup 1 sup 3 sup 7 Cs) and D-T neutrons were 30 cm, 37 cm and 13 cm, respectively. The detection efficiencies for the beta rays, the gamma rays and D-T neutrons were 0.11%, 1.6x10 sup - sup 5 % and 5.4x10 sup - sup 4 %, respectively. The effective attenuation length of the detection efficiency was 18m. New principle of the position sensing based on spectroscopic analysis was also proposed. A preliminary test showed that the spectrum observed at the end of the fiber depended on the position of the irradiated point. This fact shows that t...

Balanced PIN-TIA photoreceiver with integrated 3 dB fiber coupler for distributed fiber optic sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, Shubhashish; Rajagopalan, Sruti; Lemke, Shaun; Joshi, Abhay

2014-06-01

We report a balanced PIN-TIA photoreceiver integrated with a 3 dB fiber coupler for distributed fiber optic sensors. This detector demonstrates -3 dB bandwidth >15 GHz and coupled conversion gain >65 V/W per photodiode through either input port of the 3 dB coupler, and can be operated at local oscillator power of +17 dBm. The combined common mode rejection of the balanced photoreceiver and the integrated 3 dB coupler is >20 dB. We also present measurement results with various optical stimuli, namely impulses, sinusoids, and pseudo-random sequences, which are relevant for time domain reflectometry, frequency domain reflectometry, and code correlation sensors, respectively.

Optical fibers and their applications for radiation measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakuta, Tsunemi

1998-01-01

As a new method of radiation measurements, several optical methods using optical fiber sensors have been developed. One is the application of 'radio-luminescence' from the optical fiber itself such as plastic scintillating fibers. Other researches are made to develop the 'combined-sensors' by combination of optical fibers and scintillating materials. Using the time domain method of optical fiber sensors, the profile of radiation distribution along the optical fiber can be easily determined. A multi-parameter sensing system for measurement of radiation, temperature, stress, etc, are also expected using these optical fiber sensors. (author)

Long-range distributed optical fiber hot-wire anemometer based on chirped-pulse ΦOTDR.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Ruiz, Andres; Dominguez-Lopez, Alejandro; Pastor-Graells, Juan; Martins, Hugo F; Martin-Lopez, Sonia; Gonzalez-Herraez, Miguel

2018-01-08

We demonstrate a technique allowing to develop a fully distributed optical fiber hot-wire anemometer capable of reaching a wind speed uncertainty of ≈ ±0.15m/s (±0.54km/h) at only 60 mW/m of dissipated power in the sensing fiber, and within only four minutes of measurement time. This corresponds to similar uncertainty values than previous papers on distributed optical fiber anemometry but requires two orders of magnitude smaller dissipated power and covers at least one order of magnitude longer distance. This breakthrough is possible thanks to the extreme temperature sensitivity and single-shot performance of chirped-pulse phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometry (ΦOTDR), together with the availability of metal-coated fibers. To achieve these results, a modulated current is fed through the metal coating of the fiber, causing a modulated temperature variation of the fiber core due to Joule effect. The amplitude of this temperature modulation is strongly dependent on the wind speed at which the fiber is subject. Continuous monitoring of the temperature modulation along the fiber allows to determine the wind speed with singular low power injection requirements. Moreover, this procedure makes the system immune to temperature drifts of the fiber, potentially allowing for a simple field deployment. Being a much less power-hungry scheme, this method also allows for monitoring over much longer distances, in the orders of 10s of km. We expect that this system can have application in dynamic line rating and lateral wind monitoring in railway catenary wires.

Development of optical fiber frequency and time distribution systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lutes, G.

1982-01-01

The development of ultra stable optical fiber distribution systems for the dissemination of frequency and timing references is reported. The ultimate design goals for these systems are a frequency stability of 10 to the -17 power for tau or = 100 sec and time stability of + or - 0.1 ns for 1 year and operation over distances or = 30 km. A prototype system is reviewed and progress is discussed.

Full distributed fiber optical sensor for intrusion detection in application to buried pipelines

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Jianzhong; Jiang, Zhuangde; Zhao, Yulong; Zhu, Li; Zhao, Guoxian

2005-11-01

Based on the microbend effect of optical fiber, a distributed sensor for real-time continuous monitoring of intrusion in application to buried pipelines is proposed. The sensing element is a long cable with a special structure made up of an elastic polymer wire, an optical fiber, and a metal wire. The damage point is located with an embedded optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) instrument. The intrusion types can be indicated by the amplitude of output voltage. Experimental results show that the detection system can alarm adequately under abnormal load and can locate the intrusion point within 22.4 m for distance of 3.023 km.

Combined distributed Raman and Bragg fiber temperature sensing using incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Koeppel

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Optical temperature sensors offer unique features which make them indispensable for key industries such as the energy sector. However, commercially available systems are usually designed to perform either distributed or distinct hot spot temperature measurements since they are restricted to one measurement principle. We have combined two concepts, fiber Bragg grating (FBG temperature sensors and Raman-based distributed temperature sensing (DTS, to overcome these limitations. Using a technique called incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry (IOFDR, it is possible to cascade several FBGs with the same Bragg wavelength in one fiber and simultaneously perform truly distributed Raman temperature measurements. In our lab we have achieved a standard deviation of 2.5 K or better at a spatial resolution in the order of 1 m with the Raman DTS. We have also carried out a field test in a high-voltage environment with strong magnetic fields where we performed simultaneous Raman and FBG temperature measurements using a single sensor fiber only.

Measurement of spatial refractive index distributions of fusion spliced optical fibers by digital holographic microtomography

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Feng; Deng, Yating; Ma, Xichao; Xiao, Wen

2017-11-01

Digital holographic microtomography is improved and applied to the measurements of three-dimensional refractive index distributions of fusion spliced optical fibers. Tomographic images are reconstructed from full-angle phase projection images obtained with a setup-rotation approach, in which the laser source, the optical system and the image sensor are arranged on an optical breadboard and synchronously rotated around the fixed object. For retrieving high-quality tomographic images, a numerical method is proposed to compensate the unwanted movements of the object in the lateral, axial and vertical directions during rotation. The compensation is implemented on the two-dimensional phase images instead of the sinogram. The experimental results exhibit distinctly the internal structures of fusion splices between a single-mode fiber and other fibers, including a multi-mode fiber, a panda polarization maintaining fiber, a bow-tie polarization maintaining fiber and a photonic crystal fiber. In particular, the internal structure distortion in the fusion areas can be intuitively observed, such as the expansion of the stress zones of polarization maintaining fibers, the collapse of the air holes of photonic crystal fibers, etc.

Distributed optical fiber-based monitoring approach of spatial seepage behavior in dike engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Huaizhi; Ou, Bin; Yang, Lifu; Wen, Zhiping

2018-07-01

The failure caused by seepage is the most common one in dike engineering. As to the characteristics of seepage in dike, such as longitudinal extension engineering, the randomness, strong concealment and small initial quantity order, by means of distributed fiber temperature sensor system (DTS), adopting an improved optical fiber layer layout scheme, the location of initial interpolation point of the saturation line is obtained. With the barycentric Lagrange interpolation collocation method (BLICM), the infiltrated surface of dike full-section is generated. Combined with linear optical fiber monitoring seepage method, BLICM is applied in an engineering case, which shows that a real-time seepage monitoring technique is presented in full-section of dike based on the combination method.

Optical fiber-applied radiation detection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishiura, Ryuichi; Uranaka, Yasuo; Izumi, Nobuyuki

2001-01-01

A technique to measure radiation by using plastic scintillation fibers doped radiation fluorescent (scintillator) to plastic optical fiber for a radiation sensor, was developed. The technique contains some superiority such as high flexibility due to using fibers, relatively easy large area due to detecting portion of whole of fibers, and no electromagnetic noise effect due to optical radiation detection and signal transmission. Measurable to wide range of and continuous radiation distribution along optical fiber cable at a testing portion using scintillation fiber and flight time method, the optical fiber-applied radiation sensing system can effectively monitor space radiation dose or apparatus operation condition monitoring. And, a portable type scintillation optical fiber body surface pollution monitor can measure pollution concentration of radioactive materials attached onto body surface by arranging scintillation fiber processed to a plate with small size and flexibility around a man to be tested. Here were described on outline and fundamental properties of various application products using these plastic scintillation fiber. (G.K.)

Distributed Long-Gauge Optical Fiber Sensors Based Self-Sensing FRP Bar for Concrete Structure

OpenAIRE

Tang, Yongsheng; Wu, Zhishen

2016-01-01

Brillouin scattering-based distributed optical fiber (OF) sensing technique presents advantages for concrete structure monitoring. However, the existence of spatial resolution greatly decreases strain measurement accuracy especially around cracks. Meanwhile, the brittle feature of OF also hinders its further application. In this paper, the distributed OF sensor was firstly proposed as long-gauge sensor to improve strain measurement accuracy. Then, a new type of self-sensing fiber reinforced p...

A Robust Distributed Multipoint Fiber Optic Gas Sensor System Based on AGC Amplifier Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Cunguang; Wang, Rende; Tao, Xuechen; Wang, Guangwei; Wang, Pengpeng

2016-07-28

A harsh environment-oriented distributed multipoint fiber optic gas sensor system realized by automatic gain control (AGC) technology is proposed. To improve the photoelectric signal reliability, the electronic variable gain can be modified in real time by an AGC closed-loop feedback structure to compensate for optical transmission loss which is caused by the fiber bend loss or other reasons. The deviation of the system based on AGC structure is below 4.02% when photoelectric signal decays due to fiber bending loss for bending radius of 5 mm, which is 20 times lower than the ordinary differential system. In addition, the AGC circuit with the same electric parameters can keep the baseline intensity of signals in different channels of the distributed multipoint sensor system at the same level. This avoids repetitive calibrations and streamlines the installation process.

Distributed Strain Measurement along a Concrete Beam via Stimulated Brillouin Scattering in Optical Fibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romeo Bernini

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The structural strain measurement of tension and compression in a 4 m long concrete beam was demonstrated with a distributed fiber-optic sensor portable system based on Brillouin scattering. Strain measurements provided by the fiber-optic sensor permitted to detect the formation of a crack in the beam resulting from the external applied load. The sensor system is valuable for structural monitoring applications, enabling the long-term performance and health of structures to be efficiently monitored.

Temperature monitoring and leak detection in sodium circuits of FBR using Raman distributed fiber optic sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasinathan, M.; Murali, N.; Sosamma, S.; Babu Rao, C.; Kumar, Anish; Purnachandra Rao, B.; Jayakumar, T.

2013-01-01

This paper discusses the fiber optic temperature sensor based leak detection in the coolant circuits of fast breeder reactor. These sensors measure the temperature based on spontaneous Raman scattering principle and is not influenced by the electromagnetic interference. Various experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the fiber optic sensor based leak detection using Raman distributed Temperature Sensor (RDTS). This paper also deals with the details of fiber optic sensor type leak detector layout for the coolant circuit of FBR, performance requirement of leak detection system, description of the test facility, experimental procedure and test results of various experiments conducted. (author)

[New type distributed optical fiber temperature sensor (DTS) based on Raman scattering and its' application].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jian-Feng; Liu, Hong-Lin; Zhang, Shu-Qin; Yu, Xiang-Dong; Sun, Zhong-Zhou; Jin, Shang-Zhong; Zhang, Zai-Xuan

2013-04-01

Basic principles, development trends and applications status of distributed optical fiber Raman temperature sensor (DTS) are introduced. Performance parameters of DTS system include the sensing optical fiber length, temperature measurement uncertainty, spatial resolution and measurement time. These parameters have a certain correlation and it is difficult to improve them at the same time by single technology. So a variety of key techniques such as Raman amplification, pulse coding technique, Raman related dual-wavelength self-correction technique and embedding optical switching technique are researched to improve the performance of the DTS system. A 1 467 nm continuous laser is used as pump laser and the light source of DTS system (1 550 nm pulse laser) is amplified. When the length of sensing optical fiber is 50 km the Raman gain is about 17 dB. Raman gain can partially compensate the transmission loss of optical fiber, so that the sensing length can reach 50 km. In DTS system using pulse coding technique, pulse laser is coded by 211 bits loop encoder and correlation calculation is used to demodulate temperature. The encoded laser signal is related, whereas the noise is not relevant. So that signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of DTS system can be improved significantly. The experiments are carried out in DTS system with single mode optical fiber and multimode optical fiber respectively. Temperature measurement uncertainty can all reach 1 degrees C. In DTS system using Raman related dual-wavelength self-correction technique, the wavelength difference of the two light sources must be one Raman frequency shift in optical fiber. For example, wavelength of the main laser is 1 550 nm and wavelength of the second laser must be 1 450 nm. Spatial resolution of DTS system is improved to 2 m by using dual-wavelength self-correction technique. Optical switch is embedded in DTS system, so that the temperature measurement channel multiply extended and the total length of the sensing

Distributed optical fiber vibration sensing using phase-generated carrier demodulation algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhihua; Zhang, Qi; Zhang, Mingyu; Dai, Haolong; Zhang, Jingjing; Liu, Li; Zhang, Lijun; Jin, Xing; Wang, Gaifang; Qi, Guang

2018-05-01

A novel optical fiber-distributed vibration-sensing system is proposed, which is based on self-interference of Rayleigh backscattering with phase-generated carrier (PGC) demodulation algorithm. Pulsed lights are sent into the sensing fiber and the Rayleigh backscattering light from a certain position along the sensing fiber would interfere through an unbalanced Michelson interferometry to generate the interference light. An improved PGC demodulation algorithm is carried out to recover the phase information of the interference signal, which carries the sensing information. Three vibration events were applied simultaneously to different positions over 2000 m sensing fiber and demodulated correctly. The spatial resolution is 10 m, and the noise level of the Φ-OTDR system we proposed is about 10-3 rad/\\surd {Hz}, and the signal-to-noise ratio is about 30.34 dB.

Realization of fiber optic displacement sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Guzowski, Bartlomiej; Lakomski, Mateusz

2018-03-01

Fiber optic sensors are very promising because of their inherent advantages such as very small size, hard environment tolerance and impact of electromagnetic fields. In this paper three different types of Intensity Fiber Optic Displacement Sensors (I-FODS) are presented. Three configurations of I-FODS were realized in two varieties. In the first one, the cleaved multimode optical fibers (MMF) were used to collect reflected light, while in the second variety the MMF ended with ball lenses were chosen. To ensure an accurate alignment of optical fibers in the sensor head the MTP C9730 optical fiber ferrules were used. In this paper the influence of distribution of transmitting and detecting optical fibers on sensitivity and linear range of operation of developed I-FODS were investigated. We have shown, that I-FODS with ball lenses receive average 10.5% more reflected power in comparison to the cleaved optical fibers and they increase linearity range of I-FODS by 33%. In this paper, an analysis of each type of the realized sensor and detailed discussion are given.

Two mode optical fiber in space optics communication

Science.gov (United States)

Hampl, Martin

2017-11-01

In our contribution we propose to use of a two-mode optical fiber as a primary source in a transmitting optical head instead of the laser diode. The distribution of the optical intensity and the complex degree of the coherence on the output aperture of the lens that is irradiated by a step-index weakly guiding optical fiber is investigated. In our treatment we take into account weakly guided modes with polarization corrections to the propagation constant and unified theory of second order coherence and polarization of electromagnetic beams.

Ultra-high Frequency Linear Fiber Optic Systems

CERN Document Server

Lau, Kam Y

2009-01-01

Designed for a one-semester course on fiber-optics systems and communication links, this book provides a concise but rigorous treatment of the theory and practice of analog (linear) fiber-optics links and systems that constitute the foundation of Hybrid Fiber Coax infrastructure in present-day CATV distribution and cable modem Internet access. Emerging applications in remote fiber-optic feed for free-space millimeter wave enterprise campus networks are also described. Issues such as dispersion and interferometric noise are treated quantitatively, and means for mitigating them are explained. This broad but concise text will thus be invaluable not only to students of fiber-optics communication but also to practicing engineers.

Core stress distribution of phase shifting multimode polymer optical fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furukawa, Rei; Matsuura, Motoharu; Nagata, Morio; Mishima, Kenji; Inoue, Azusa; Tagaya, Akihiro; Koike, Yasuhiro

2013-01-01

Poly-(methyl methacrylate-co-benzyl methacrylate) polarization-maintaining optical fibers are known for their high response to normal stress. In this report, responses to higher stress levels up to 0.45 MPa were investigated. The stress amplitude and direction in the fiber cross section were calculated and analyzed with a coincident mode-field obtained from the near-field pattern. The stress amplitude varies significantly in the horizontal direction and is considered to create multiple phases, explaining the measurement results. To investigate possible permanent deformation, the core yield point profile was analyzed. Although it largely exceeds the average applied stress, the calculated stress distribution indicates that the core could partially experience stress that exceeds the yield point

Application of smart BFRP bars with distributed fiber optic sensors into concrete structures

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yongsheng; Wu, Zhishen; Yang, Caiqian; Wu, Gang; Zhao, Lihua; Song, Shiwei

2010-04-01

In this paper, the self-sensing and mechanical properties of concrete structures strengthened with a novel type of smart basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars were experimentally studied, wherein the sensing element is Brillouin scattering-based distributed optical fiber sensing technique. First, one of the smart bars was applied to strengthen a 2m concrete beam under a 4-points static loading manner in the laboratory. During the experiment, the bar can measure the inner strain changes and monitor the randomly distributed cracks well. With the distributed strain information along the bar, the distributed deformation of the beam can be calculated, and the structural health can be monitored and evaluated as well. Then, two smart bars with a length of about 70m were embedded into a concrete airfield pavement reinforced by long BFRP bars. In the field test, all the optical fiber sensors in the smart bars survived the whole concrete casting process and worked well. From the measured data, the concrete cracks along the pavement length can be easily monitored. The experimental results also confirmed that the bars can strengthen the structures especially after the yielding of steel bars. All the results confirm that this new type of smart BFRP bars show not only good sensing performance but also mechanical performance in the concrete structures.

Study of light transmission through optical fiber-to-fiber connector assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, M.; Gutowski, M.; Adams, M.; Solomon, J.

1998-01-01

Optical fiber-to-fiber connectors are now being used widely in particle tracking detectors. We describe the properties of the connectors, their production, and measurements of the light transmission through the gap of the connector assembly. We studied light transmission for various types of connectors illuminated by several different light sources. The light transmission was found to be dependent on the angular distribution of the light rays passing through a connector assembly. Two arrangements were studied, a point source and a diffuse source. A green LED with a diffuser is believed to best reproduce the angular distributions of light in the real detector applications. We also studied the transmission as a function of the index of refraction of the optical couplants. The light transmission depends on the index of refraction of an optical couplant placed in the gap, and improves as it approaches the index of refraction of the fiber core. Light transmissions of 80%∼88% were obtained without any optical couplant in the connector gap and transmissions of 89%∼99% with various optical couplants. A Monte Carlo study using measured light distributions from a fiber end produced a reasonable agreement with the transmission measurements made on a connector assembly

Study of light transmission through optical fiber-to-fiber connector assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, M.; Gutowski, M.; Adams, M.; Solomon, J.

1998-01-01

Optical fiber-to-fiber connectors are now being used widely in particle tracking detectors. We describe the properties of the connectors, their production, and measurements of the light transmission through the gap of the connector assembly. We studied light transmission for various types of connectors illuminated by several different light sources. The light transmission was found to be dependent on the angular distribution of the light rays passing through a connector assembly. Two arrangements were studied, a point source and a diffuse source. A green LED with a diffuser is believed to best reproduce the angular distributions of light in the real detector applications. We also studied the transmission as a function of the index of refraction of the optical couplants. The light transmission depends on the index of refraction of an optical couplant placed in the gap, and improves as it approaches the index of refraction of the fiber core. Light transmissions of 80%∼88% were obtained without any optical couplant in the connector gap and transmissions of 89%∼99% with various optical couplants. A Monte Carlo study using measured light distributions from a fiber end produced a reasonable agreement with the transmission measurements made on a connector assembly. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

Instrumentation by distributed optical fiber sensors of a new ballastless track structure

Science.gov (United States)

Chapeleau, Xavier; Cottineau, Louis-Marie; Sedran, Thierry; Gueguen, Ivan; Cailliau, Joël

2013-04-01

While relatively expensive to build, ballastless track structures are presently seen as an attractive alternative to conventional ballast. With its service life of at least 60 years, they require little maintenance and hence they offer great availability. Other reasons for using ballastless tracks instead of ballasted tracks are the lack of suitable ballast material and the need of less noise and vibration for high-speed, in particularly. A new ballastless track structure has been designed to be circulated up to 300km/h, with a target life of 100 years. It is an interoperable way on concrete slabs that are cast-in-place and slip formed. This structure has been built and tested at the scale one in our laboratory. Indeed, ten millions cyclic loads were applied at 2.5Hz to evaluate the fatigue behaviour under selected mechanical and thermal conditions. To monitor the thermo-mechanical behavior of this new structure and to verify the numerical simulations used for its design, a lot of sensors have been embedded. In particularly, we have tested an optical fiber as distributed sensors to measure strain distribution in the railway model. This sensor can also be used to detect, localize and monitor cracks in concrete slabs. The optical fiber sensing technique ("Rayleigh technique") used in this experimentation has a centimetric spatial resolution which allows to measure complex strain profiles unlike electrical strain gauges which only give local information. Firstly, optical cables used as sensors have been successfully embedded and attached to the reinforcing steel bars in the structure. We have noted that they are resistant enough to resist concrete pouring and working activities. Secondly, strains measured by conventional strain gauges has confirmed the quality of the strain profiles measurements obtained by optical fiber sensors. Moreover, we have found a good agreement between experimental profiles measurements and those obtained by numerical simulations. Early

Fiber optic connector

Science.gov (United States)

Rajic, Slobodan; Muhs, Jeffrey D.

1996-01-01

A fiber optic connector and method for connecting composite materials within which optical fibers are imbedded. The fiber optic connector includes a capillary tube for receiving optical fibers at opposing ends. The method involves inserting a first optical fiber into the capillary tube and imbedding the unit in the end of a softened composite material. The capillary tube is injected with a coupling medium which subsequently solidifies. The composite material is machined to a desired configuration. An external optical fiber is then inserted into the capillary tube after fluidizing the coupling medium, whereby the optical fibers are coupled.

Soil temperature variability in complex terrain measured using fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Soil temperature (Ts) exerts critical controls on hydrologic and biogeochemical processes but magnitude and nature of Ts variability in a landscape setting are rarely documented. Fiber optic distributed temperature sensing systems (FO-DTS) potentially measure Ts at high density over a large extent. ...

Investigation of the spatial distribution of second-order nonlinearity in thermally poled optical fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Honglin; Fleming, Simon

2005-05-02

The spatial distribution of second-order nonlinearity in thermally poled optical fibers was characterized by second-harmonic microscopy. The second-order nonlinearity was found to be confined to a thin layer close to the anode surface and progressed further into the silica as the poling time increased. Position uncertainty of the anode metal wire was observed to have an effect, as the nonlinear layers were found not always symmetrically located around the nearest points between the anode and cathode. Optical microscopy results were obtained on etched poled fiber cross-sections and compared with those from second-harmonic microscopy.

New method for calculating the coupling coefficient in graded index optical fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Savović, Svetislav; Djordjevich, Alexandar

2018-05-01

A simple method is proposed for determining the mode coupling coefficient D in graded index multimode optical fibers. It only requires observation of the output modal power distribution P(m, z) for one fiber length z as the Gaussian launching modal power distribution changes, with the Gaussian input light distribution centered along the graded index optical fiber axis (θ0 = 0) without radial offset (r0 = 0). A similar method we previously proposed for calculating the coupling coefficient D in a step-index multimode optical fibers where the output angular power distributions P(θ, z) for one fiber length z with the Gaussian input light distribution launched centrally along the step-index optical fiber axis (θ0 = 0) is needed to be known.

Comparison of fiber lasers based on distributed side-coupled cladding-pumped fibers and double-cladding fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Zhihe; Cao, Jianqiu; Guo, Shaofeng; Chen, Jinbao; Xu, Xiaojun

2014-04-01

We compare both analytically and numerically the distributed side-coupled cladding-pumped (DSCCP) fiber lasers and double cladding fiber (DCF) lasers. We show that, through optimization of the coupling and absorbing coefficients, the optical-to-optical efficiency of DSCCP fiber lasers can be made as high as that of DCF lasers. At the same time, DSCCP fiber lasers are better than the DCF lasers in terms of thermal management.

Development of a distributed radiation detection system using optical fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, F; Inouchi, Goro; Takada, Eiji; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Iguchi, Tetsuo; Nakazawa, Masaharu [Tokyo Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Engineering; Kakuta, Tsunemi

1996-07-01

We have confirmed the importance of temperature and dose rate for the response of Ge-doped fibers to radiation. A phenomenological model have been found to account for temperature and dose rate effects. From this model it is possible to make dose predictions from attenuation measurements when the temperature and dose rate are known. Ge-doped fibers have been found to have a relatively low sensitivity to both neutron and gamma radiation. In addition, temperature and dose rate dependencies complicate the analysis. However we point out that these problems may all be solved if we use fibers, such as P-doped fibers, which contain color centers of long lifetime. This would remove both the temperature and dose rate dependencies that complicate the use of Ge-doped fibers, in addition the radiation sensitivity is increased. Finally OTDR has been investigated as a possible read-out method for distributed radiation measurements. For our system the minimum pulse length was 3ns, giving a spatial resolution in the meter range and a response length to radiation of about 10 m if accurate dose values where to be obtained. We found OTDR to be a suitable method for radiation induced attenuation measurements in optical fibers, especially for long fiber lengths and long time scales where questions of light source stability becomes important for other systems. (S.Y.)

Fiber-Optic Vibration Sensor Based on Multimode Fiber

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Lujo

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present a fiberoptic vibration sensor based on the monitoring of the mode distribution in a multimode optical fiber. Detection of vibrations and their parameters is possible through observation of the output speckle pattern from the multimode optical fiber. A working experimental model has been built in which all used components are widely available and cheap: a CCD camera (a simple web-cam, a multimode laser in visible range as a light source, a length of multimode optical fiber, and a computer for signal processing. Measurements have shown good agreement with the actual frequency of vibrations, and promising results were achieved with the amplitude measurements although they require some adaptation of the experimental model. Proposed sensor is cheap and lightweight and therefore presents an interesting alternative for monitoring large smart structures.

Study of Optical Fiber Sensors for Cryogenic Temperature Measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

De Miguel-Soto, Veronica; Leandro, Daniel; Lopez-Aldaba, Aitor; Beato-López, Juan Jesus; Pérez-Landazábal, José Ignacio; Auguste, Jean-Louis; Jamier, Raphael; Roy, Philippe; Lopez-Amo, Manuel

2017-11-30

In this work, the performance of five different fiber optic sensors at cryogenic temperatures has been analyzed. A photonic crystal fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometer, two Sagnac interferometers, a commercial fiber Bragg grating (FBG), and a π-phase shifted fiber Bragg grating interrogated in a random distributed feedback fiber laser have been studied. Their sensitivities and resolutions as sensors for cryogenic temperatures have been compared regarding their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, the results have been compared with the given by a commercial optical backscatter reflectometer that allowed for distributed temperature measurements of a single mode fiber.

Study of Optical Fiber Sensors for Cryogenic Temperature Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronica De Miguel-Soto

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this work, the performance of five different fiber optic sensors at cryogenic temperatures has been analyzed. A photonic crystal fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometer, two Sagnac interferometers, a commercial fiber Bragg grating (FBG, and a π-phase shifted fiber Bragg grating interrogated in a random distributed feedback fiber laser have been studied. Their sensitivities and resolutions as sensors for cryogenic temperatures have been compared regarding their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, the results have been compared with the given by a commercial optical backscatter reflectometer that allowed for distributed temperature measurements of a single mode fiber.

Ultra-high Frequency Linear Fiber Optic Systems

CERN Document Server

Lau, Kam

2011-01-01

This book provides an in-depth treatment of both linear fiber-optic systems and their key enabling devices. It presents a concise but rigorous treatment of the theory and practice of analog (linear) fiber-optics links and systems that constitute the foundation of Hybrid Fiber Coax infrastructure in present-day CATV distribution and cable modem Internet access. Emerging applications in remote fiber-optic feed for free-space millimeter wave enterprise campus networks are also described. Issues such as dispersion and interferometric noise are treated quantitatively, and means for mitigating them are explained. This broad but concise text will thus be invaluable not only to students of fiber-optics communication but also to practicing engineers. To the second edition of this book important new aspects of linear fiber-optic transmission technologies are added, such as high level system architectural issues, algorithms for deriving the optimal frequency assignment, directly modulated or externally modulated laser t...

Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor for On-Line Monitoring of Coal Gasifier Refractory Health

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Anbo [Center for Photonics Technology, Blacksburgh, VA (United States); Yu, Zhihao [Center for Photonics Technology, Blacksburgh, VA (United States)

2015-11-30

This report summarizes technical progress on the program “Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor for On-Line Monitoring of Coal Gasifier Refractory Health,” funded by the National Energy Technology Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, and performed by the Center for Photonics Technology of the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech. The scope of work entails analyses of traveling grating generation technologies in an optical fiber, as well as the interrogation of the gratings to infer a distributed temperature along the fiber, for the purpose of developing a real-time refractory health condition monitoring technology for coal gasifiers. During the project period, which is from 2011-2015, three different sensing principles were studied, including four-wave mixing (FWM), coherent optical time-domain reflectometer (C-OTDR) and Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA). By comparing the three methods, the BOTDA was selected for further development into a complete bench-top sensing system for the proposed high-temperature sensing application. Based on the input from Eastman Chemical, the industrial collaborator on this project, a cylindrical furnace was designed and constructed to simulate typical gasifier refractory temperature conditions in the laboratory, and verify the sensor’s capability to fully monitor refractory conditions on the back-side at temperatures up to 1000°C. In the later stages of the project, the sensing system was tested in the simulated environment for its sensing performance and high-temperature survivability. Through theoretical analyses and experimental research on the different factors affecting the sensor performance, a sensor field deployment strategy was proposed for possible future sensor field implementations.

Fiber optics in adverse environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyous, P.B.

1982-01-01

Radiation effects in optical fibers are considered, taking into account recent progress in the investigation of radiation resistant optical fibers, radiation damage in optical fibers, radiation-induced transient absorption in optical fibers, X-ray-induced transient attenuation at low temperatures in polymer clad silica (PCS) fibers, optical fiber composition and radiation hardness, the response of irradiated optical waveguides at low temperatures, and the effect of ionizing radiation on fiber-optic waveguides. Other topics explored are related to environmental effects on components of fiber optic systems, and radiation detection systems using optical fibers. Fiber optic systems in adverse environments are also discussed, giving attention to the survivability of Army fiber optics systems, space application of fiber optics systems, fiber optic wavelength multiplexing for civil aviation applications, a new fiber optic data bus topology, fiber optics for aircraft engine/inlet control, and application of fiber optics in high voltage substations

Residual strain sensor using Al-packaged optical fiber and Brillouin optical correlation domain analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Bo-Hun; Kwon, Il-Bum

2015-03-09

We propose a distributed residual strain sensor that uses an Al-packaged optical fiber for the first time. The residual strain which causes Brillouin frequency shifts in the optical fiber was measured using Brillouin optical correlation domain analysis with 2 cm spatial resolution. We quantified the Brillouin frequency shifts in the Al-packaged optical fiber by the tensile stress and compared them for a varying number of Al layers in the optical fiber. The Brillouin frequency shift of an optical fiber with one Al layer had a slope of 0.038 MHz/με with respect to tensile stress, which corresponds to 78% of that for an optical fiber without Al layers. After removal of the stress, 87% of the strain remained as residual strain. When different tensile stresses were randomly applied, the strain caused by the highest stress was the only one detected as residual strain. The residual strain was repeatedly measured for a time span of nine months for the purpose of reliability testing, and there was no change in the strain except for a 4% reduction, which is within the error tolerance of the experiment. A composite material plate equipped with our proposed Al-packaged optical fiber sensor was hammered for impact experiment and the residual strain in the plate was successfully detected. We suggest that the Al-packaged optical fiber can be adapted as a distributed strain sensor for smart structures, including aerospace structures.

Fiber-optical accelerometers based on polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yuan, Scott Wu; Stefani, Alessio; Bang, Ole

2010-01-01

Fiber-optical accelerometers based on polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are reported. We have written 3mm FBGs for 1550nm operation, characterized their temperature and strain response, and tested their performance in a prototype accelerometer.......Fiber-optical accelerometers based on polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are reported. We have written 3mm FBGs for 1550nm operation, characterized their temperature and strain response, and tested their performance in a prototype accelerometer....

Truly Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring: From the Telecommunication Optical Fiber Drawling Tower to Water Leakage Detection in Dikes and Concrete Structure Strain Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Marie Henault

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Although optical fiber sensors have been developed for 30 years, there is a gap between lab experiments and field applications. This article focuses on specific methods developed to evaluate the whole sensing chain, with an emphasis on (i commercially-available optoelectronic instruments and (ii sensing cable. A number of additional considerations for a successful pairing of these two must be taken into account for successful field applications. These considerations are further developed within this article and illustrated with practical applications of water leakage detection in dikes and concrete structures monitoring, making use of distributed temperature and strain sensing based on Rayleigh, Raman, and Brillouin scattering in optical fibers. They include an adequate choice of working wavelengths, dedicated localization processes, choices of connector type, and further include a useful selection of traditional reference sensors to be installed nearby the optical fiber sensors, as well as temperature compensation in case of strain sensing.

A Review of Hybrid Fiber-Optic Distributed Simultaneous Vibration and Temperature Sensing Technology and Its Geophysical Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khalid Miah

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Distributed sensing systems can transform an optical fiber cable into an array of sensors, allowing users to detect and monitor multiple physical parameters such as temperature, vibration and strain with fine spatial and temporal resolution over a long distance. Fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS and distributed temperature sensing (DTS systems have been developed for various applications with varied spatial resolution, and spectral and sensing range. Rayleigh scattering-based phase optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR for vibration and Raman/Brillouin scattering-based OTDR for temperature and strain measurements have been developed over the past two decades. The key challenge has been to find a methodology that would enable the physical parameters to be determined at any point along the sensing fiber with high sensitivity and spatial resolution, yet within acceptable frequency range for dynamic vibration, and temperature detection. There are many applications, especially in geophysical and mining engineering where simultaneous measurements of vibration and temperature are essential. In this article, recent developments of different hybrid systems for simultaneous vibration, temperature and strain measurements are analyzed based on their operation principles and performance. Then, challenges and limitations of the systems are highlighted for geophysical applications.

A Review of Hybrid Fiber-Optic Distributed Simultaneous Vibration and Temperature Sensing Technology and Its Geophysical Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Miah, Khalid; Potter, David K

2017-11-01

Distributed sensing systems can transform an optical fiber cable into an array of sensors, allowing users to detect and monitor multiple physical parameters such as temperature, vibration and strain with fine spatial and temporal resolution over a long distance. Fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems have been developed for various applications with varied spatial resolution, and spectral and sensing range. Rayleigh scattering-based phase optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) for vibration and Raman/Brillouin scattering-based OTDR for temperature and strain measurements have been developed over the past two decades. The key challenge has been to find a methodology that would enable the physical parameters to be determined at any point along the sensing fiber with high sensitivity and spatial resolution, yet within acceptable frequency range for dynamic vibration, and temperature detection. There are many applications, especially in geophysical and mining engineering where simultaneous measurements of vibration and temperature are essential. In this article, recent developments of different hybrid systems for simultaneous vibration, temperature and strain measurements are analyzed based on their operation principles and performance. Then, challenges and limitations of the systems are highlighted for geophysical applications.

Experimental strain modal analysis for beam-like structure by using distributed fiber optics and its damage detection

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Liangliang; Busca, Giorgio; Cigada, Alfredo

2017-07-01

Modal analysis is commonly considered as an effective tool to obtain the intrinsic characteristics of structures including natural frequencies, modal damping ratios, and mode shapes, which are significant indicators for monitoring the health status of engineering structures. The complex mode indicator function (CMIF) can be regarded as an effective numerical tool to perform modal analysis. In this paper, experimental strain modal analysis based on the CMIF has been introduced. Moreover, a distributed fiber-optic sensor, as a dense measuring device, has been applied to acquire strain data along a beam surface. Thanks to the dense spatial resolution of the distributed fiber optics, more detailed mode shapes could be obtained. In order to test the effectiveness of the method, a mass lump—considered as a linear damage component—has been attached to the surface of the beam, and damage detection based on strain mode shape has been carried out. The results manifest that strain modal parameters can be estimated effectively by utilizing the CMIF based on the corresponding simulations and experiments. Furthermore, damage detection based on strain mode shapes benefits from the accuracy of strain mode shape recognition and the excellent performance of the distributed fiber optics.

Flight demonstration of aircraft fuselage and bulkhead monitoring using optical fiber distributed sensing system

Science.gov (United States)

Wada, Daichi; Igawa, Hirotaka; Tamayama, Masato; Kasai, Tokio; Arizono, Hitoshi; Murayama, Hideaki; Shiotsubo, Katsuya

2018-02-01

We have developed an optical fiber distributed sensing system based on optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) that uses long-length fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). This technique obtains strain data not as a point data from an FBG but as a distributed profile within the FBG. This system can measure the strain distribution profile with an adjustable high spatial resolution of the mm or sub-mm order in real-time. In this study, we applied this OFDR-FBG technique to a flying test bed that is a mid-sized jet passenger aircraft. We conducted flight tests and monitored the structural responses of a fuselage stringer and the bulkhead of the flying test bed during flights. The strain distribution variations were successfully monitored for various events including taxiing, takeoff, landing and several other maneuvers. The monitoring was effective not only for measuring the strain amplitude applied to the individual structural parts but also for understanding the characteristics of the structural responses in accordance with the flight maneuvers. We studied the correlations between various maneuvers and strains to explore the relationship between the operation and condition of aircraft.

Optical Fiber Grating Hydrogen Sensors: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Jixiang; Zhu, Li; Wang, Gaopeng; Xiang, Feng; Qin, Yuhuan; Wang, Min; Yang, Minghong

2017-03-12

In terms of hydrogen sensing and detection, optical fiber hydrogen sensors have been a research issue due to their intrinsic safety and good anti-electromagnetic interference. Among these sensors, hydrogen sensors consisting of fiber grating coated with sensitive materials have attracted intensive research interests due to their good reliability and distributed measurements. This review paper mainly focuses on optical fiber hydrogen sensors associated with fiber gratings and various materials. Their configurations and sensing performances proposed by different groups worldwide are reviewed, compared and discussed in this paper. Meanwhile, the challenges for fiber grating hydrogen sensors are also addressed.

Distributed Weak Fiber Bragg Grating Vibration Sensing System Based on 3 × 3 Fiber Coupler

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Zhang, Jian

2018-06-01

A novel distributed weak fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) vibration sensing system has been designed to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional methods for optical fiber sensing networking, which are: low signal intensity in the usually adopted time-division multiplexing (TDM) technology, insufficient quantity of multiplexed FBGs in the wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology, and that the mixed WDM/TDM technology measures only the physical parameters of the FBG locations but cannot perform distributed measurement over the whole optical fiber. This novel system determines vibration events in the optical fiber line according to the intensity variation of the interference signals between the adjacent weak FBG reflected signals and locates the vibration points accurately using the TDM technology. It has been proven by tests that this system performs vibration signal detection and demodulation in a way more convenient than the conventional methods for the optical fiber sensing system. It also measures over the whole optical fiber, therefore, distributed measurement is fulfilled, and the system locating accuracy is up to 20 m, capable of detecting any signals of whose drive signals lower limit voltage is 0.2 V while the frequency range is 3 Hz‒1 000 Hz. The system has the great practical significance and application value for perimeter surveillance systems.

Industrial Qualification Process for Optical Fibers Distributed Strain and Temperature Sensing in Nuclear Waste Repositories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Delepine-Lesoille

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Temperature and strain monitoring will be implemented in the envisioned French geological repository for high- and intermediate-level long-lived nuclear wastes. Raman and Brillouin scatterings in optical fibers are efficient industrial methods to provide distributed temperature and strain measurements. Gamma radiation and hydrogen release from nuclear wastes can however affect the measurements. An industrial qualification process is successfully proposed and implemented. Induced measurement uncertainties and their physical origins are quantified. The optical fiber composition influence is assessed. Based on radiation-hard fibers and carbon-primary coatings, we showed that the proposed system can provide accurate temperature and strain measurements up to 0.5 MGy and 100% hydrogen concentration in the atmosphere, over 200 m distance range. The selected system was successfully implemented in the Andra underground laboratory, in one-to-one scale mockup of future cells, into concrete liners. We demonstrated the efficiency of simultaneous Raman and Brillouin scattering measurements to provide both strain and temperature distributed measurements. We showed that 1.3 μm working wavelength is in favor of hazardous environment monitoring.

Single-photon semiconductor photodiodes for distributed optical fiber sensors: state of the art and perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Ripamonti, Giancarlo; Lacaita, Andrea L.

1993-03-01

The extreme sensitivity and time resolution of Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GM- APDs) have already been exploited for optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR). Better than 1 cm spatial resolution in Rayleigh scattering detection was demonstrated. Distributed and quasi-distributed optical fiber sensors can take advantage of the capabilities of GM-APDs. Extensive studies have recently disclosed the main characteristics and limitations of silicon devices, both commercially available and developmental. In this paper we report an analysis of the performance of these detectors. The main characteristics of GM-APDs of interest for distributed optical fiber sensors are briefly reviewed. Command electronics (active quenching) is then introduced. The detector timing performance sets the maximum spatial resolution in experiments employing OTDR techniques. We highlight that the achievable time resolution depends on the physics of the avalanche spreading over the device area. On the basis of these results, trade-off between the important parameters (quantum efficiency, time resolution, background noise, and afterpulsing effects) is considered. Finally, we show first results on Germanium devices, capable of single photon sensitivity at 1.3 and 1.5 micrometers with sub- nanosecond time resolution.

Application of distributed optical fiber sensing technologies to the monitoring of leakage and abnormal disturbance of oil pipeline

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaojun; Zhu, Xiaofei; Deng, Chi; Li, Junyi; Liu, Cheng; Yu, Wenpeng; Luo, Hui

2017-10-01

To improve the level of management and monitoring of leakage and abnormal disturbance of long distance oil pipeline, the distributed optical fiber temperature and vibration sensing system is employed to test the feasibility for the healthy monitoring of a domestic oil pipeline. The simulating leakage and abnormal disturbance affairs of oil pipeline are performed in the experiment. It is demonstrated that the leakage and abnormal disturbance affairs of oil pipeline can be monitored and located accurately with the distributed optical fiber sensing system, which exhibits good performance in the sensitivity, reliability, operation and maintenance etc., and shows good market application prospect.

Brillouin lasing in single-mode tapered optical fiber with inscribed fiber Bragg grating array

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.M. Popov

2018-06-01

Full Text Available A tapered optical fiber has been manufactured with an array of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG inscribed during the drawing process. The total fiber peak reflectivity is 5% and the reflection bandwidth is ∼3.5 nm. A coherent frequency domain reflectometry has been applied for precise profiling of the fiber core diameter and grating reflectivity both distributed along the whole fiber length. These measurements are in a good agreement with the specific features of Brillouin lasing achieved in the semi-open fiber cavity configuration. Keywords: Tapered optical fibers, Fiber Bragg gratings, Random lasers

Inspection method of optical fiber preforms by x-ray absorption measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, H.; Nakamura, K.; Shibuya, S.; Kuroha, T.

1980-01-01

A method for measuring the refractive index distribution of optical fiber preforms has been developed by application of the theory of X-ray radiography. The composition of quartz optical fiber materials is, in most cases, limited to the group of five elements - Ge, P, Si, O and B. Of them, Ge is an essential element to determine the structure of refractive index of an optical fiber and the distribution of its density can be regarded approximately as the distribution of refractive index. On the other hand, the coefficient of low-energy X-ray absorption by the elements depends markedly on their atomic numbers, and Ge has a far larger absorption coefficient than the other four elements. Therefore, analysis of the intensity of X-ray absorbed by optical fiber preforms makes it possible to determine the distribution of Ge density and consequently the distribution of refractive index. (author)

Fire Source Localization Based on Distributed Temperature Sensing by a Dual-Line Optical Fiber System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miao Sun

2016-06-01

Full Text Available We propose a method for localizing a fire source using an optical fiber distributed temperature sensor system. A section of two parallel optical fibers employed as the sensing element is installed near the ceiling of a closed room in which the fire source is located. By measuring the temperature of hot air flows, the problem of three-dimensional fire source localization is transformed to two dimensions. The method of the source location is verified with experiments using burning alcohol as fire source, and it is demonstrated that the method represents a robust and reliable technique for localizing a fire source also for long sensing ranges.

Fire Source Localization Based on Distributed Temperature Sensing by a Dual-Line Optical Fiber System.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Miao; Tang, Yuquan; Yang, Shuang; Li, Jun; Sigrist, Markus W; Dong, Fengzhong

2016-06-06

We propose a method for localizing a fire source using an optical fiber distributed temperature sensor system. A section of two parallel optical fibers employed as the sensing element is installed near the ceiling of a closed room in which the fire source is located. By measuring the temperature of hot air flows, the problem of three-dimensional fire source localization is transformed to two dimensions. The method of the source location is verified with experiments using burning alcohol as fire source, and it is demonstrated that the method represents a robust and reliable technique for localizing a fire source also for long sensing ranges.

A hydrostatic leak test for water pipeline by using distributed optical fiber vibration sensing system

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Huijuan; Sun, Zhenshi; Qian, Ya; Zhang, Tao; Rao, Yunjiang

2015-07-01

A hydrostatic leak test for water pipeline with a distributed optical fiber vibration sensing (DOVS) system based on the phase-sensitive OTDR technology is studied in this paper. By monitoring one end of a common communication optical fiber cable, which is laid in the inner wall of the pipe, we can detect and locate the water leakages easily. Different apertures under different pressures are tested and it shows that the DOVS has good responses when the aperture is equal or larger than 4 mm and the inner pressure reaches 0.2 Mpa for a steel pipe with DN 91cm×EN 2cm.

Two Fiber Optical Fiber Thermometry

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Mathew R.; Farmer, Jeffery T.; Breeding, Shawn P.

2000-01-01

An optical fiber thermometer consists of an optical fiber whose sensing tip is given a metallic coating. The sensing tip of the fiber is essentially an isothermal cavity, so the emission from this cavity will be approximately equal to the emission from a blackbody. Temperature readings are obtained by measuring the spectral radiative heat flux at the end of the fiber at two wavelengths. The ratio of these measurements and Planck's Law are used to infer the temperature at the sensing tip. Optical fiber thermometers have high accuracy, excellent long-term stability and are immune to electromagnetic interference. In addition, they can be operated for extended periods without requiring re-calibration. For these reasons. it is desirable to use optical fiber thermometers in environments such as the International Space Station. However, it has recently been shown that temperature readings are corrupted by emission from the fiber when extended portions of the probe are exposed to elevated temperatures. This paper will describe several ways in which the reading from a second fiber can be used to correct the corrupted temperature measurements. The accuracy and sensitivity to measurement uncertainty will be presented for each method.

Switch configuration for migration to optical fiber network

Science.gov (United States)

Zobrist, George W.

1993-01-01

The purpose is to investigate the migration of an Ethernet LAN segment to fiber optics. At the present time it is proposed to support a Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) backbone and to upgrade the VAX cluster to fiber optic interface. Possibly some workstations will have an FDDI interface. The remaining stations on the Ethernet LAN will be segmented. The rationale for migrating from the present Ethernet configuration to a fiber optic backbone is due to the increase in the number of workstations and the movement of applications to a windowing environment, extensive document transfers, and compute intensive applications.

Fiber Optic Microphone

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Y. C.; George, Thomas; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

Research into advanced pressure sensors using fiber-optic technology is aimed at developing compact size microphones. Fiber optic sensors are inherently immune to electromagnetic noise, and are very sensitive, light weight, and highly flexible. In FY 98, NASA researchers successfully designed and assembled a prototype fiber-optic microphone. The sensing technique employed was fiber optic Fabry-Perot interferometry. The sensing head is composed of an optical fiber terminated in a miniature ferrule with a thin, silicon-microfabricated diaphragm mounted on it. The optical fiber is a single mode fiber with a core diameter of 8 micron, with the cleaved end positioned 50 micron from the diaphragm surface. The diaphragm is made up of a 0.2 micron thick silicon nitride membrane whose inner surface is metallized with layers of 30 nm titanium, 30 nm platinum, and 0.2 micron gold for efficient reflection. The active sensing area is approximately 1.5 mm in diameter. The measured differential pressure tolerance of this diaphragm is more than 1 bar, yielding a dynamic range of more than 100 dB.

Optical Communication over Plastic Optical Fibers Integrated Optical Receiver Technology

CERN Document Server

Atef, Mohamed

2013-01-01

This book presents high-performance data transmission over plastic optical fibers (POF) using integrated optical receivers having good properties with multilevel modulation, i.e. a higher sensitivity and higher data rate transmission over a longer plastic optical fiber length. Integrated optical receivers and transmitters with high linearity are introduced for multilevel communication. For binary high-data rate transmission over plastic optical fibers, an innovative receiver containing an equalizer is described leading also to a high performance of a plastic optical fiber link. The cheap standard PMMA SI-POF (step-index plastic optical fiber) has the lowest bandwidth and the highest attenuation among multimode fibers. This small bandwidth limits the maximum data rate which can be transmitted through plastic optical fibers. To overcome the problem of the plastic optical fibers high transmission loss, very sensitive receivers must be used to increase the transmitted length over POF. The plastic optical fiber li...

Qualification of a truly distributed fiber optic technique for strain and temperature measurements in concrete structures

Science.gov (United States)

Henault, J. M.; Salin, J.; Moreau, G.; Delepine-Lesoille, S.; Bertand, J.; Taillade, F.; Quiertant, M.; Benzarti, K.

2011-04-01

Structural health monitoring is a key factor in life cycle management of infrastructures. Truly distributed fiber optic sensors are able to provide relevant information on large structures, such as nuclear power plants or nuclear waste disposal facilities. The sensing chain includes an optoelectronic unit and a sensing cable made of one or more optical fibers. A new instrument based on Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR), enables to perform temperature and strain measurements with a centimeter scale spatial resolution over hundred of meters and with a level of precision equal to 1 μ strain and 0.1 °C. Several sensing cables are designed with different materials targeting to last for decades, either embedded in the concrete or attached to the surface of the structure. They must ensure an optimal transfer of temperature and strain from the concrete matrix to the optical fiber. Based on the European guide FD CEN/TR 14748 "Non-destructive testing - Methodology for qualification of non-destructive tests", a qualification method was developed. Tests were carried out using various sensing cables embedded in the volume or fixed to the surface of plain concrete specimens and representative-scale reinforced concrete structural elements. Measurements were performed with an OFDR instrument, while mechanical solicitations were imposed to the concrete element. Preliminary experiments seem very promising since measurements performed with distributed sensing systems are found comparable to values obtained with conventional sensors used in civil engineering and with the Strength of Materials Modelling. Moreover, the distributed sensing system makes it possible to detect and localize cracks appearing in concrete during the mechanical loading.

Fiber Singular Optics

OpenAIRE

A. V. Volyar

2002-01-01

The present review is devoted to the optical vortex behavior both in free space and optical fibers. The processes of the vortex transformations in perturbed optical fibers are analyzed on the base of the operator of the spin – orbit interaction in order to forecast the possible ways of manufacturing the vortex preserving fibers and their applications in supersensitive optical devices.

Assessment of detection limits of fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing for detection of illicit connections

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nienhuis, J.; De Haan, C.; Langeveld, J.G.; Klootwijk, M.; Clemens, F.H.L.R.

2012-01-01

Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) with fiber-optic cables is a powerful tool to detect illicit connections in storm sewer systems. High frequency temperature measurements along the in-sewer cable create a detailed representation of temperature anomalies due to illicit discharges. The detection

Optical fiber designs for beam shaping

Science.gov (United States)

Farley, Kevin; Conroy, Michael; Wang, Chih-Hao; Abramczyk, Jaroslaw; Campbell, Stuart; Oulundsen, George; Tankala, Kanishka

2014-03-01

A large number of power delivery applications for optical fibers require beams with very specific output intensity profiles; in particular applications that require a focused high intensity beam typically image the near field (NF) intensity distribution at the exit surface of an optical fiber. In this work we discuss optical fiber designs that shape the output beam profile to more closely correspond to what is required in many real world industrial applications. Specifically we present results demonstrating the ability to transform Gaussian beams to shapes required for industrial applications and how that relates to system parameters such as beam product parameter (BPP) values. We report on the how different waveguide structures perform in the NF and show results on how to achieve flat-top with circular outputs.

Feasibility of soil moisture monitoring with heated fiber optics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sayde, C.; Gregory, C.; Gil-Rodriguez, M.; Tufillaro, N.; Tyler, S.; Van de Giesen, N.C.; English, M.; Cuenca, R.; Selker, J.S.

2010-01-01

Accurate methods are needed to measure changing soil water content from meter to kilometer scales. Laboratory results demonstrate the feasibility of the heat pulse method implemented with fiber optic temperature sensing to obtain accurate distributed measurements of soil water content. A fiber optic

Development of absorption fiber optic sensor for distributed measurement of ammonia gas

Science.gov (United States)

Aubrecht, J.; Kalvoda, L.

2013-05-01

Polymer-clad silica optical fibers are employed for development of different absorption optic fiber sensors of gaseous analytes. In our case, the physical principles of the detection are combined with a chemical reaction between analyte and suitable opto-chemical absorption reagents. Selected organometallic complex reagents with different lengths of lateral aliphatic chains are studied with respect to the type of central ions and their coordinative conditions to surrounding ligands. The effect of solvent type on solubility and the long-term stability of the prepared reagents in solid matrix are presented and discussed. Various methods are also tested in order to achieve an effective reagent immobilization into the polymer matrix, which creates optical fiber cladding. The chemical reaction of the reagents with ammonia based on ligand exchange process is accompanied by changes of visible-near-infrared optical absorption influencing via evanescent field on the guided light intensity. Experimental results suggest that the selected reagents provide optical properties suitable for practical sensing applications and that the sensitized PCS optical fibers could be used for detection of ammonia gas.

Corrosion monitoring along infrastructures using distributed fiber optic sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Alhandawi, Khalil B.; Vahdati, Nader; Shiryayev, Oleg; Lawand, Lydia

2016-04-01

Pipeline Inspection Gauges (PIGs) are used for internal corrosion inspection of oil pipelines every 3-5 years. However, between inspection intervals, rapid corrosion may occur, potentially resulting in major accidents. The motivation behind this research project was to develop a safe distributed corrosion sensor placed inside oil pipelines continuously monitoring corrosion. The intrinsically safe nature of light provided motivation for researching fiber optic sensors as a solution. The sensing fiber's cladding features polymer plastic that is chemically sensitive to hydrocarbons within crude oil mixtures. A layer of metal, used in the oil pipeline's construction, is deposited on the polymer cladding, which upon corrosion, exposes the cladding to surrounding hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon's interaction with the cladding locally increases the cladding's refractive index in the radial direction. Light intensity of a traveling pulse is reduced due to local reduction in the modal capacity which is interrogated by Optical Time Domain Reflectometery. Backscattered light is captured in real-time while using time delay to resolve location, allowing real-time spatial monitoring of environmental internal corrosion within pipelines spanning large distances. Step index theoretical solutions were used to calculate the power loss due changes in the intensity profile. The power loss is translated into an attenuation coefficient characterizing the expected OTDR trace which was verified against similar experimental results from the literature. A laboratory scale experiment is being developed to assess the validity of the model and the practicality of the solution.

Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensors and Fiber-Optic Bio-Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Pospíšilová, Marie; Kuncová, Gabriela; Trögl, Josef

2015-01-01

This review summarizes principles and current stage of development of fiber-optic chemical sensors (FOCS) and biosensors (FOBS). Fiber optic sensor (FOS) systems use the ability of optical fibers (OF) to guide the light in the spectral range from ultraviolet (UV) (180 nm) up to middle infrared (IR) (10 µm) and modulation of guided light by the parameters of the surrounding environment of the OF core. The introduction of OF in the sensor systems has brought advantages such as measurement in flammable and explosive environments, immunity to electrical noises, miniaturization, geometrical flexibility, measurement of small sample volumes, remote sensing in inaccessible sites or harsh environments and multi-sensing. The review comprises briefly the theory of OF elaborated for sensors, techniques of fabrications and analytical results reached with fiber-optic chemical and biological sensors. PMID:26437407

Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensors and Fiber-Optic Bio-Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Pospíšilová, Marie; Kuncová, Gabriela; Trögl, Josef

2015-09-30

This review summarizes principles and current stage of development of fiber-optic chemical sensors (FOCS) and biosensors (FOBS). Fiber optic sensor (FOS) systems use the ability of optical fibers (OF) to guide the light in the spectral range from ultraviolet (UV) (180 nm) up to middle infrared (IR) (10 μm) and modulation of guided light by the parameters of the surrounding environment of the OF core. The introduction of OF in the sensor systems has brought advantages such as measurement in flammable and explosive environments, immunity to electrical noises, miniaturization, geometrical flexibility, measurement of small sample volumes, remote sensing in inaccessible sites or harsh environments and multi-sensing. The review comprises briefly the theory of OF elaborated for sensors, techniques of fabrications and analytical results reached with fiber-optic chemical and biological sensors.

Modeling illumination performance of plastic optical fiber passive daylighting system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sulaiman, F; Ahmad, A [Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam (Malaysia). Faculty of Electrical Engineering; Ahmed, A Z [Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam (Malaysia). Bureau of Reseaarch and Consultancy

2006-12-15

of the most direct methods of utilizing solar energy for energy conservation is to bring natural light indoors to light up an area. This paper reports on the investigation of the feasibility to utilize large core optical fibers to convey and distribute solar light passively throughout residential or commercial structures. The focus of this study is on the mathematical modeling of the illumination performance and the light transmission efficiency of solid core end light fiber for optical day lighting systems. The Meatball simulations features the optical fiber transmittance for glass and plastic fibers, illumination performance over lengths of plastic end-lit fiber, spectral transmission, light intensity loss through the large diameter solid core optical fibers as well as the transmission efficiency of the optical fiber itself. It was found that plastic optical fiber has less transmission loss over the distance of the fiber run which clearly shows that the Plastic Optical Fiber should be optimized for emitting visible light. The findings from the analysis on the performance of large diameter optical fibers for day lighting systems seems feasible for energy efficient lighting system in commercial or residential buildings.

Modeling illumination performance of plastic optical fiber passive daylighting system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sulaiman, F.; Ahmad, A.; Ahmed, A.Z.

2006-01-01

One of the most direct methods of utilizing solar energy for energy conservation is to bring natural light indoors to light up an area. This paper reports on the investigation of the feasibility to utilize large core optical fibers to convey and distribute solar light passively throughout residential or commercial structures. The focus of this study is on the mathematical modeling of the illumination performance and the light transmission efficiency of solid core end light fiber for optical day lighting systems. The Meatball simulations features the optical fiber transmittance for glass and plastic fibers, illumination performance over lengths of plastic end-lit fiber, spectral transmission, light intensity loss through the large diameter solid core optical fibers as well as the transmission efficiency of the optical fiber itself. It was found that plastic optical fiber has less transmission loss over the distance of the fiber run which clearly shows that the Plastic Optical Fiber should be optimized for emitting visible light. The findings from the analysis on the performance of large diameter optical fibers for day lighting systems seems feasible for energy efficient lighting system in commercial or residential buildings

Application Specific Optical Fibers

OpenAIRE

Pal, Bishnu P.

2010-01-01

In this chapter we have attempted to provide a unified summary description of the most important propagation characteristics of an optical fiber followed by discussion on several variety of special fibers for realizing fiber amplifiers, dispersion compensating fibers, microstructured optical fibers, and so on. Even though huge progress has been made on development of optical fibers for telecom application, a need for developing special fibers, not necessarily for telecom alone, has arisen. Th...

Modeling fiber Bragg grating device networks in photomechanical polymer optical fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Lanska, Joseph T.; Kuzyk, Mark G.; Sullivan, Dennis M.

2015-09-01

We report on the modeling of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) networks in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer fibers doped with azo dyes. Our target is the development of Photomechanical Optical Devices (PODs), comprised of two FBGs in series, separated by a Fabry-Perot cavity of photomechanical material. PODs exhibit photomechanical multi-stability, with the capacity to access multiple length states for a fixed input intensity when a mechanical shock is applied. Using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) numerical methods, we modeled the photomechanical response of both Fabry-Perot and Bragg-type PODs in a single polymer optical fiber. The polymer fiber was modeled as an instantaneous Kerr-type nonlinear χ(3) material. Our model correctly predicts the essential optical features of FBGs as well as the photomechanical multi-stability of nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity-based PODs. Networks of PODs may provide a framework for smart shape-shifting materials and fast optical computation where the decision process is distributed over the entire network. In addition, a POD can act as memory, and its response can depend on input history. Our models inform and will accelerate targeted development of novel Bragg grating-based polymer fiber device networks for a variety of applications in optical computing and smart materials.

The strength and failure of silica optical fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, C; Bai, R X; Yu, H; Canning, J; Law, S

2010-01-01

The mechanical strength and failure behavior of conventional and microstructured silica optical fibers was investigated using a tensile test and fracture mechanics and numerical analyses. The effect of polymer coating on failure behavior was also studied. The results indicate that all these fibers fail in a brittle manner and failure normally starts from fiber surfaces. The failure loads observed in coated fibers are higher than those in bare fibers. The introduction of air holes reduces fiber strength and their geometrical arrangements have a remarkable effect on stress distribution in the longitudinal direction. These results are potentially useful for the design, fabrication and evaluation of optical fibers for a wide range of applications.

Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensors and Fiber-Optic Bio-Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Pospíšilová

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This review summarizes principles and current stage of development of fiber-optic chemical sensors (FOCS and biosensors (FOBS. Fiber optic sensor (FOS systems use the ability of optical fibers (OF to guide the light in the spectral range from ultraviolet (UV (180 nm up to middle infrared (IR (10 μm and modulation of guided light by the parameters of the surrounding environment of the OF core. The introduction of OF in the sensor systems has brought advantages such as measurement in flammable and explosive environments, immunity to electrical noises, miniaturization, geometrical flexibility, measurement of small sample volumes, remote sensing in inaccessible sites or harsh environments and multi-sensing. The review comprises briefly the theory of OF elaborated for sensors, techniques of fabrications and analytical results reached with fiber-optic chemical and biological sensors.

Extended-length fiber optic carbon dioxide monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado-Alonso, Jesus; Lieberman, Robert A.

2013-05-01

This paper discusses the design and performance of fiber optic distributed intrinsic sensors for dissolved carbon dioxide, based on the use optical fibers fabricated so that their entire lengths are chemically sensitive. These fibers use a polymer-clad, silica-core structure where the cladding undergoes a large, reversible, change in optical absorbance in the presence of CO2. The local "cladding loss" induced by this change is thus a direct indication of the carbon dioxide concentration in any section of the fiber. To create these fibers, have developed a carbon dioxide-permeable polymer material that adheres well to glass, is physically robust, has a refractive index lower than fused silica, and acts as excellent hosts for a unique colorimetric indicator system that respond to CO2. We have used this proprietary material to produce carbon-dioxide sensitive fibers up to 50 meters long, using commercial optical fiber fabrication techniques. The sensors have shown a measurement range of dissolved CO2 of 0 to 1,450 mg/l (0 to 100% CO2 saturation), limit of detection of 0.3 mg/l and precision of 1.0 mg/l in the 0 to 50 mg/l dissolved CO2 range, when a 5 meter-long sensor fiber segment is used. Maximum fiber length, minimum detectable concentration, and spatial resolution can be adjusted by adjusting indicator concentration and fiber design.

Optical Fiber Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Buoncristiani, A. M.

1999-01-01

This is the final report of work done on NASA Grant NAG-1-443. The work covers the period from July 1, 1992 to December 1, 1998. During this period several distinct but related research studies and work tasks were undertaken. These different subjects are enumerated below with a description of the work done on each of them. The focus of the research was the development of optical fibers for use as distributed temperature and stress sensors. The initial concept was to utilize the utilize the temperature and stress dependence of emission from rare earth and transition metal ions substitutionally doped into crystalline or glass fibers. During the course of investigating this it became clear that fiber Bragg gratings provided a alternative for making the desired measurements and there was a shift of research focus on to include the photo-refractive properties of germano-silicate glasses used for most gratings and to the possibility of developing fiber laser sources for an integrated optical sensor in the research effort. During the course of this work several students from Christopher Newport University and other universities participated in this effort. Their names are listed below. Their participation was an important part of their education.

Soil Temperature Variability in Complex Terrain measured using Distributed a Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Seyfried, M. S.; Link, T. E.

2013-12-01

Soil temperature (Ts) exerts critical environmental controls on hydrologic and biogeochemical processes. Rates of carbon cycling, mineral weathering, infiltration and snow melt are all influenced by Ts. Although broadly reflective of the climate, Ts is sensitive to local variations in cover (vegetative, litter, snow), topography (slope, aspect, position), and soil properties (texture, water content), resulting in a spatially and temporally complex distribution of Ts across the landscape. Understanding and quantifying the processes controlled by Ts requires an understanding of that distribution. Relatively few spatially distributed field Ts data exist, partly because traditional Ts data are point measurements. A relatively new technology, fiber optic distributed temperature system (FO-DTS), has the potential to provide such data but has not been rigorously evaluated in the context of remote, long term field research. We installed FO-DTS in a small experimental watershed in the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed (RCEW) in the Owyhee Mountains of SW Idaho. The watershed is characterized by complex terrain and a seasonal snow cover. Our objectives are to: (i) evaluate the applicability of fiber optic DTS to remote field environments and (ii) to describe the spatial and temporal variability of soil temperature in complex terrain influenced by a variable snow cover. We installed fiber optic cable at a depth of 10 cm in contrasting snow accumulation and topographic environments and monitored temperature along 750 m with DTS. We found that the DTS can provide accurate Ts data (+/- .4°C) that resolves Ts changes of about 0.03°C at a spatial scale of 1 m with occasional calibration under conditions with an ambient temperature range of 50°C. We note that there are site-specific limitations related cable installation and destruction by local fauna. The FO-DTS provide unique insight into the spatial and temporal variability of Ts in a landscape. We found strong seasonal

Optical Time Division Switching Using Multiple Stages of Fiber Optic Delay Lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Spanke, Ronald Anthony

Optical Time Slot Interchanges (OTSIs) can be realized by guided wave LiNbO_3 optical switches performing space division switching of optical fiber delay lines. In this dissertation the problems of reducing the total length of fiber required and also of improving the SNR characteristics of this OTSI function are addressed. Several new OTSI architectures are proposed to reduce the total fiber length while still obtaining excellent SNR characteristics. These reduced fiber architectures include the Distributed Input Delay, Distributed Output Delay, the 2-Stage decomposition and the Distributed Input/Output Delay architectures. A Parallel Feedback (PFB) OTSI architecture is proposed that achieves the theoretical minimum number of delay fibers and the theoretical minimum total length of delay fiber for a given OTSI function. Broadcast OTSI architectures are proposed that enable the data in an incoming time slot to be broadcast to one or more outgoing time slots. These broadcast OTSI architectures include the Time-Dup-Time (TDT) system, Passive Splitter/Active Combiner (PS/AC) equivalents of the point -to-point reduced fiber architectures, and the broadcast PFB architecture. For each of the point-to-point and the broadcast OTSI architectures proposed, a detailed characterization of the architecture is performed including an analysis of number of fibers, total fiber length, number of optical switches and drivers, attenuation and SNR characteristics. This dissertation also proposes several new techniques for improving the system SNR and for calibration of the OTSI architectures. A cascaded noise reduction and a differential attenuation compensation technique are used to achieve a significantly higher system SNR at the output of the OTSI. In-situ calibration techniques are discussed to determine the optimum operating voltages for the LiNbO _3 switches when alternating between states every time slot. These techniques attempt to compensate for an output power drift problem

Fiber optics: A brief introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruchalla, M.E.

1989-01-01

A basic introduction into the principles of fiber optics is presented. A review of both the underlying physical principles and the individual elements of typical fiber-optic systems are presented. The optical phenomenon of total internal reflection is reviewed. The basic construction of the optical fiber is presented. Both step-index and graded-index fiber designs are reviewed. Multimode and single-mode fiber constructions are considered and typical performance parameters given. Typical optical-fiber bandwidth and loss characteristics are compared to various common coaxial cables, waveguides, and air transmission. The constructions of optical-fiber cables are reviewed. Both loose-tube and tightly-buffered designs are considered. Several optical connection approaches are presented. Photographs of several representative optical connectors are included. Light Emitting Diode and Laser Diode emitters for fiber-optic applications are reviewed, and some advantages and shortcomings of each are considered. The phenomenon of modal noise is briefly explained. Both PIN and Avalanche photodetectors are reviewed and their performance parameters compared. Methods of data transmission over optical fiber are introduced. Principles of Wavelength, Frequency, and Time Division Multiplexing are briefly presented. The technology of fiber-optic sensors is briefly reviewed with basic principles introduced. The performance of a fiber-optic strain sensor is included as a practical example. 7 refs., 10 figs

Fiber optic hydrophone

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzmenko, Paul J.; Davis, Donald T.

1994-01-01

A miniature fiber optic hydrophone based on the principles of a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The hydrophone, in one embodiment, includes a body having a shaped flexible bladder at one end which defines a volume containing air or suitable gas, and including a membrane disposed adjacent a vent. An optic fiber extends into the body with one end terminating in spaced relation to the membrane. Acoustic waves in the water that impinge on the bladder cause the pressure of the volume therein to vary causing the membrane to deflect and modulate the reflectivity of the Fabry-Perot cavity formed by the membrane surface and the cleaved end of the optical fiber disposed adjacent to the membrane. When the light is transmitted down the optical fiber, the reflected signal is amplitude modulated by the incident acoustic wave. Another embodiment utilizes a fluid filled volume within which the fiber optic extends.

Modeling borehole microseismic and strain signals measured by a distributed fiber optic sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Mellors, R. J.; Sherman, C. S.; Ryerson, F. J.; Morris, J.; Allen, G. S.; Messerly, M. J.; Carr, T.; Kavousi, P.

2017-12-01

The advent of distributed fiber optic sensors installed in boreholes provides a new and data-rich perspective on the subsurface environment. This includes the long-term capability for vertical seismic profiles, monitoring of active borehole processes such as well stimulation, and measuring of microseismic signals. The distributed fiber sensor, which measures strain (or strain-rate), is an active sensor with highest sensitivity parallel to the fiber and subject to varying types of noise, both external and internal. We take a systems approach and include the response of the electronics, fiber/cable, and subsurface to improve interpretation of the signals. This aids in understanding noise sources, assessing error bounds on amplitudes, and developing appropriate algorithms for improving the image. Ultimately, a robust understanding will allow identification of areas for future improvement and possible optimization in fiber and cable design. The subsurface signals are simulated in two ways: 1) a massively parallel multi-physics code that is capable of modeling hydraulic stimulation of heterogeneous reservoir with a pre-existing discrete fracture network, and 2) a parallelized 3D finite difference code for high-frequency seismic signals. Geometry and parameters for the simulations are derived from fiber deployments, including the Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory (MSEEL) project in West Virginia. The combination mimics both the low-frequency strain signals generated during the fracture process and high-frequency signals from microseismic and perforation shots. Results are compared with available fiber data and demonstrate that quantitative interpretation of the fiber data provides valuable constraints on the fracture geometry and microseismic activity. These constraints appear difficult, if not impossible, to obtain otherwise.

Distributed Temperature and Strain Discrimination with Stimulated Brillouin Scattering and Rayleigh Backscatter in an Optical Fiber

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoyi Bao

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A distributed optical fiber sensor with the capability of simultaneously measuring temperature and strain is proposed using a large effective area non-zero dispersion shifted fiber (LEAF with sub-meter spatial resolution. The Brillouin frequency shift is measured using Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA with differential pulse-width pair technique, while the spectrum shift of the Rayleigh backscatter is measured using optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR. These shifts are the functions of both temperature and strain, and can be used as two independent parameters for the discrimination of temperature and strain. A 92 m measurable range with the spatial resolution of 50 cm is demonstrated experimentally, and accuracies of ±1.2 °C in temperature and ±15 με in strain could be achieved.

Design of a multimodal fibers optic system for small animal optical imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Spinelli, Antonello E; Pagliazzi, Marco; Boschi, Federico

2015-02-01

Small animals optical imaging systems are widely used in pre-clinical research to image in vivo the bio-distribution of light emitting probes using fluorescence or bioluminescence modalities. In this work we presented a set of simulated results of a novel small animal optical imaging module based on a fibers optics matrix, coupled with a position sensitive detector, devoted to acquire bioluminescence and Cerenkov images. Simulations were performed using GEANT 4 code with the GAMOS architecture using the tissue optics plugin. Results showed that it is possible to image a 30 × 30 mm region of interest using a fiber optics array containing 100 optical fibers without compromising the quality of the reconstruction. The number of fibers necessary to cover an adequate portion of a small animal is thus quite modest. This design allows integrating the module with magnetic resonance (MR) in order to acquire optical and MR images at the same time. A detailed model of the mouse anatomy, obtained by segmentation of 3D MRI images, will improve the quality of optical 3D reconstruction. Copyright © 2014 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical fiber stripper positioning apparatus

Science.gov (United States)

Fyfe, Richard W.; Sanchez, Jr., Amadeo

1990-01-01

An optical fiber positioning apparatus for an optical fiber stripping device is disclosed which is capable of providing precise axial alignment between an optical fiber to be stripped of its outer jacket and the cutting blades of a stripping device. The apparatus includes a first bore having a width approximately equal to the diameter of an unstripped optical fiber and a counter bore axially aligned with the first bore and dimensioned to precisely receive a portion of the stripping device in axial alignment with notched cutting blades within the stripping device to thereby axially align the notched cutting blades of the stripping device with the axis of the optical fiber to permit the notched cutting blades to sever the jacket on the optical fiber without damaging the cladding on the optical fiber. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus further includes a fiber stop which permits determination of the length of jacket to be removed from the optical fiber.

Development of integrated damage detection system for international America's Cup class yacht structures using a fiber optic distributed sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Akiyoshi, Shimada; Naruse, Hiroshi; Uzawa, Kyoshi; Murayama, Hideaki; Kageyama, Kazuro

2000-06-01

We constructed a new health monitoring system to detect damage using a fiber optic distributed sensor, namely a Brillouin optical time domain reflectometer (BOTDR), and installed it in International America's Cup Class (IACC) yachts, the Japanese entry in America's Cup 2000. IACC yachts are designed to be as fast as possible, so it is essential that they are lightweight and encounter minimum water resistance. Advanced composite sandwich structures, made with carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) skins and a honeycomb core, are used to achieve the lightweight structure. Yacht structure designs push the strength of the materials to their limit and so it is important to detect highly stressed or damaged regions that might cause a catastrophic fracture. The BOTDR measures changes in the Brillouin frequency shift caused by distributed strain along one optical fiber. We undertook two experiments: a pulling test and a four point bending test on a composite beam. The former showed that no slippage occurred between the optical fiber glass and its coating. The latter confirmed that a debonding between the skin and the core of 300 mm length could be found with the BOTDR. Next we examined the effectiveness with which this system can assess the structural integrity of IACC yachts. The results show that our system has the potential for use as a damage detection system for smart structures.

Improved Optical Fiber Chemical Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Egalon, Claudio O.; Rogowski, Robert S.

1994-01-01

Calculations, based on exact theory of optical fiber, have shown how to increase optical efficiency sensitivity of active-core, step-index-profile optical-fiber fluorosensor. Calculations result of efforts to improve efficiency of optical-fiber chemical sensor of previous concept described in "Making Optical-Fiber Chemical Sensors More Sensitive" (LAR-14525). Optical fiber chemical detector of enhanced sensitivity made in several configurations. Portion of fluorescence or chemiluminescence generated in core, and launched directly into bound electromagnetic modes that propagate along core to photodetector.

Lab-on-fiber electrophoretic trace mixture separating and detecting an optofluidic device based on a microstructured optical fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xinghua; Guo, Xiaohui; Li, Song; Kong, Depeng; Liu, Zhihai; Yang, Jun; Yuan, Libo

2016-04-15

We report an in-fiber integrated electrophoretic trace mixture separating and detecting an optofluidic optical fiber sensor based on a specially designed optical fiber. In this design, rapid in situ separation and simultaneous detection of mixed analytes can be realized under electro-osmotic flow in the microstructured optical fiber. To visually display the in-fiber separating and detecting process, two common fluorescent indicators are adopted as the optofluidic analytes in the optical fiber. Results show that a trace amount of the mixture (0.15 μL) can be completely separated within 3.5 min under a high voltage of 5 kV. Simultaneously, the distributed information of the separated analytes in the optical fiber can be clearly obtained by scanning along the optical fiber using a 355 nm laser. The emission from the analytes can be efficiently coupled into the inner core and guides to the remote end of the optical fiber. In addition, the thin cladding around the inner core in the optical fiber can prevent the fluorescent cross talk between the analytes in this design. Compared to previous optical fiber optofluidic devices, this device first realizes simultaneously separating treatment and the detection of the mixed samples in an optical fiber. Significantly, such an in-fiber integrated separating and detecting optofluidic device can find wide applications in various analysis fields involves mixed samples, such as biology, chemistry, and environment.

Optical Fiber Fusion Splicing

CERN Document Server

Yablon, Andrew D

2005-01-01

This book is an up-to-date treatment of optical fiber fusion splicing incorporating all the recent innovations in the field. It provides a toolbox of general strategies and specific techniques that the reader can apply when optimizing fusion splices between novel fibers. It specifically addresses considerations important for fusion splicing of contemporary specialty fibers including dispersion compensating fiber, erbium-doped gain fiber, polarization maintaining fiber, and microstructured fiber. Finally, it discusses the future of optical fiber fusion splicing including silica and non-silica based optical fibers as well as the trend toward increasing automation. Whilst serving as a self-contained reference work, abundant citations from the technical literature will enable readers to readily locate primary sources.

Raman fiber distributed feedback lasers.

Science.gov (United States)

Westbrook, Paul S; Abedin, Kazi S; Nicholson, Jeffrey W; Kremp, Tristan; Porque, Jerome

2011-08-01

We demonstrate fiber distributed feedback (DFB) lasers using Raman gain in two germanosilicate fibers. Our DFB cavities were 124 mm uniform fiber Bragg gratings with a π phase shift offset from the grating center. Our pump was at 1480 nm and the DFB lasers operated on a single longitudinal mode near 1584 nm. In a commercial Raman gain fiber, the maximum output power, linewidth, and threshold were 150 mW, 7.5 MHz, and 39 W, respectively. In a commercial highly nonlinear fiber, these figures improved to 350 mW, 4 MHz, and 4.3 W, respectively. In both lasers, more than 75% of pump power was transmitted, allowing for the possibility of substantial amplification in subsequent Raman gain fiber. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Real-time distributed fiber optic sensor for security systems: Performance, event classification and nuisance mitigation

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmoud, Seedahmed S.; Visagathilagar, Yuvaraja; Katsifolis, Jim

2012-09-01

The success of any perimeter intrusion detection system depends on three important performance parameters: the probability of detection (POD), the nuisance alarm rate (NAR), and the false alarm rate (FAR). The most fundamental parameter, POD, is normally related to a number of factors such as the event of interest, the sensitivity of the sensor, the installation quality of the system, and the reliability of the sensing equipment. The suppression of nuisance alarms without degrading sensitivity in fiber optic intrusion detection systems is key to maintaining acceptable performance. Signal processing algorithms that maintain the POD and eliminate nuisance alarms are crucial for achieving this. In this paper, a robust event classification system using supervised neural networks together with a level crossings (LCs) based feature extraction algorithm is presented for the detection and recognition of intrusion and non-intrusion events in a fence-based fiber-optic intrusion detection system. A level crossings algorithm is also used with a dynamic threshold to suppress torrential rain-induced nuisance alarms in a fence system. Results show that rain-induced nuisance alarms can be suppressed for rainfall rates in excess of 100 mm/hr with the simultaneous detection of intrusion events. The use of a level crossing based detection and novel classification algorithm is also presented for a buried pipeline fiber optic intrusion detection system for the suppression of nuisance events and discrimination of intrusion events. The sensor employed for both types of systems is a distributed bidirectional fiber-optic Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer.

Fiber optic-based biosensor

Science.gov (United States)

Ligler, Frances S.

1991-01-01

The NRL fiber optic biosensor is a device which measures the formation of a fluorescent complex at the surface of an optical fiber. Antibodies and DNA binding proteins provide the mechanism for recognizing an analyze and immobilizing a fluorescent complex on the fiber surface. The fiber optic biosensor is fast, sensitive, and permits analysis of hazardous materials remote from the instrumentation. The fiber optic biosensor is described in terms of the device configuration, chemistry for protein immobilization, and assay development. A lab version is being used for assay development and performance characterization while a portable device is under development. Antibodies coated on the fiber are stable for up to two years of storage prior to use. The fiber optic biosensor was used to measure concentration of toxins in the parts per billion (ng/ml) range in under a minute. Immunoassays for small molecules and whole bacteria are under development. Assays using DNA probes as the detection element can also be used with the fiber optic sensor, which is currently being developed to detect biological warfare agents, explosives, pathogens, and toxic materials which pollute the environment.

Enhancement of accuracy in shape sensing of surgical needles using optical frequency domain reflectometry in optical fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Parent, Francois; Loranger, Sebastien; Mandal, Koushik Kanti; Iezzi, Victor Lambin; Lapointe, Jerome; Boisvert, Jean-Sébastien; Baiad, Mohamed Diaa; Kadoury, Samuel; Kashyap, Raman

2017-04-01

We demonstrate a novel approach to enhance the precision of surgical needle shape tracking based on distributed strain sensing using optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR). The precision enhancement is provided by using optical fibers with high scattering properties. Shape tracking of surgical tools using strain sensing properties of optical fibers has seen increased attention in recent years. Most of the investigations made in this field use fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), which can be used as discrete or quasi-distributed strain sensors. By using a truly distributed sensing approach (OFDR), preliminary results show that the attainable accuracy is comparable to accuracies reported in the literature using FBG sensors for tracking applications (~1mm). We propose a technique that enhanced our accuracy by 47% using UV exposed fibers, which have higher light scattering compared to un-exposed standard single mode fibers. Improving the experimental setup will enhance the accuracy provided by shape tracking using OFDR and will contribute significantly to clinical applications.

Enhanced radiation resistant fiber optics

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, P.B.; Looney, L.D.

1993-11-30

A process for producing an optical fiber having enhanced radiation resistance is provided, the process including maintaining an optical fiber within a hydrogen-containing atmosphere for sufficient time to yield a hydrogen-permeated optical fiber having an elevated internal hydrogen concentration, and irradiating the hydrogen-permeated optical fiber at a time while the optical fiber has an elevated internal hydrogen concentration with a source of ionizing radiation. The radiation source is typically a cobalt-60 source and the fiber is pre-irradiated with a dose level up to about 1000 kilorads of radiation. 4 figures.

Enhanced radiation resistant fiber optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyons, P.B.; Looney, L.D.

1993-01-01

A process for producing an optical fiber having enhanced radiation resistance is provided, the process including maintaining an optical fiber within a hydrogen-containing atmosphere for sufficient time to yield a hydrogen-permeated optical fiber having an elevated internal hydrogen concentration, and irradiating the hydrogen-permeated optical fiber at a time while the optical fiber has an elevated internal hydrogen concentration with a source of ionizing radiation. The radiation source is typically a cobalt-60 source and the fiber is pre-irradiated with a dose level up to about 1000 kilorads of radiation. 4 figures

Magneto-Optic Field Coupling in Optical Fiber Bragg Gratings

Science.gov (United States)

Carman, Gregory P. (Inventor); Mohanchandra, Panduranga K. (Inventor); Emmons, Michael C. (Inventor); Richards, William Lance (Inventor)

2016-01-01

The invention is a magneto-optic coupled magnetic sensor that comprises a standard optical fiber Bragg grating system. The system includes an optical fiber with at least one Bragg grating therein. The optical fiber has at least an inner core and a cladding that surrounds the inner core. The optical fiber is part of an optical system that includes an interrogation device that provides a light wave through the optical fiber and a system to determine the change in the index of refraction of the optical fiber. The cladding of the optical fiber comprises at least a portion of which is made up of ferromagnetic particles so that the ferromagnetic particles are subject to the light wave provided by the interrogation system. When a magnetic field is present, the ferromagnetic particles change the optical properties of the sensor directly.

Fiber optic based optical tomography sensor for monitoring plasma uniformity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benck, Eric C.; Etemadi, Kasra

2001-01-01

A new type of fiber optic based optical tomography sensor has been developed for in situ monitoring of plasma uniformity. Optical tomography inverts optical emission measurements into the actual plasma distribution without assuming radial symmetry. The new sensor is designed to operate with only two small windows and acquire the necessary data in less than a second. Optical tomography is being tested on an ICP-GEC RF plasma source. Variations in plasma uniformity are measured as a function of different plasma conditions

Coupling characteristics of the spun optical fiber with triple stress elements

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Minning; Shang, Fengtao; Chen, Dandan

2018-06-01

An empirical formula related to the stress field distribution in the optical fiber with triple stress elements is proposed and proved. The possible intercoupling between the fundamental modes and the higher order modes is demonstrated. The transmission property of the spun optical fiber with triple stress elements is analyzed. The experimental data from a sample of the spun optical fiber with triple stress elements confirm the theoretical results very well.

Optical fiber spectrophotometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuang Weixin; Tian Guocheng; Ye Guoan; Zhou Zhihong; Cheng Weiwei; Huang Lifeng; Liu Suying; Tang Yanji; Hu Jingxin; Zhao Yonggang

1998-12-01

A method called 'Two Arm's Photo out and Electricity Send-back' is introduced. UV-365 UV/VIS/NIR spectrophotometer has been reequipped by this way with 5 meters long optical fiber. Another method called 'One Arm's Photo out and Photo Send-back' is also introduced. λ 19 UV/VIS/NIR spectrophotometer has been reequipped by this way with 10 meters long optical fiber. Optical fiber spectrophotometer can work as its main set. So it is particularly applicable to radio activity work

Fiber optic distributed chemical sensor for the real time detection of hydrocarbon fuel leaks

Science.gov (United States)

Mendoza, Edgar; Kempen, C.; Esterkin, Yan; Sun, Sunjian

2015-09-01

With the increase worldwide demand for hydrocarbon fuels and the vast development of new fuel production and delivery infrastructure installations around the world, there is a growing need for reliable hydrocarbon fuel leak detection technologies to provide safety and reduce environmental risks. Hydrocarbon leaks (gas or liquid) pose an extreme danger and need to be detected very quickly to avoid potential disasters. Gas leaks have the greatest potential for causing damage due to the explosion risk from the dispersion of gas clouds. This paper describes progress towards the development of a fast response, high sensitivity, distributed fiber optic fuel leak detection (HySense™) system based on the use of an optical fiber that uses a hydrocarbon sensitive fluorescent coating to detect the presence of fuel leaks present in close proximity along the length of the sensor fiber. The HySense™ system operates in two modes, leak detection and leak localization, and will trigger an alarm within seconds of exposure contact. The fast and accurate response of the sensor provides reliable fluid leak detection for pipelines, storage tanks, airports, pumps, and valves to detect and minimize any potential catastrophic damage.

Micromachined fiber optic Fabry-Perot underwater acoustic probe

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fuyin; Shao, Zhengzheng; Hu, Zhengliang; Luo, Hong; Xie, Jiehui; Hu, Yongming

2014-08-01

One of the most important branches in the development trend of the traditional fiber optic physical sensor is the miniaturization of sensor structure. Miniature fiber optic sensor can realize point measurement, and then to develop sensor networks to achieve quasi-distributed or distributed sensing as well as line measurement to area monitoring, which will greatly extend the application area of fiber optic sensors. The development of MEMS technology brings a light path to address the problems brought by the procedure of sensor miniaturization. Sensors manufactured by MEMS technology possess the advantages of small volume, light weight, easy fabricated and low cost. In this paper, a fiber optic extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric underwater acoustic probe utilizing micromachined diaphragm collaborated with fiber optic technology and MEMS technology has been designed and implemented to actualize underwater acoustic sensing. Diaphragm with central embossment, where the embossment is used to anti-hydrostatic pressure which would largely deflect the diaphragm that induce interferometric fringe fading, has been made by double-sided etching of silicon on insulator. By bonding the acoustic-sensitive diaphragm as well as a cleaved fiber end in ferrule with an outer sleeve, an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer has been constructed. The sensor has been interrogated by quadrature-point control method and tested in field-stable acoustic standing wave tube. Results have been shown that the recovered signal detected by the sensor coincided well with the corresponding transmitted signal and the sensitivity response was flat in frequency range from 10 Hz to 2kHz with the value about -154.6 dB re. 1/μPa. It has been manifest that the designed sensor could be used as an underwater acoustic probe.

Fiber-Optic Continuous Liquid Sensor for Cryogenic Propellant Gauging

Science.gov (United States)

Xu. Wei

2010-01-01

An innovative fiber-optic sensor has been developed for low-thrust-level settled mass gauging with measurement uncertainty optical fiber to measure liquid level and liquid distribution of cryogenic propellants. Every point of the sensing fiber is a point sensor that not only distinguishes liquid and vapor, but also measures temperature. This sensor is able to determine the physical location of each point sensor with 1-mm spatial resolution. Acting as a continuous array of numerous liquid/vapor point sensors, the truly distributed optical sensing fiber can be installed in a propellant tank in the same manner as silicon diode point sensor stripes using only a single feedthrough to connect to an optical signal interrogation unit outside the tank. Either water or liquid nitrogen levels can be measured within 1-mm spatial resolution up to a distance of 70 meters from the optical interrogation unit. This liquid-level sensing technique was also compared to the pressure gauge measurement technique in water and liquid nitrogen contained in a vertical copper pipe with a reasonable degree of accuracy. It has been demonstrated that the sensor can measure liquid levels in multiple containers containing water or liquid nitrogen with one signal interrogation unit. The liquid levels measured by the multiple fiber sensors were consistent with those virtually measured by a ruler. The sensing performance of various optical fibers has been measured, and has demonstrated that they can survive after immersion at cryogenic temperatures. The fiber strength in liquid nitrogen has also been measured. Multiple water level tests were also conducted under various actual and theoretical vibration conditions, and demonstrated that the signal-to-noise ratio under these vibration conditions, insofar as it affects measurement accuracy, is manageable and robust enough for a wide variety of spacecraft applications. A simple solution has been developed to absorb optical energy at the termination of

A fiber optic synchronization system for LUX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilcox, R.B.; Staples, J.W.; Doolittle, L.R.

2004-01-01

The LUX femtosecond light source concept would support pump-probe experiments that need to synchronize laser light pulses with electron-beam-generated X-ray pulses to less than 50 fs at the experimenter endstations. To synchronize multiple endstation lasers with the X-ray pulse, we are developing a fiber-distributed optical timing network. A high frequency clock signal is distributed via fiber to RF cavities (controlling X-ray probe pulse timing) and mode-locked lasers at endstations (controlling pump pulse timing). The superconducting cavities are actively locked to the optical clock phase. Most of the RF timing error is contained within a 10 kHz bandwidth, so these errors and any others affecting X-ray pulse timing (such as RF gun phase) can be detected and transmitted digitally to correct laser timing at the endstations. Time delay through the fibers will be stabilized by comparing a retro-reflected pulse from the experimenter endstation end with a reference pulse from the sending en d, and actively controlling the fiber length

Fiber Optics Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, William E.

1986-01-01

Discusses various applications of fiber optics technology: information systems, industrial robots, medicine, television, transportation, and training. Types of jobs that will be available with fiber optics training (such as electricians and telephone cable installers and splicers) are examined. (CT)

Ultrafast optics. Ultrafast optical control by few photons in engineered fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Nissim, R; Pejkic, A; Myslivets, E; Kuo, B P; Alic, N; Radic, S

2014-07-25

Fast control of a strong optical beam by a few photons is an outstanding challenge that limits the performance of quantum sensors and optical processing devices. We report that a fast and efficient optical gate can be realized in an optical fiber that has been engineered with molecular-scale accuracy. Highly efficient, distributed phase-matched photon-photon interaction was achieved in the fiber with locally controlled, nanometer-scale core variations. A three-photon input was used to manipulate a Watt-scale beam at a speed exceeding 500 gigahertz. In addition to very fast beam control, the results provide a path to developing a new class of sensitive receivers capable of operating at very high rates. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Control systems using modal domain optical fiber sensors for smart structure applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lindner, Douglas K.; Reichard, Karl M.

1991-01-01

Recently, a new class of sensors has emerged for structural control which respond to environmental changes over a significant gauge length; these sensors are called distributed-effect sensors. These sensors can be fabricated with spatially varying sensitivity to the distributed measurand, and can be configured to measure a variety of structural parameters which can not be measured directly using point sensors. Examples of distributed-effect sensors include piezoelectric film, holographic sensors, and modal domain optical fiber sensors. Optical fiber sensors are particularly attractive for smart structure applications because they are flexible, have low mass, and can easily be embedded directly into materials. In this paper we describe the implementation of weighted modal domain optical fiber sensors. The mathematical model of the modal domain optical fiber sensor model is described and used to derive an expression for the sensor sensitivity. The effects of parameter variations on the sensor sensitivity are demonstrated to illustrate methods of spatially varying the sensor sensitivity.

Initial study and verification of a distributed fiber optic corrosion monitoring system for transportation structures.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-01

For this study, a novel optical fiber sensing system was developed and tested for the monitoring of corrosion in : transportation systems. The optical fiber sensing system consists of a reference long period fiber gratings (LPFG) sensor : for corrosi...

Introduction to optical fiber sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moukdad, S.

1991-01-01

Optical fiber sensors have many advantages over other types of sensors, for example: Low weight, immunity from EMI, electrical isolation, chemical passivity, and high sensitivity. In this seminar, a brief explanation of the optical fiber sensors, their use, and their advantages will be given. After, a description of the main optical fiber sensor components will be presented. Principles of some kinds of optical fiber sensors will be presented, and the principle of the fiber-optic rotation sensor and its realization will be discussed in some details, as well as its main applications. (author). 5 refs, 8 figs, 2 tabs

Optical fiber switch

Science.gov (United States)

Early, James W.; Lester, Charles S.

2002-01-01

Optical fiber switches operated by electrical activation of at least one laser light modulator through which laser light is directed into at least one polarizer are used for the sequential transport of laser light from a single laser into a plurality of optical fibers. In one embodiment of the invention, laser light from a single excitation laser is sequentially transported to a plurality of optical fibers which in turn transport the laser light to separate individual remotely located laser fuel ignitors. The invention can be operated electro-optically with no need for any mechanical or moving parts, or, alternatively, can be operated electro-mechanically. The invention can be used to switch either pulsed or continuous wave laser light.

Brillouin lasing in single-mode tapered optical fiber with inscribed fiber Bragg grating array

Science.gov (United States)

Popov, S. M.; Butov, O. V.; Chamorovskiy, Y. K.; Isaev, V. A.; Kolosovskiy, A. O.; Voloshin, V. V.; Vorob'ev, I. L.; Vyatkin, M. Yu.; Mégret, P.; Odnoblyudov, M.; Korobko, D. A.; Zolotovskii, I. O.; Fotiadi, A. A.

2018-06-01

A tapered optical fiber has been manufactured with an array of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) inscribed during the drawing process. The total fiber peak reflectivity is 5% and the reflection bandwidth is ∼3.5 nm. A coherent frequency domain reflectometry has been applied for precise profiling of the fiber core diameter and grating reflectivity both distributed along the whole fiber length. These measurements are in a good agreement with the specific features of Brillouin lasing achieved in the semi-open fiber cavity configuration.

Photometric device using optical fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boisde, Gilbert; Perez, J.-J.

1981-02-01

Remote measurements in radioactive environment are now possible with optical fibers. Measurement instruments developed by CEA are constitued of: - an optical probe (5 mm to 1 meter optical path length), - a photometric measurement device, - optical fiber links. 'TELEPHOT' is a photometric device for industrial installations. It is uses interferentiel filters for 2 to 5 simultaneous wave lengths. 'CRUDMETER' measures the muddiness of water. It can be equipped with a high sensitivity cell of 50 cm optical path length tested up to 250 bars. Coupling a double beam spectrophotometer to a remote optical probe, up to 1 meter optical path length, is carried out by means of an optical device using optical fibers links, eventually several hundred meter long. For these equipments special step index large core fibers, 1 to 1.5 mm in diameter, have been developed as well connectors. For industrial control and research these instruments offer new prospect thanks to optical fibers use [fr

Fabrication and optical characterization of silica optical fibers containing gold nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

de Oliveira, Rafael E P; Sjödin, Niclas; Fokine, Michael; Margulis, Walter; de Matos, Christiano J S; Norin, Lars

2015-01-14

Gold nanoparticles have been used since antiquity for the production of red-colored glasses. More recently, it was determined that this color is caused by plasmon resonance, which additionally increases the material's nonlinear optical response, allowing for the improvement of numerous optical devices. Interest in silica fibers containing gold nanoparticles has increased recently, aiming at the integration of nonlinear devices with conventional optical fibers. However, fabrication is challenging due to the high temperatures required for silica processing and fibers with gold nanoparticles were solely demonstrated using sol-gel techniques. We show a new fabrication technique based on standard preform/fiber fabrication methods, where nanoparticles are nucleated by heat in a furnace or by laser exposure with unprecedented control over particle size, concentration, and distribution. Plasmon absorption peaks exceeding 800 dB m(-1) at 514-536 nm wavelengths were observed, indicating higher achievable nanoparticle concentrations than previously reported. The measured resonant nonlinear refractive index, (6.75 ± 0.55) × 10(-15) m(2) W(-1), represents an improvement of >50×.

Fiber optic distributed temperature sensing for fire source localization

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Miao; Tang, Yuquan; Yang, Shuang; Sigrist, Markus W.; Li, Jun; Dong, Fengzhong

2017-08-01

A method for localizing a fire source based on a distributed temperature sensor system is proposed. Two sections of optical fibers were placed orthogonally to each other as the sensing elements. A tray of alcohol was lit to act as a fire outbreak in a cabinet with an uneven ceiling to simulate a real scene of fire. Experiments were carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the method. Rather large fluctuations and systematic errors with respect to predicting the exact room coordinates of the fire source caused by the uneven ceiling were observed. Two mathematical methods (smoothing recorded temperature curves and finding temperature peak positions) to improve the prediction accuracy are presented, and the experimental results indicate that the fluctuation ranges and systematic errors are significantly reduced. The proposed scheme is simple and appears reliable enough to locate a fire source in large spaces.

A Research on Low Modulus Distributed Fiber Optical Sensor for Pavement Material Strain Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Lingjian; Wang, Linbing; Hou, Yue; Yan, Guannan

2017-10-19

The accumulated irreversible deformation in pavement under repeated vehicle loadings will cause fatigue failure of asphalt concrete. It is necessary to monitor the mechanical response of pavement under load by using sensors. Previous studies have limitations in modulus accommodation between the sensor and asphalt pavement, and it is difficult to achieve the distributed monitoring goal. To solve these problems, a new type of low modulus distributed optical fiber sensor (DOFS) for asphalt pavement strain monitoring is fabricated. Laboratory experiments have proved the applicability and accuracy of the newly-designed sensor. This paper presents the results of the development.

Long distance transmission through distributed erbium-doped fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rottwitt, Karsten; Povlsen, Jørn Hedegaard; Bjarklev, Anders Overgaard

1993-01-01

High bit rate, all-optical long-distance transmission could be created through the combined use of loss-compensating gain in erbium-doped fibers and solitons. A detailed analysis of the distributed erbium-doped fiber, including the spectral-gain dependency, is combined with an optimum design...... of the transmission fiber and general bit-error-rate calculations. Changes in wavenumber, group velocity, and fiber dispersion due to erbium doping in a single-mode fiber are evaluated, and a reduction in bit-error rates due to the erbium spectral-gain profile is shown. Transmission through distributed erbium......-doped fiber with 100-km separation between each pump-power station is shown, with a total bit-rate distance product of 55 Gb/s · Mm...

Optical Fiber Protection

Science.gov (United States)

1999-01-01

F&S Inc. developed and commercialized fiber optic and microelectromechanical systems- (MEMS) based instrumentation for harsh environments encountered in the aerospace industry. The NASA SBIR programs have provided F&S the funds and the technology to develop ruggedized coatings and coating techniques that are applied during the optical fiber draw process. The F&S optical fiber fabrication facility and developed coating methods enable F&S to manufacture specialty optical fiber with custom designed refractive index profiles and protective or active coatings. F&S has demonstrated sputtered coatings using metals and ceramics and combinations of each, and has also developed techniques to apply thin coatings of specialized polyimides formulated at NASA Langley Research Center. With these capabilities, F&S has produced cost-effective, reliable instrumentation and sensors capable of withstanding temperatures up to 800? C and continues building commercial sales with corporate partners and private funding. More recently, F&S has adapted the same sensing platforms to provide the rapid detection and identification of chemical and biological agents

Fiber optic chemical sensors: The evolution of high- density fiber-optic DNA microarrays

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Jane A.

2001-06-01

Sensors were developed for multianalyte monitoring, fermentation monitoring, lactate analysis, remote oxygen detection for use in bioremediation monitoring and in a fuel spill clean-up project, heavy metal analysis, and high density DNA microarrays. The major focus of this thesis involved creating and improving high-density DNA gene arrays. Fiber optic sensors are created using fluorescent indicators, polymeric supports, and optical fiber substrates. The fluorescent indicator is entrapped in a polymer layer and attached to the tip of the optical fiber. The tip of the fiber bearing the sensing layer (the distal end) is placed in the sample of interest while the other end of the fiber (the proximal end) is connected to an analysis system. Any length of fiber can be used without compromising the integrity or sensitivity of the system. A fiber optic oxygen sensor was designed incorporating an oxygen sensitive fluorescent dye and a gas permeable polymer attached to an optical fiber. The construction simplicity and ruggedness of the sensor enabled its deployment for in situ chemical oxidation and bioremediation studies. Optical fibers were also used as the substrate to detect biomolecules in solution. To monitor bioprocesses, the production of the analyte of interest must be coupled with a species that is optically measurable. For example, oxygen is consumed in many metabolic functions. The fiber optic oxygen sensor is equipped with an additional sensing layer. Upon contact with a specific biochemical in the sample, a reaction occurs in the additional sensing layer that either consumes or produces oxygen. This dual layer system was used to monitor the presence of lactate, an important metabolite for clinical and bioprocess analysis. In many biological and environmental systems, the generation of one species occurs coincidentally with the generation or consumption of another species. A multianalyte sensor was prepared that can monitor the simultaneous activity of pH, CO2

Development of Optical Fiber-Based Daylighting System and Its Comparison

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irfan Ullah

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Fiber-optic daylighting systems have been shown to be a promising and effective way to transmit sunlight in the interior space whilst reducing electric lighting energy consumption. To increase efficiency in terms of providing uniform illumination in the interior, the current need is to illuminate optical fiber-bundle with uniform light flux. To this end, we propose a method for achieving collimated light, which illuminates the fiber-bundle uniformly. Light is collected through a parabolic concentrator and focused toward a collimating lens, which distributes the light over each optical fiber. An optics diffusing structure is utilized at the end side of the fiber bundle to spread light in the interior. The results clearly reveal that the efficiency in terms of uniform illumination, which also reduces the heat problem for optical fibers, is improved. Furthermore, a comparison study is conducted between current and previous approaches. As a result, the proposed daylighting system turns out convenient in terms of energy saving and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Optical chaos and hybrid WDM/TDM based large capacity quasi-distributed sensing network with real-time fiber fault monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yiyang; Xia, Li; Xu, Zhilin; Yu, Can; Sun, Qizhen; Li, Wei; Huang, Di; Liu, Deming

2015-02-09

An optical chaos and hybrid wavelength division multiplexing/time division multiplexing (WDM/TDM) based large capacity quasi-distributed sensing network with real-time fiber fault monitoring is proposed. Chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) intensity demodulation is adopted to improve the dynamic range of the measurements. Compared with the traditional sensing interrogation methods in time, radio frequency and optical wavelength domains, the measurand sensing and the precise locating of the proposed sensing network can be simultaneously interrogated by the relative amplitude change (RAC) and the time delay of the correlation peak in the cross-correlation spectrum. Assisted with the WDM/TDM technology, hundreds of sensing units could be potentially multiplexed in the multiple sensing fiber lines. Based on the proof-of-concept experiment for axial strain measurement with three sensing fiber lines, the strain sensitivity up to 0.14% RAC/με and the precise locating of the sensors are achieved. Significantly, real-time fiber fault monitoring in the three sensing fiber lines is also implemented with a spatial resolution of 2.8 cm.

Fabrication and evaluation of hybrid silica/polymer optical fiber sensors for large strain measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Haiying

2007-04-01

Silica-based optical fiber sensors are widely used in structural health monitoring systems for strain and deflection measurement. One drawback of silica-based optical fiber sensors is their low strain toughness. In general, silica-based optical fiber sensors can only reliably measure strains up to 2%. Recently, polymer optical fiber sensors have been employed to measure large strain and deflection. Due to their high optical losses, the length of the polymer optical fibers is limited to 100 meters. In this paper, we present a novel economical technique to fabricate hybrid silica/polymer optical fiber strain sensors for large strain measurement. First, stress analysis of a surface-mounted optical fiber sensor is performed to understand the load distribution between the host structure and the optical fiber in relation to their mechanical properties. Next, the procedure of fabricating a polymer sensing element between two optical fibers is explained. The experimental set-up and the components used in the fabrication process are described in details. Mechanical testing results of the fabricated silica/polymer optical fiber strain sensor are presented.

Distributed fiber Raman amplification in long reach PON bidirectional access links

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tafur Monroy, Idelfonso; Kjær, Rasmus; Öhman, Filip

2008-01-01

Distributed Raman fiber amplification is proposed and experimentally demonstrated to support long reach passive optical network (PON) links. An 80 km, bidirectional, single fiber link is demonstrated using both standard intensity optical modulators at 10 Gb/s and up to 7.5 Gb/s using novel...

Nonlinear fiber optics formerly quantum electronics

CERN Document Server

Agrawal, Govind

1995-01-01

The field of nonlinear fiber optics has grown substantially since the First Edition of Nonlinear Fiber Optics, published in 1989. Like the First Edition, this Second Edition is a comprehensive, tutorial, and up-to-date account of nonlinear optical phenomena in fiber optics. It synthesizes widely scattered research material and presents it in an accessible manner for students and researchers already engaged in or wishing to enter the field of nonlinear fiber optics. Particular attention is paid to the importance of nonlinear effects in the design of optical fiber communication systems. This is

Fiber optic and laser sensors IV; Proceedings of the Meeting, Cambridge, MA, Sept. 22-24, 1986

Science.gov (United States)

De Paula, Ramon P. (Editor); Udd, Eric (Editor)

1987-01-01

The conference presents papers on industrial uses of fiber optic sensors, point and distributed polarimetric optical fiber sensors, fiber optic electric field sensor technology, micromachined resonant structures, single-mode fibers for sensing applications, and measurement techniques for magnetic field gradient detection. Consideration is also given to electric field meter and temperature measurement techniques for the power industry, the calibration of high-temperature fiber-optic microbend pressure transducers, and interferometric sensors for dc measurands. Other topics include the recognition of colors and collision avoidance in robotics using optical fiber sensors, the loss compensation of intensity-modulating fiber-optic sensors, and an embedded optical fiber strain tensor for composite structure applications.

The role of local interaction mechanics in fiber optic smart structures

Science.gov (United States)

Sirkis, J. S.; Dasgupta, A.

1993-04-01

The concept of using 'smart' composite materials/structures with built-in self-diagnostic capabilities for health monitoring involves embedding discrete and/or distributed sensory networks in the host composite material, along with a central and/or distributed artificial intelligence capability for signal processing, data collection, interpretation and diagnostic evaluations. This article concentrates on the sensory functions in 'smart' structure applications and concentrates in particular on optical fiber sensors. Specifically, we present an overview of recent research dealing with the basic mechanics of local interactions between the embedded optical fiber sensors and the surrounding host composite. The term 'local' is defined by length scales on the order of several optical fiber diameters. We examine some generic issues, such as the 'calibration' and 'obtrusivity' of the sensor, and the inherent damage caused by the sensor inclusions to the surrounding host and vice-versa under internal and/or external applied loads. Analytical, numerical and experimental results are presented regarding the influence of local strain concentrations caused by the sensory inclusions on sensor and host performance. The important issues examined are the local mechanistic effects of optical fiber coatings on the behavior of the sensor and the host, and mechanical survivability of optical fibers experiencing quasi-static and time-varying thermomechanical loading.

Fiber Optics Instrumentation Development

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Patrick Hon Man; Parker, Allen R., Jr.; Richards, W. Lance

2010-01-01

This is a general presentation of fiber optics instrumentation development work being conducted at NASA Dryden for the past 10 years and recent achievements in the field of fiber optics strain sensors.

Fiber Optics and Library Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Koenig, Michael

1984-01-01

This article examines fiber optic technology, explains some of the key terminology, and speculates about the way fiber optics will change our world. Applications of fiber optics to library systems in three major areas--linkage of a number of mainframe computers, local area networks, and main trunk communications--are highlighted. (EJS)

Electrospun amplified fiber optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Morello, Giovanni; Camposeo, Andrea; Moffa, Maria; Pisignano, Dario

2015-03-11

All-optical signal processing is the focus of much research aiming to obtain effective alternatives to existing data transmission platforms. Amplification of light in fiber optics, such as in Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, is especially important for efficient signal transmission. However, the complex fabrication methods involving high-temperature processes performed in a highly pure environment slow the fabrication process and make amplified components expensive with respect to an ideal, high-throughput, room temperature production. Here, we report on near-infrared polymer fiber amplifiers working over a band of ∼20 nm. The fibers are cheap, spun with a process entirely carried out at room temperature, and shown to have amplified spontaneous emission with good gain coefficients and low levels of optical losses (a few cm(-1)). The amplification process is favored by high fiber quality and low self-absorption. The found performance metrics appear to be suitable for short-distance operations, and the large variety of commercially available doping dyes might allow for effective multiwavelength operations by electrospun amplified fiber optics.

FIBER OPTIC LIGHTING SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Munir BATUR

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Recently there have been many important and valuable developments in the communication industry. The huge increase in the sound, data and visual communications has caused a parallel increase in the demand for systems with wider capacity, higher speed and higher quality. Communication systems that use light to transfer data are immensely increased. There have recently many systems in which glass or plastic fiber cables were developed for light wave to be transmitted from a source to a target place. Fiber optic systems, are nowadays widely used in energy transmission control systems, medicine, industry and lighting. The basics of the system is, movement of light from one point to another point in fiber cable with reflections. Fiber optic lighting systems are quite secure than other lighting systems and have flexibility for realizing many different designs. This situation makes fiber optics an alternative for other lighting systems. Fiber optic lighting systems usage is increasing day-by-day in our life. In this article, these systems are discussed in detail.

Fiber-optic seismic sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finch, G. W.; Udd, E.

1985-01-01

A vibration sensor is constructed by providing two preferably matched coils of fiber-optic material. When the sensor experiences vibration, a differential pressure is exerted on the two fiber coils. The differential pressure results in a variation in the relative optical path lengths between the two fibers so that light beams transmitted through the two fibers are differently delayed, the phase difference therebetween being a detectable indication of the vibration applied to the sensor

Enhancement of Rayleigh scatter in optical fiber by simple UV treatment: an order of magnitude increase in distributed sensing sensitivity

Science.gov (United States)

Loranger, Sébastien; Parent, François; Lambin-Iezzi, Victor; Kashyap, Raman

2016-02-01

Rayleigh scatter in optical fiber communication systems has long been considered a nuisance as a loss mechanism, although applications have used such scatter to probe the fiber for faults and propagation loss using time domain reflectometry (OTDR). It is however only with the development of Frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) and coherent-phase OTDR that Rayleigh scatter has been probed to its deepest and can now be used to measure strain and temperature along a fiber, leading to the first distributed sensing applications. However, Rayleigh scatter remains very weak giving rise to very small signals which limits the technique for sensing. We show here a new technique to significantly enhance the Rayleigh scatter signal by at least two orders of magnitude, in a standard optical fiber with simple UV exposure of the core. A study of various exposures with different types of fibers has been conducted and a phenomenological description developed. We demonstrate that such an increase in signal can enhance the temperature and strain sensitivity by an order of magnitude for distributed sensing with an OFDR technique. Such improved performance can lead to temperature/strain RMS noise levels of 6 mK and 50 nɛ for 1 cm spatial resolution in UV exposed SMF-28, compared to the typical noise level of 100 mK for the same spatial resolution in the similar unexposed fiber.

Chemistry Research of Optical Fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-09-27

BROADENING IN OPTICAL FIBERS Herbert B. Rosenstock* Naval Research Laboratory Washington, DC 20375 ABSTRACT A light pulse transmitted through a fiber...Marcatili, Marcuse , and Personick, "Dispersion Properties of Fibers" (Ch. 4 in "Optical Fiber Telecommunications," S. E. Miller and A. C. Chynoweth, eds

Multimode optical fiber

Science.gov (United States)

Bigot-Astruc, Marianne; Molin, Denis; Sillard, Pierre

2014-11-04

A depressed graded-index multimode optical fiber includes a central core, an inner depressed cladding, a depressed trench, an outer depressed cladding, and an outer cladding. The central core has an alpha-index profile. The depressed claddings limit the impact of leaky modes on optical-fiber performance characteristics (e.g., bandwidth, core size, and/or numerical aperture).

Overview of Fiber-Optical Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Depaula, Ramon P.; Moore, Emery L.

1987-01-01

Design, development, and sensitivity of sensors using fiber optics reviewed. State-of-the-art and probable future developments of sensors using fiber optics described in report including references to work in field. Serves to update previously published surveys. Systems incorporating fiber-optic sensors used in medical diagnosis, navigation, robotics, sonar, power industry, and industrial controls.

Career Directions--Fiber Optic Installer

Science.gov (United States)

Tech Directions, 2012

2012-01-01

Fiber-optic communication is a method of transmitting information from one place to another by sending pulses of light through an optical fiber that is roughly the diameter of a human hair. The light forms an electromagnetic carrier wave that is modulated to carry information. Each optical fiber is capable of carrying an enormous amount of…

The CEBAF fiber optic phase reference system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crawford, K.; Simrock, S.; Hovater, C.; Krycuk, A.

1995-01-01

The specified phase stability of the CEBAF RF distribution system is 2.9 degree rms per linac. Stability is achieved through the use of a temperature and pressure regulated coaxial drive line. Purpose of the fiber optic phase reference system is to monitor the relative phase at the beginning and ending of this drive line, between linacs, injector and separator to determine drift due to ambient temperature fluctuations. The system utilizes an Ortel 1310 nm single mode laser driving Sumitumo optical fiber to distribute a reference signal at 1497 MHz. Phase of this reference signal is compared to the 1427 MHz (LO) and the 70 MHz (IF) via a 360 degree phase detector. The detected information is then routed to the CEBAF control system for display with a specified resolution of ±0.2 degree over a 20 degree phase delta

Assessment of fiber optic pressure sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashemian, H.M.; Black, C.L.; Farmer, J.P.

1995-04-01

This report presents the results of a six-month Phase 1 study to establish the state-of-the-art in fiber optic pressure sensing and describes the design and principle of operation of various fiber optic pressure sensors. This study involved a literature review, contact with experts in the field, an industrial survey, a site visit to a fiber optic sensor manufacturer, and laboratory testing of a fiber optic pressure sensor. The laboratory work involved both static and dynamic performance tests. In addition, current requirements for environmental and seismic qualification of sensors for nuclear power plants were reviewed to determine the extent of the qualification tests that fiber optic pressure sensors may have to meet before they can be used in nuclear power plants. This project has concluded that fiber optic pressure sensors are still in the research and development stage and only a few manufacturers exist in the US and abroad which supply suitable fiber optic pressure sensors for industrial applications. Presently, fiber optic pressure sensors are mostly used in special applications for which conventional sensors are not able to meet the requirements

Fiber optics standard dictionary

CERN Document Server

Weik, Martin H

1997-01-01

Fiber Optics Vocabulary Development In 1979, the National Communications System published Technical InfonnationBulle­ tin TB 79-1, Vocabulary for Fiber Optics and Lightwave Communications, written by this author. Based on a draft prepared by this author, the National Communications System published Federal Standard FED-STD-1037, Glossary of Telecommunications Terms, in 1980 with no fiber optics tenns. In 1981, the first edition of this dictionary was published under the title Fiber Optics and Lightwave Communications Standard Dictionary. In 1982, the then National Bureau of Standards, now the National Institute of Standards and Technology, published NBS Handbook 140, Optical Waveguide Communications Glossary, which was also published by the General Services Admin­ istration as PB82-166257 under the same title. Also in 1982, Dynamic Systems, Inc. , Fiberoptic Sensor Technology Handbook, co-authored and edited by published the this author, with an extensive Fiberoptic Sensors Glossary. In 1989, the handbook w...

Implementation of Fiber Optic Sensing System on Sandwich Composite Cylinder Buckling Test

Science.gov (United States)

Pena, Francisco; Richards, W. Lance; Parker, Allen R.; Piazza, Anthony; Schultz, Marc R.; Rudd, Michelle T.; Gardner, Nathaniel W.; Hilburger, Mark W.

2018-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Engineering and Safety Center Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor Project is a multicenter project tasked with developing new analysis-based shell buckling design guidelines and design factors (i.e., knockdown factors) through high-fidelity buckling simulations and advanced test technologies. To validate these new buckling knockdown factors for future launch vehicles, the Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor Project is carrying out structural testing on a series of large-scale metallic and composite cylindrical shells at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama). A fiber optic sensor system was used to measure strain on a large-scale sandwich composite cylinder that was tested under multiple axial compressive loads up to more than 850,000 lb, and equivalent bending loads over 22 million in-lb. During the structural testing of the composite cylinder, strain data were collected from optical cables containing distributed fiber Bragg gratings using a custom fiber optic sensor system interrogator developed at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center. A total of 16 fiber-optic strands, each containing nearly 1,000 fiber Bragg gratings, measuring strain, were installed on the inner and outer cylinder surfaces to monitor the test article global structural response through high-density real-time and post test strain measurements. The distributed sensing system provided evidence of local epoxy failure at the attachment-ring-to-barrel interface that would not have been detected with conventional instrumentation. Results from the fiber optic sensor system were used to further refine and validate structural models for buckling of the large-scale composite structures. This paper discusses the techniques employed for real-time structural monitoring of the composite cylinder for structural load introduction and distributed bending-strain measurements over a large section of the cylinder by

High pressure fiber optic sensor system

Science.gov (United States)

Guida, Renato; Xia, Hua; Lee, Boon K; Dekate, Sachin N

2013-11-26

The present application provides a fiber optic sensor system. The fiber optic sensor system may include a small diameter bellows, a large diameter bellows, and a fiber optic pressure sensor attached to the small diameter bellows. Contraction of the large diameter bellows under an applied pressure may cause the small diameter bellows to expand such that the fiber optic pressure sensor may measure the applied pressure.

Catching Attention in Fiber Optics Class

OpenAIRE

Kezerashvili, R. Ya.; Leng, L.

2004-01-01

Following a brief review on the history and the current development of fiber optics, the significance of teaching fiber optics for science and non-science major college students is addressed. Several experimental demonstrations designed to aid the teaching and learning process in fiber optics lectures are presented. Sample laboratory projects are also proposed to help the students to understand the physical principles of fiber optics.

[The recent development of fiber-optic chemical sensor].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jian; Wei, Jian-ping; Yang, Bo; Gao, Zhi-yang; Zhang, Li-wei; Yang, Xue-feng

2014-08-01

The present article provides a brief review of recent research on fiber-optic chemical sensor technology and the future development trends. Especially, fiber-optic pH chemical sensor, fiber-optic ion chemicl sensor, and fiber-optic gas chemical sensor are introduced respectively. Sensing film preparation methods such as chemical bonding method and sol-gel method were briefly reviewed. The emergence of new type fiber-microstructured optical fiber opened up a new development direction for fiber-optic chemical sensor. Because of its large inner surface area, flexible design of structure, having internal sensing places in fibers, it has rapidly become an important development direction and research focus of the fiber-optic chemical sensors. The fiber-optic chemical sensor derived from microstructured optical fiber is also discussed in detail. Finally, we look to the future of the fiber-optic chemical sensor.

Contributed Review: A review of the investigation of rare-earth dopant profiles in optical fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sidiroglou, F.; Baxter, G. [Optical Technology Research Laboratory, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, P.O. Box 14428, Melbourne, VIC 8001 (Australia); Roberts, A. [School of Physics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010 (Australia)

2016-04-15

Rare-earth doped optical fibers have captivated the interest of many researchers around the world across the past three decades. The growth of this research field has been stimulated primarily through their application in optical communications as fiber lasers and amplifiers, although rare-earth doped optical fiber based devices are now finding important uses in many other scientific and industrial areas (for example, medicine, sensing, the military, and material processing). Such wide commercial interest has provided a strong incentive for innovative fiber designs, alternative glass compositions, and novel fabrication processes. A prerequisite for the ongoing progress of this research field is developing the capacity to provide high resolution information about the rare-earth dopant distribution profiles within the optical fibers. This paper constitutes a comprehensive review of the imaging techniques that have been utilized in the analysis of the distribution of the rare-earth ion erbium within the core of optical fibers.

Vibration sensing in flexible structures using a distributed-effect modal domain optical fiber sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Reichard, Karl M.; Lindner, Douglas K.; Claus, Richard O.

1991-01-01

Modal domain optical fiber sensors have recently been employed in the implementation of system identification algorithms and the closed-loop control of vibrations in flexible structures. The mathematical model of the modal domain optical fiber sensor used in these applications, however, only accounted for the effects of strain in the direction of the fiber's longitudinal axis. In this paper, we extend this model to include the effects of arbitrary stress. Using this sensor model, we characterize the sensor's sensitivity and dynamic range.

Methods and optical fibers that decrease pulse degradation resulting from random chromatic dispersion

Science.gov (United States)

Chertkov, Michael; Gabitov, Ildar

2004-03-02

The present invention provides methods and optical fibers for periodically pinning an actual (random) accumulated chromatic dispersion of an optical fiber to a predicted accumulated dispersion of the fiber through relatively simple modifications of fiber-optic manufacturing methods or retrofitting of existing fibers. If the pinning occurs with sufficient frequency (at a distance less than or are equal to a correlation scale), pulse degradation resulting from random chromatic dispersion is minimized. Alternatively, pinning may occur quasi-periodically, i.e., the pinning distance is distributed between approximately zero and approximately two to three times the correlation scale.

Nonlinear fiber-optic strain sensor based on four-wave mixing in microstructured optical fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gu, Bobo; Yuan, Scott Wu; Frosz, Michael H.

2012-01-01

We demonstrate a nonlinear fiber-optic strain sensor, which uses the shifts of four-wave mixing Stokes and anti-Stokes peaks caused by the strain-induced changes in the structure and refractive index of a microstructured optical fiber. The sensor thus uses the inherent nonlinearity of the fiber a...

Graded-index fiber tip optical tweezers: numerical simulation and trapping experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Yuan; Ye, Ai-Yan; Wu, Yu; Rao, Yun-Jiang; Yao, Yao; Xiao, Song

2013-07-01

Optical fiber tweezers based on a graded-index multimode fiber (GIMMF) tip is proposed. Light propagation characteristics and gradient force distribution near the GIMMF tip are numerically investigated, which are further compared with that of optical fiber tips based on conventional single mode fibers. The simulated results indicated that by selecting optimal GIMMF length, the gradient force of the GIMMF tip tweezers is about 4 times higher than that of the SMF tip tweezers with a same shape. To prove the feasibility of such a new concept, optical trapping of yeast cells with a diameter of ~5 μm using the chemically-etched GIMMF tip is experimentally demonstrated and the trapping force is also calculated.

Temperature measurement and damage detection in concrete beams exposed to fire using PPP-BOTDA based fiber optic sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Yi; Hoehler, Matthew S.; Smith, Christopher M.; Bundy, Matthew; Chen, Genda

2017-10-01

In this study, Brillouin scattering-based distributed fiber optic sensor is implemented to measure temperature distributions and detect cracks in concrete structures subjected to fire for the first time. A telecommunication-grade optical fiber is characterized as a high temperature sensor with pulse pre-pump Brillouin optical time domain analysis (PPP-BODTA), and implemented to measure spatially-distributed temperatures in reinforced concrete beams in fire. Four beams were tested to failure in a natural gas fueled compartment fire, each instrumented with one fused silica, single-mode optical fiber as a distributed sensor and four thermocouples. Prior to concrete cracking, the distributed temperature was validated at locations of the thermocouples by a relative difference of less than 9%. The cracks in concrete can be identified as sharp peaks in the temperature distribution since the cracks are locally filled with hot air. Concrete cracking did not affect the sensitivity of the distributed sensor but concrete spalling broke the optical fiber loop required for PPP-BOTDA measurements.

Multiparameter fiber optic sensing system for monitoring enhanced geothermal systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Challener, William A

2014-12-04

The goal of this project was to design, fabricate and test an optical fiber cable which supports multiple sensing modalities for measurements in the harsh environment of enhanced geothermal systems. To accomplish this task, optical fiber was tested at both high temperatures and strains for mechanical integrity, and in the presence of hydrogen for resistance to darkening. Both single mode (SM) and multimode (MM) commercially available optical fiber were identified and selected for the cable based on the results of these tests. The cable was designed and fabricated using a tube-within-tube construction containing two MM fibers and one SM fiber, and without supporting gel that is not suitable for high temperature environments. Commercial fiber optic sensing instruments using Raman DTS (distributed temperature sensing), Brillouin DTSS (distributed temperature and strain sensing), and Raleigh COTDR (coherent optical time domain reflectometry) were selected for field testing. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) pressure sensor was designed, fabricated, packaged, and calibrated for high pressure measurements at high temperatures and spliced to the cable. A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensor was also spliced to the cable. A geothermal well was selected and its temperature and pressure were logged. The cable was then deployed in the well in two separate field tests and measurements were made on these different sensing modalities. Raman DTS measurements were found to be accurate to ±5°C, even with some residual hydrogen darkening. Brillouin DTSS measurements were in good agreement with the Raman results. The Rayleigh COTDR instrument was able to detect some acoustic signatures, but was generally disappointing. The FBG sensor was used to determine the effects of hydrogen darkening, but drift over time made it unreliable as a temperature or pressure sensor. The MEMS sensor was found to be highly stable and accurate to better than its 0.1% calibration.

Fiber optic sensor and method for making

Science.gov (United States)

Vartuli, James Scott; Bousman, Kenneth Sherwood; Deng, Kung-Li; McEvoy, Kevin Paul; Xia, Hua

2010-05-18

A fiber optic sensor including a fiber having a modified surface integral with the fiber wherein the modified surface includes an open pore network with optical agents dispersed within the open pores of the open pore network. Methods for preparing the fiber optic sensor are also provided. The fiber optic sensors can withstand high temperatures and harsh environments.

System for testing optical fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Golob, John E. [Olathe, KS; Looney, Larry D. [Los Alamos, NM; Lyons, Peter B. [Los Alamos, NM; Nelson, Melvin A. [Santa Barbara, CA; Davies, Terence J. [Santa Barbara, CA

1980-07-15

A system for measuring a combination of optical transmission properties of fiber optic waveguides. A polarized light pulse probe is injected into one end of the optical fiber. Reflections from discontinuities within the fiber are unpolarized whereas reflections of the probe pulse incident to its injection remain polarized. The polarized reflections are prevented from reaching a light detector whereas reflections from the discontinuities reaches the detector.

Radiation resistance of optical fibers, (10)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsunoda, Tsunemi; Ara, Katsuyuki; Morimoto, Naoki; Sanada, Kazuo; Inada, Koichi.

1991-01-01

Optical fibers have many excellent characteristics such as the light weight of the material, insulation, the noninductivity of electromagnetic interference noise, the wide band of signal transmission, and small loss. Also in the field of atomic energy, the utilization of optical fibers is positively expanded, and the research on the method of application and so on has been advanced. However in optical fibers, there is the problem that color centers are formed at the relatively low level of radiation, and they are colored. Accordingly, for effectively utilizing optical fibers in radiation environment, it is indispensable to improve their radiation resistance. For the purpose of solving this problem, the authors have carried out the basic research on the effect that radiation exerts to optical fibers and the development of the optical fibers having excellent radiation resistance. For the purpose of expanding the range of application of GeO 2 -doped silica core fibers including GI type in radiation regions, the transmission characteristics of the fibers during irradiation were examined by using the Cl content as the parameter. Therefore, the results are reported. The fibers put to the test, the testing method and the results are described. (K.I.)

Time domain optical spectrometry with fiber optic waveguides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitten, W.B.

1983-01-01

Spectrometers which use optical fibers to obtain time domain spectral dispersion are reviewed. Pulse transmission through fiber optic waveguides is discussed and the basic requirements for sources and detectors are given. Multiplex spectrometry and time-of-flight spectrometry are then discussed. Resolution, fiber requirements, instrumentation and specific spectrometers are presented

Fiber Optic Calorimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudy, C.; Bayliss, S.; Bracken, D.; Bush, J.; Davis, P.

1997-01-01

A twin-bridge calorimeter using optical fiber as the sensor element was constructed and tested. This system demonstrates the principle and capability of using optical fibers for heat-flow measurements of special nuclear material. This calorimeter uses piezoelectric-generated phase-carrier modulation with subsequent electronic signal processes to allow phase shifts as small as 1 microradian (microrad) to be measured. The sensing element consists of 21-m lengths of single-mode optical fiber wrapped around sample and reference chambers. The sensitivity of the calorimeter was determined to be 74 radians (rad) of phase shift per milliwatt of thermal power. One milliwatt of thermal power is equivalent to 400 mg of plutonium (6% 240 Pu). The system noise base was about 0.2 rad, equivalent to about 1 mg of plutonium

Fiber optic calorimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudy, C.R.; Bayliss, S.C.; Bracken, D.S.; Bush, I.J.; Davis, P.G.

1998-01-01

A twin-bridge calorimeter using optical fiber as the sensor element was constructed and tested. This system demonstrates the principle and capability of using optical fibers for heat-flow measurements of special nuclear material. This calorimeter uses piezoelectric-generated phase-carrier modulation with subsequent electronic signal processing to allow phase shifts as small as 1 microrad to be measured. The sensing element consists of 21-m lengths of single-mode optical fiber wrapped around sample and reference chambers. The sensitivity of the calorimeter was determined to be 74 rad of phase shift per mW of thermal power. One milliwatt of thermal power is equivalent to 400 mg of plutonium (6% 240 Pu). The system noise base was about 0.2 rad, equivalent to about 1 mg of plutonium

Development of Optical Fiber Detector for Measurement of Fast Neutron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

YAGI, Takahiro; KAWAGUCHI, Shinichi; MISAWA, Tsuyoshi; PYEON, Cheol Ho; UNESAKI, Hironobu; SHIROYA, Seiji; OKAJIMA, Shigeaki; TANI, Kazuhiro

2008-01-01

Measurement of fast neutron flux is important for investigation of characteristic of fast reactors. In order to insert a neutron detector in a narrow space such as a gap of between fuel plates and measure the fast neutrons in real time, a neutron detector with an optical fiber has been developed. This detector consists of an optical fiber whose tip is covered with mixture of neutron converter material and scintillator such as ZnS(Ag). The detector for fast neutrons uses ThO 2 as converter material because 232 Th makes fission reaction with fast neutrons. The place where 232 Th can be used is limited by regulations because 232 Th is nuclear fuel material. The purpose of this research is to develop a new optical fiber detector to measure fast neutrons without 232 Th and to investigate the characteristic of the detector. These detectors were used to measure a D-T neutron generator and fast neutron flux distribution at Fast Critical Assembly. The results showed that the fast neutron flux distribution of the new optical fiber detector with ZnS(Ag) was the same as it of the activation method, and the detector are effective for measurement of fast neutrons. (authors)

A review of fiber-optic corrosion sensor in civil engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Dong; Li, Junnan; Li, Yuanyuan

2018-05-01

Fiber-optical corrosion sensor (FOCS) is the research hotspot of corrosion monitoring sensor in recent years. It has the advantages of lightness, simplicity, anti-electromagnetic interference and distributed measurement, so it has an attractive application prospect. In this paper, the mechanism of metal corrosion is introduced. Several common methods for detecting optical fiber corrosion sensors are presented, and the latest progress of optical fiber corrosion sensors in recent years is described. We need to design a set of sensor devices that can directly monitor the corrosion of reinforcing steel bars directly, and propose a method of time dependent reliability assessment based on monitoring data, so as to form a complete research path.

Applications of nonlinear fiber optics

CERN Document Server

Agrawal, Govind

2008-01-01

* The only book describing applications of nonlinear fiber optics * Two new chapters on the latest developments: highly nonlinear fibers and quantum applications* Coverage of biomedical applications* Problems provided at the end of each chapterThe development of new highly nonlinear fibers - referred to as microstructured fibers, holey fibers and photonic crystal fibers - is the next generation technology for all-optical signal processing and biomedical applications. This new edition has been thoroughly updated to incorporate these key technology developments.The bo

Radiation distribution measurement using plastic scintillating optical fibers for survey of radioactive contamination in wide area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Chikara; Ito, Keisuke; Ishikawa, Takashi; Yoshida, Akihiro; Sanada, Yukihisa; Torii, Tatsuo; Nohtomi, Akihiro; Wakabayashi, Genichiro; Miyazaki, Nobuyuki

2013-01-01

It is important to examine distribution of environmental contamination due to the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and to confirm the effect of decontamination works. We have applied radiation distribution measurement using plastic scintillating optical fibers (PSFs) in the survey of contamination in wide area including residential, farmland, forests, etc. In the measurements system, two scintillation lights that emitted at an incidence of a radiation transmit to photomultiplier tubes at the both end of PSFs. The position where scintillation light emitted is obtained from the detection time difference of each photomultiplier tube. The distribution of light emission quantity indicates the distribution of radiation incident in a PSF which is corresponds to the distribution of dose-rate. The radiation detection system using the PSFs has been applied to the radiation distribution measurement on grounds, trees, etc. The results show a good agreement with point data measured by survey meters using sodium iodide scintillators. As the PSFs which have water resistance, they have been successfully applied to the radiation distribution measurement in the river. We have also succeeded in measuring two-dimensional distribution of radiation by measuring the count rate while moving to the fiber at a constant speed. (author)

Collapsed optical fiber: A novel method for improving thermoluminescence response of optical fiber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahdiraji, G. Amouzad, E-mail: ghafour@um.edu.my [Integrated Lightwave Research Group, Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Adikan, F.R. Mahamd [Integrated Lightwave Research Group, Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Bradley, D.A. [Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2015-05-15

A new technique is shown to provide improved thermoluminescence (TL) response from optical fibers, based on collapsing down hollow capillary optical fibers (COF) into flat fibers (FF), producing fused inner walls and consequent defects generation. Four different fused silica preform tubes are used to fabricate in-house COFs and FFs, i.e., ultra-pure (F300), relatively pure silica (PS), germanium-doped (Ge), and Ge–Boron-doped (GeB). The optical fibers are then subjected to 6 MeV electron irradiation. While the results show similar TL response from F300-COF and -FF, the TL response of PS-COF is improved by a factor of 6 by collapsing it down to a FF. By doping Ge into the F300 tube, the TL response of the resultant Ge-COF shows an improvement of 3 times over that of F300-COF, while an improvement of a factor of 12 is obtained by producing a Ge-FF. In GeB preform, by collapsing the capillary fiber into a FF, an improvement in TL response of 31 times that of GeB-COF is obtained. TL glow curve analysis shows an additional peak to be generated in the FFs compared to that observed in the COFs. The TL intensity value of the new peak is significantly increased in the doped FFs compared to the undoped FFs. The results suggest that defects generation occurs as a result of the fusing/collapsing technique, providing a TL response from the optical fibers that can substantially improve upon that of existing TL system sensitivities. - Highlights: • A new method for increasing TL response of optical fiber is presented. • By collapsing capillary fiber wall surface, TL response of the fiber increased. • By adding impurity in the collapsing area, TL response significantly improved.

Enabling technologies for fiber optic sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Selwan K.; Farnan, Martin; Karabacak, Devrez M.; Singer, Johannes M.

2016-04-01

In order for fiber optic sensors to compete with electrical sensors, several critical parameters need to be addressed such as performance, cost, size, reliability, etc. Relying on technologies developed in different industrial sectors helps to achieve this goal in a more efficient and cost effective way. FAZ Technology has developed a tunable laser based optical interrogator based on technologies developed in the telecommunication sector and optical transducer/sensors based on components sourced from the automotive market. Combining Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensing technology with the above, high speed, high precision, reliable quasi distributed optical sensing systems for temperature, pressure, acoustics, acceleration, etc. has been developed. Careful design needs to be considered to filter out any sources of measurement drifts/errors due to different effects e.g. polarization and birefringence, coating imperfections, sensor packaging etc. Also to achieve high speed and high performance optical sensing systems, combining and synchronizing multiple optical interrogators similar to what has been used with computer/processors to deliver super computing power is an attractive solution. This path can be achieved by using photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology which opens the doors to scaling up and delivering powerful optical sensing systems in an efficient and cost effective way.

Strain transfer analysis of optical fiber based sensors embedded in an asphalt pavement structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Huaping; Xiang, Ping

2016-01-01

Asphalt pavement is vulnerable to random damage, such as cracking and rutting, which can be proactively identified by distributed optical fiber sensing technology. However, due to the material nature of optical fibers, a bare fiber is apt to be damaged during the construction process of pavements. Thus, a protective layer is needed for this application. Unfortunately, part of the strain of the host material is absorbed by the protective layer when transferring the strain to the sensing fiber. To account for the strain transfer error, in this paper a theoretical analysis of the strain transfer of a three-layered general model has been carried out by introducing Goodman’s hypothesis to describe the interfacial shear stress relationship. The model considers the viscoelastic behavior of the host material and protective layer. The effects of one crack in the host material and the sensing length on strain transfer relationship are been discussed. To validate the effectiveness of the strain transfer analysis, a flexible asphalt-mastic packaged distributed optical fiber sensor was designed and tested in a laboratory environment to monitor the distributed strain and appearance of cracks in an asphalt concrete beam at two different temperatures. The experimental results indicated that the developed strain transfer formula can significantly reduce the strain transfer error, and that the asphalt-mastic packaged optical fiber sensor can successfully monitor the distributed strain and identify local cracks. (paper)

Strain transfer analysis of optical fiber based sensors embedded in an asphalt pavement structure

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Huaping; Xiang, Ping

2016-07-01

Asphalt pavement is vulnerable to random damage, such as cracking and rutting, which can be proactively identified by distributed optical fiber sensing technology. However, due to the material nature of optical fibers, a bare fiber is apt to be damaged during the construction process of pavements. Thus, a protective layer is needed for this application. Unfortunately, part of the strain of the host material is absorbed by the protective layer when transferring the strain to the sensing fiber. To account for the strain transfer error, in this paper a theoretical analysis of the strain transfer of a three-layered general model has been carried out by introducing Goodman’s hypothesis to describe the interfacial shear stress relationship. The model considers the viscoelastic behavior of the host material and protective layer. The effects of one crack in the host material and the sensing length on strain transfer relationship are been discussed. To validate the effectiveness of the strain transfer analysis, a flexible asphalt-mastic packaged distributed optical fiber sensor was designed and tested in a laboratory environment to monitor the distributed strain and appearance of cracks in an asphalt concrete beam at two different temperatures. The experimental results indicated that the developed strain transfer formula can significantly reduce the strain transfer error, and that the asphalt-mastic packaged optical fiber sensor can successfully monitor the distributed strain and identify local cracks.

Optical-domain Compensation for Coupling between Optical Fiber Conjugate Vortex Modes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyubopytov, Vladimir S.; Tatarczak, Anna; Lu, Xiaofeng

2016-01-01

We demonstrate for the first time optical-domain compensation for coupling between conjugate vortex modes in optical fibers. We introduce a novel method for reconstructing the complex propagation matrix of the optical fiber with straightforward implementation.......We demonstrate for the first time optical-domain compensation for coupling between conjugate vortex modes in optical fibers. We introduce a novel method for reconstructing the complex propagation matrix of the optical fiber with straightforward implementation....

Eliminating Crystals in Non-Oxide Optical Fiber Preforms and Optical Fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Dennis S.; LaPointe, Michael R.

2012-01-01

Non ]oxide fiber optics such as heavy metal fluoride and chalcogenide glasses are extensively used in infrared transmitting applications such as communication systems, chemical sensors, and laser fiber guides for cutting, welding and medical surgery. The addition of rare earths such as erbium, enable these materials to be used as fiber laser and amplifiers. Some of these glasses however are very susceptible to crystallization. Even small crystals can lead to light scatter and a high attenuation coefficient, limiting their usefulness. Previously two research teams found that microgravity suppressed crystallization in heavy metal fluoride glasses. Looking for a less expensive method to suppress crystallization, ground based research was performed utilizing an axial magnetic field. The experiments revealed identical results to those obtained via microgravity processing. This research then led to a patented process for eliminating crystals in optical fiber preforms and the resulting optical fibers. In this paper, the microgravity results will be reviewed as well as patents and papers relating to the use of magnetic fields in various material and glass processing applications. Finally our patent to eliminate crystals in non ]oxide glasses utilizing a magnetic field will be detailed.

Midinfrared optical rogue waves in soft glass photonic crystal fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buccoliero, Daniel; Steffensen, Henrik; Ebendorff-Heidepriem, Heike

2011-01-01

We investigate numerically the formation of extreme events or rogue waves in soft glass tellurite fibers and demonstrate that optical loss drastically diminishes shot-to-shot fluctuations characteristic of picosecond pumped supercontinuum (SC). When loss is neglected these fluctuations include...... distributions. Our results thus implicitly show that rogue waves will not occur in any SC spectrum that is limited by loss, such as commercial silica fiber based SC sources. © 2011 Optical Society of America....

Optical fibers and RF a natural combination

CERN Document Server

Romeiser, Malcolm

2004-01-01

The optical fiber industry has experienced a period of consolidation and reorganization and is now poised for a new surge in growth. To take advantage of that growth, and to respond to the demand to use fiber more efficiently, designers need a better understanding of fiber optics. Taking the approach that optical fibers are an extension of RF-based communications, the author explains basic optical concepts, applications, and systems; the nature and performance characteristics of optical fibers; and optical sources, connectors and splices. Subsequent chapters explore current applications of fib

Femtosecond laser direct-write of optofluidics in polymer-coated optical fiber

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Kevin A. J.; Haque, Moez; Ho, Stephen; Aitchison, J. Stewart; Herman, Peter R.

2017-03-01

Multifunctional lab in fiber technology seeks to translate the accomplishments of optofluidic, lab on chip devices into silica fibers. a robust, flexible, and ubiquitous optical communication platform that can underpin the `Internet of Things' with distributed sensors, or enable lab on chip functions deep inside our bodies. Femtosecond lasers have driven significant advances in three-dimensional processing, enabling optical circuits, microfluidics, and micro-mechanical structures to be formed around the core of the fiber. However, such processing typically requires the stripping and recoating of the polymer buffer or jacket, increasing processing time and mechanically weakening the device. This paper reports on a comprehensive assessment of laser damage in urethane-acrylate-coated fiber. The results show a sufficient processing window is available for femtosecond laser processing of the fiber without damaging the polymer jacket. The fiber core, cladding, and buffer could be simultaneously processed without removal of the buffer jacket. Three-dimensional lab in fiber devices were successfully fabricated by distortion-free immersionlens focusing, presenting fiber-cladding optical circuits and progress towards chemically-etched channels, microfluidic cavities, and MEMS structure inside buffer-coated fiber.

Shedding Light on Fiber Optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunch, Robert M.

1994-01-01

Explains the principles of fiber optics as a medium for light-wave communication. Current uses of fiber systems on college campuses include voice, video, and local area network applications. A group of seven school districts in Minnesota are linked via fiber-optic cables. Other uses are discussed. (MLF)

Highly fluorescent silver nanoclusters in alumina-silica composite optical fiber

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halder, A.; Chattopadhyay, R.; Majumder, S.; Paul, M. C.; Das, S.; Bhadra, S. K., E-mail: skbhadra@cgcri.res.in [Fiber Optics and Photonics Division, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, 196, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032 (India); Bysakh, S.; Unnikrishnan, M. [Material Characterization Division, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, 196, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032 (India)

2015-01-05

An efficient visible fluorescent optical fiber embedded with silver nanoclusters (Ag-NCs) having size ∼1 nm, uniformly distributed in alumina-silica composite core glass, is reported. Fibers are fabricated in a repetitive controlled way through modified chemical vapour deposition process associated with solution doping technique. Fibers are drawn from the transparent preforms by conventional fiber drawing process. Structural characteristics of the doped fibers are studied using transmission electron microscopy and electron probe micro analysis. The oxidation state of Ag within Ag-NCs is investigated by X-ray photo electron spectroscopy. The observed significant fluorescence of the metal clusters in fabricated fibers is correlated with electronic model. The experimentally observed size dependent absorption of the metal clusters in fabricated fibers is explained with the help of reported results calculated by ab-initio density functional theory. These optical fibers may open up an opportunity of realizing tunable wavelength fiber laser without the help of rare earth elements.

Optical fiber communications

CERN Document Server

Keiser, Gerd

2008-01-01

The fourth edition of this popular text and reference book presents the fundamental principles for understanding and applying optical fiber technology to sophisticated modern telecommunication systems. Optical-fiber-based telecommunication networks have become a major information-transmission-system, with high capacity links encircling the globe in both terrestrial and undersea installations. Numerous passive and active optical devices within these links perform complex transmission and networking functions in the optical domain, such as signal amplification, restoration, routing, and switching. Along with the need to understand the functions of these devices comes the necessity to measure both component and network performance, and to model and stimulate the complex behavior of reliable high-capacity networks.

Walkaway-VSP survey using distributed optical fiber in China oilfield

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Junjun; Yu, Gang; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yanpeng; Cai, Zhidong; Chen, Yuanzhong; Liu, Congwei; Zhao, Haiying; Li, Fei

2017-10-01

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is a new type of replacement technology for geophysical geophone. DAS system is similar to high-density surface seismic geophone array. In the stage of acquisition, DAS can obtain the full well data with one shot. And it can provide enhanced vertical seismic profile (VSP) imaging and monitor fluids and pressures changes in the hydrocarbon production reservoir. Walkaway VSP data acquired over a former producing well in north eastern China provided a rich set of very high quality data. A standard VSP data pre-processing workflow was applied, followed by pre-stack Kirchhoff time migration. In the DAS pre-processing step we were faced with additional and special challenges: strong coherent noise due to cable slapping and ringing along the borehole casing. The single well DAS Walkaway VSP images provide a good result with higher vertical and lateral resolution than the surface seismic in the objective area. This paper reports on lessons learned in the handling of the wireline cable and subsequent special DAS data processing steps developed to remediate some of the practical wireline deployment issues. Optical wireline cable as a conveyance of fiber optic cables for VSP in vertical wells will open the use of the DAS system to much wider applications.

Engineering modes in optical fibers with metamaterial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yan, Min; Mortensen, Asger; Qiu, Min

2009-01-01

In this paper, we report a preliminary theoretical study on optical fibers with fine material inclusions whose geometrical inhomogeneity is almost indistinguishable by the operating wavelength.We refer to such fibers as metamaterial optical fibers, which can conceptually be considered...... as an extension from the previously much publicized microstructured optical fibers. Metamaterials can have optical properties not obtainable in naturally existing materials, including artificial anisotropy as well as graded material properties. Therefore, incorporation of metamaterial in optical fiber designs can...

A fiber-optic polarimetric demonstration kit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eftimov, T; Dimitrova, T L; Ivanov, G

2012-01-01

A simple and multifunctional fiber-optic polarimetric kit on the basis of highly birefringent single-mode fibers is presented. The fiber-optic polarimetric kit allows us to perform the following laboratory exercises: (i) fiber excitation and the measurement of numerical aperture, (ii) polarization preservation and (iii) obtain polarization-sensitive fiberized interferometers.

Hierarchical fiber-optic-based sensing system: impact damage monitoring of large-scale CFRP structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minakuchi, Shu; Banshoya, Hidehiko; Takeda, Nobuo; Tsukamoto, Haruka

2011-01-01

This study proposes a novel fiber-optic-based hierarchical sensing concept for monitoring randomly induced damage in large-scale composite structures. In a hierarchical system, several kinds of specialized devices are hierarchically combined to form a sensing network. Specifically, numerous three-dimensionally structured sensor devices are distributed throughout the whole structural area and connected with an optical fiber network through transducing mechanisms. The distributed devices detect damage, and the fiber-optic network gathers the damage signals and transmits the information to a measuring instrument. This study began by discussing the basic concept of a hierarchical sensing system through comparison with existing fiber-optic-based systems, and an impact damage detection system was then proposed to validate the new concept. The sensor devices were developed based on comparative vacuum monitoring (CVM), and Brillouin-based distributed strain measurement was utilized to identify damaged areas. Verification tests were conducted step-by-step, beginning with a basic test using a single sensor unit, and, finally, the proposed monitoring system was successfully verified using a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) fuselage demonstrator. It was clearly confirmed that the hierarchical system has better repairability, higher robustness, and a wider monitorable area compared to existing systems

Fiber Optic Based Thermometry System for Superconducting RF Cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kochergin, Vladimir [Microxact Inc.

2013-05-06

Thermometry is recognized as the best technique to identify and characterize losses in SRF cavities. The most widely used and reliable apparatus for temperature mapping at cryogenic temperatures is based on carbon resistors (RTDs). The use of this technology on multi-cell cavities is inconvenient due to the very large number of sensors required to obtain sufficient spatial resolution. Recent developments make feasible the use of multiplexible fiber optic sensors for highly distributed temperature measurements. However, sensitivity of multiplexible cryogenic temperature sensors was found extending only to 12K at best and thus was not sufficient for SRF cavity thermometry. During the course of the project the team of MicroXact, JLab and Virginia Tech developed and demonstrated the multiplexible fiber optic sensor with adequate response below 20K. The demonstrated temperature resolution is by at least a factor of 60 better than that of the best multiplexible fiber optic temperature sensors reported to date. The clear path toward at least 10times better temperature resolution is shown. The first to date temperature distribution measurements with ~2.5mm spatial resolution was done with fiber optic sensors at 2K to4K temperatures. The repeatability and accuracy of the sensors were verified only at 183K, but at this temperature both parameters significantly exceeded the state of the art. The results of this work are expected to find a wide range of applications, since the results are enabling the whole new testing capabilities, not accessible before.

Fiber laser master oscillators for optical synchronization systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, A.

2008-04-01

New X-ray free electron lasers (e.g. the European XFEL) require a new generation of synchronization system to achieve a stability of the FEL pulse, such that pump-probe experiments can fully utilize the ultra-short pulse duration (50 fs). An optical synchronization system has been developed based on the distribution of sub-ps optical pulses in length-stabilized fiber links. The synchronization information is contained in the precise repetition frequency of the optical pulses. In this thesis, the design and characterization of the laser serving as laser master oscillator is presented. An erbium-doped mode-locked fiber laser was chosen. Amplitude and phase noise were measured and record-low values of 0.03 % and 10 fs for the frequency range of 1 kHz to the Nyquist frequency were obtained. Furthermore, an initial proof-of-principle experiment for the optical synchronization system was performed in an accelerator environment. In this experiment, the fiber laser wase phase-locked to a microwave reference oscillator and a 500 meter long fiber link was stabilized to 12 fs rms over a range of 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz. RF signals were obtained from a photodetector without significant degradation at the end of the link. Furthermore, the laser master oscillator for FLASH was designed and is presently in fabrication and the initial infrastructure for the optical synchronization system was setup. (orig.)

Fiber laser master oscillators for optical synchronization systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winter, A.

2008-04-15

New X-ray free electron lasers (e.g. the European XFEL) require a new generation of synchronization system to achieve a stability of the FEL pulse, such that pump-probe experiments can fully utilize the ultra-short pulse duration (50 fs). An optical synchronization system has been developed based on the distribution of sub-ps optical pulses in length-stabilized fiber links. The synchronization information is contained in the precise repetition frequency of the optical pulses. In this thesis, the design and characterization of the laser serving as laser master oscillator is presented. An erbium-doped mode-locked fiber laser was chosen. Amplitude and phase noise were measured and record-low values of 0.03 % and 10 fs for the frequency range of 1 kHz to the Nyquist frequency were obtained. Furthermore, an initial proof-of-principle experiment for the optical synchronization system was performed in an accelerator environment. In this experiment, the fiber laser wase phase-locked to a microwave reference oscillator and a 500 meter long fiber link was stabilized to 12 fs rms over a range of 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz. RF signals were obtained from a photodetector without significant degradation at the end of the link. Furthermore, the laser master oscillator for FLASH was designed and is presently in fabrication and the initial infrastructure for the optical synchronization system was setup. (orig.)

Symmetry evaluation for an interferometric fiber optic gyro coil utilizing a bidirectional distributed polarization measurement system.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Feng; Li, Chuang; Yang, Jun; Hou, Chengcheng; Zhang, Haoliang; Yu, Zhangjun; Yuan, Yonggui; Li, Hanyang; Yuan, Libo

2017-07-10

We propose a dual-channel measurement system for evaluating the optical path symmetry of an interferometric fiber optic gyro (IFOG) coil. Utilizing a bidirectional distributed polarization measurement system, the forward and backward transmission performances of an IFOG coil are characterized simultaneously by just a one-time measurement. The simple but practical configuration is composed of a bidirectional Mach-Zehnder interferometer and multichannel transmission devices connected to the IFOG coil under test. The static and dynamic temperature results of the IFOG coil reveal that its polarization-related symmetric properties can be effectively obtained with high accuracy. The optical path symmetry investigation is highly beneficial in monitoring and improving the winding technology of an IFOG coil and reducing the nonreciprocal effect of an IFOG.

An inexpensive high-temperature optical fiber thermometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, Travis J.; Jones, Matthew R.; Tree, Dale R.; Allred, David D.

2017-01-01

An optical fiber thermometer consists of an optical fiber whose tip is coated with a highly conductive, opaque material. When heated, this sensing tip becomes an isothermal cavity that emits like a blackbody. This emission is used to predict the sensing tip temperature. In this work, analytical and experimental research has been conducted to further advance the development of optical fiber thermometry. An inexpensive optical fiber thermometer is developed by applying a thin coating of a high-temperature cement onto the tip of a silica optical fiber. An FTIR spectrometer is used to detect the spectral radiance exiting the fiber. A rigorous mathematical model of the irradiation incident on the detection system is developed. The optical fiber thermometer is calibrated using a blackbody radiator and inverse methods are used to predict the sensing tip temperature when exposed to various heat sources. - Highlights: • An inexpensive coating for an optical fiber thermometer sensing tip is tested. • Inverse heat transfer methods are used to estimate the sensing tip temperature. • An FTIR spectrometer is used as the detector to test the optical fiber thermometer using various heat sources.

Novel Fiber-Optic Ring Acoustic Emission Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Peng; Han, Xiaole; Xia, Dong; Liu, Taolin; Lang, Hao

2018-01-13

Acoustic emission technology has been applied to many fields for many years. However, the conventional piezoelectric acoustic emission sensors cannot be used in extreme environments, such as those with heavy electromagnetic interference, high pressure, or strong corrosion. In this paper, a novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor is proposed. The sensor exhibits high sensitivity, anti-electromagnetic interference, and corrosion resistance. First, the principle of a novel fiber-optic ring sensor is introduced. Different from piezoelectric and other fiber acoustic emission sensors, this novel sensor includes both a sensing skeleton and a sensing fiber. Second, a heterodyne interferometric demodulating method is presented. In addition, a fiber-optic ring sensor acoustic emission system is built based on this method. Finally, fiber-optic ring acoustic emission experiments are performed. The novel fiber-optic ring sensor is glued onto the surface of an aluminum plate. The 150 kHz standard continuous sinusoidal signals and broken lead signals are successfully detected by the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In addition, comparison to the piezoelectric acoustic emission sensor is performed, which shows the availability and reliability of the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In the future, this novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor will provide a new route to acoustic emission detection in harsh environments.

Noise in distributed erbium-doped fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rottwitt, Karsten; Povlsen, Jørn Hedegaard; Bjarklev, Anders Overgaard

1993-01-01

Theoretical limits in noise figure for a long-haul transmission line based on lumped amplification are contrasted with distributed amplification. The latter results in a reduction of approximately 60% of the required number of pump power stations. The distributed optical amplification is provided...... by an erbium-doped fiber and comparisons of aluminum and germanium as codopant materials are shown. The pump power consumption and noise figure are analyzed with respect to the background loss...

On the mechanical coupling of a fiber optic cable used for distributed acoustic/vibration sensing applications—a theoretical consideration

Science.gov (United States)

Reinsch, Thomas; Thurley, Tom; Jousset, Philippe

2017-12-01

In recent years, fiber optic cables are increasingly used for the acquisition of dynamic strain changes for seismic surveys. When considering seismic amplitudes, one of the first questions arising is the mechanical coupling between optical fiber and the surrounding medium. Here we analyse the interaction of ground movement with a typical telecom-grade fiber optic cable from an existing telecommunication network deployed in a sand filled trench at the surface. Within the cable, the optical fiber is embedded in a gel-filled plastic tube. We apply Hooke’s law to calculate the stress needed to strain the optical fiber throughout the cable structure. In case the stress magnitude at the cable-sand interface as well as the gel-optical fiber interface is below the yield strength of the respective material, sand and gel, it can be regarded as an elastic medium. Hence, a multilayer radial symmetric model can be used to calculate the coupling of the optical fiber with the surrounding medium. We show that the transfer function has a -3 dB lower cut-off wavelength of about 22 m. The magnitude response of this telecom-grade fiber optic cable is therefore almost perfect at typical low frequency seismic waves. The approach presented here can be applied to various cable designs to estimate the strain transfer between ground movement and an optical fiber.

Fiber-optic dosimeters for radiation therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Enbang; Archer, James

2017-10-01

According to the figures provided by the World Health Organization, cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 8.8 million deaths in 2015. Radiation therapy, which uses x-rays to destroy or injure cancer cells, has become one of the most important modalities to treat the primary cancer or advanced cancer. The newly developed microbeam radiation therapy (MRT), which uses highly collimated, quasi-parallel arrays of x-ray microbeams (typically 50 μm wide and separated by 400 μm) produced by synchrotron sources, represents a new paradigm in radiotherapy and has shown great promise in pre-clinical studies on different animal models. Measurements of the absorbed dose distribution of microbeams are vitally important for clinical acceptance of MRT and for developing quality assurance systems for MRT, hence are a challenging and important task for radiation dosimetry. On the other hand, during the traditional LINAC based radiotherapy and breast cancer brachytherapy, skin dose measurements and treatment planning also require a high spatial resolution, tissue equivalent, on-line dosimeter that is both economical and highly reliable. Such a dosimeter currently does not exist and remains a challenge in the development of radiation dosimetry. High resolution, water equivalent, optical and passive x-ray dosimeters have been developed and constructed by using plastic scintillators and optical fibers. The dosimeters have peak edge-on spatial resolutions ranging from 50 to 500 microns in one dimension, with a 10 micron resolution dosimeter under development. The developed fiber-optic dosimeters have been test with both LINAC and synchrotron x-ray beams. This work demonstrates that water-equivalent and high spatial resolution radiation detection can be achieved with scintillators and optical fiber systems. Among other advantages, the developed fiber-optic probes are also passive, energy independent, and radiation hard.

Fiber optics welder

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, R.W.; Robichaud, R.E.

A system is described for welding fiber optic waveguides together. The ends of the two fibers to be joined together are accurately, collinearly aligned in a vertical orientation and subjected to a controlled, diffuse arc to effect welding and thermal conditioning. A front-surfaced mirror mounted at a 45/sup 0/ angle to the optical axis of a stereomicroscope mounted for viewing the junction of the ends provides two orthogonal views of the interface during the alignment operation.

Hybrid Piezoelectric/Fiber-Optic Sensor Sheets

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Mark; Qing, Xinlin

2004-01-01

Hybrid piezoelectric/fiber-optic (HyPFO) sensor sheets are undergoing development. They are intended for use in nondestructive evaluation and long-term monitoring of the integrity of diverse structures, including aerospace, aeronautical, automotive, and large stationary ones. It is anticipated that the further development and subsequent commercialization of the HyPFO sensor systems will lead to economic benefits in the form of increased safety, reduction of life-cycle costs through real-time structural monitoring, increased structural reliability, reduction of maintenance costs, and increased readiness for service. The concept of a HyPFO sensor sheet is a generalization of the concept of a SMART Layer(TradeMark), which is a patented device that comprises a thin dielectric film containing an embedded network of distributed piezoelectric actuator/sensors. Such a device can be mounted on the surface of a metallic structure or embedded inside a composite-material structure during fabrication of the structure. There is has been substantial interest in incorporating sensors other than piezoelectric ones into SMART Layer(TradeMark) networks: in particular, because of the popularity of the use of fiber-optic sensors for monitoring the "health" of structures in recent years, it was decided to incorporate fiber-optic sensors, giving rise to the concept of HyPFO devices.

Comparison of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) from Fiber-Optic Cable to Three Component Geophones in an Underground Mine

Science.gov (United States)

Speece, M. A.; Nesladek, N. J.; Kammerer, C.; Maclaughlin, M.; Wang, H. F.; Lord, N. E.

2017-12-01

We conducted experiments in the Underground Education Mining Center on the Montana Tech campus, Butte, Montana, to make a direct comparison between Digital Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and three-component geophones in a mining setting. The sources used for this project where a vertical sledgehammer, oriented shear sledgehammer, and blasting caps set off in both unstemmed and stemmed drillholes. Three-component Geospace 20DM geophones were compared with three different types of fiber-optic cable: (1) Brugg strain, (2) Brugg temperature, and (3) Optical Cable Corporation strain. We attached geophones to the underground mine walls and on the ground surface above the mine. We attached fiber-optic cables to the mine walls and placed fiber-optic cable in boreholes drilled through an underground pillar. In addition, we placed fiber-optic cables in a shallow trench at the surface of the mine. We converted the DAS recordings from strain rate to strain prior to comparison with the geophone data. The setup of the DAS system for this project led to a previously unknown triggering problem that compromised the early samples of the DAS traces often including the first-break times on the DAS records. Geophones clearly recorded the explosives; however, the large amount of energy and its close distance from the fiber-optic cables seemed to compromise the entire fiber loop. The underground hammer sources produced a rough match between the DAS records and the geophone records. However, the sources on the surface of the mine, specifically the sources oriented inline with the fiber-optic cables, produced a close match between the fiber-optic traces and the geophone traces. All three types of fiber-optic cable that were in the mine produced similar results, and one type did not clearly outperform the others. Instead, the coupling of the cable to rock appears to be the most important factor determining DAS data quality. Moreover, we observed the importance of coupling in the boreholes, where

Fiber optic neutron imaging system: calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malone, R.M.; Gow, C.E.; Thayer, D.R.

1981-01-01

Two neutron imaging experiments using fiber optics have been performed at the Nevada Test Site. In each experiment, an array of scintillator fluor tubes is exposed to neutrons. Light is coupled out through radiation resistant PCS fibers (8-m long) into high-bandwidth, graded index fibers. For image reconstruction to be accurate, common timing differences and transmission variations between fiber optic channels are needed. The calibration system featured a scanning pulsed dye laser, a specially designed fiber optic star coupler, a tektronix 7912AD transient digitizer, and a DEC PDP 11/34 computing system

Optical fibers for FTTH application

Science.gov (United States)

Guzowski, Bartlomiej; Tosik, Grzegorz; Lisik, Zbigniew; Bedyk, Michal; Kubiak, Andrzej

2013-07-01

In this paper the specifics of FTTH (Fiber To The Home) networks in terms of requirements for optical fibers has been presented. Optical fiber samples used in FTTH applications acquired from the worldwide leading manufacturers were subjected to small diameter mandrel wraps tests. The detailed procedures of performed tests and the measurement results has been presented.

Optical Fiber for High-Power Optical Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenji Kurokawa

2012-09-01

Full Text Available We examined optical fibers suitable for avoiding such problems as the fiber fuse phenomenon and failures at bends with a high power input. We found that the threshold power for fiber fuse propagation in photonic crystal fiber (PCF and hole-assisted fiber (HAF can exceed 18 W, which is more than 10 times that in conventional single-mode fiber (SMF. We considered this high threshold power in PCF and HAF to be caused by a jet of high temperature fluid penetrating the air holes. We showed examples of two kinds of failures at bends in conventional SMF when the input power was 9 W. We also observed the generation of a fiber fuse under a condition that caused a bend-loss induced failure. We showed that one solution for the failures at bends is to use optical fibers with a low bending loss such as PCF and HAF. Therefore, we consider PCF and HAF to be attractive solutions to the problems of the fiber fuse phenomenon and failures at bends with a high power input.

Novel Fiber-Optic Ring Acoustic Emission Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Wei

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Acoustic emission technology has been applied to many fields for many years. However, the conventional piezoelectric acoustic emission sensors cannot be used in extreme environments, such as those with heavy electromagnetic interference, high pressure, or strong corrosion. In this paper, a novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor is proposed. The sensor exhibits high sensitivity, anti-electromagnetic interference, and corrosion resistance. First, the principle of a novel fiber-optic ring sensor is introduced. Different from piezoelectric and other fiber acoustic emission sensors, this novel sensor includes both a sensing skeleton and a sensing fiber. Second, a heterodyne interferometric demodulating method is presented. In addition, a fiber-optic ring sensor acoustic emission system is built based on this method. Finally, fiber-optic ring acoustic emission experiments are performed. The novel fiber-optic ring sensor is glued onto the surface of an aluminum plate. The 150 kHz standard continuous sinusoidal signals and broken lead signals are successfully detected by the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In addition, comparison to the piezoelectric acoustic emission sensor is performed, which shows the availability and reliability of the novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor. In the future, this novel fiber-optic ring acoustic emission sensor will provide a new route to acoustic emission detection in harsh environments.

Enhancing Optical Communications with Brand New Fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morioka, Toshio; Awaji, Yoshinari; Ryf, Roland

2012-01-01

Optical fibers have often been considered to offer effectively infinite capacity to support the rapid traffic growth essential to our information society. However, as demand has grown and technology has developed, we have begun to realize that there is a fundamental limit to fiber capacity of ~ 100...... Tb/s per fiber for systems based on conventional single-core single-mode optical fiber as the transmission medium. This limit arises from the interplay of a number of factors including the Shannon limit, optical fiber nonlinearities, the fiber fuse effect, as well as optical amplifier bandwidth...... new fibers for space-division multiplexing and mode-division multiplexing....

Applications of fiber optics in physical protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckle, T.H.

1994-03-01

The purpose of this NUREG is to provide technical information useful for the development of fiber-optic communications and intrusion detection subsystems relevant to physical protection. There are major sections on fiber-optic technology and applications. Other topics include fiber-optic system components and systems engineering. This document also contains a glossary, a list of standards and specifications, and a list of fiber-optic equipment vendors

Fiber fuse light-induced continuous breakdown of silica glass optical fiber

CERN Document Server

Todoroki, Shin-ichi

2014-01-01

This book describes the fiber fuse phenomenon that causes a serious problem for the present optical communication systems. High-power light often brings about catastrophic damage to optical devices. Silica glass optical fibers with ultralow transmission loss are not the exception. A fiber fuse appears in a heated region of the fiber cable delivering a few watts of light and runs toward the light source destroying its core region. Understanding this phenomenon is a necessary first step in the development of future optical communication systems. This book provides supplementary videos and photog

Handbook of fiber optics theory and applications

CERN Document Server

Yeh, Chai

2013-01-01

Dr. Yeh supplies a firm theoretical foundation in such topics as propagation of light through fibers, fiber fabrication, loss mechanisms, and dispersion properties. He then expands from this into such practical areas as fiber splicing, measuring loss in fibers, fiber-based communications networks, remote fiber sensors, and integrated optics. Whether involved in fiber optics research, design, or practical implementation of systems, this handbook will be extremely useful.Key Features* Here is a comprehensive, ""one-stop"" reference with state-of-the-art information on fiber optics Included is da

Evaluations of fiber optic sensors for interior applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandoval, M.W.; Malone, T.P.

1996-02-01

This report addresses the testing and evaluation of commercial fiber optic intrusion detection systems in interior applications. The applications include laying optical fiber cable above suspended ceilings to detect removal of ceiling tiles, embedding optical fibers inside a tamper or item monitoring blanket that could be placed over an asset, and installing optical fibers on a door to detect movement or penetration. Detection capability of the fiber optic sensors as well as nuisance and false alarm information were focused on during the evaluation. Fiber optic sensor processing, system components, and system setup are described.

Temperature Measurement and Damage Detection in Concrete Beams Exposed to Fire Using PPP-BOTDA Based Fiber Optic Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Yi; Hoehler, Matthew S; Smith, Christopher M; Bundy, Matthew; Chen, Genda

2017-10-01

In this study, distributed fiber optic sensors based on pulse pre-pump Brillouin optical time domain analysis (PPP-BODTA) are characterized and deployed to measure spatially-distributed temperatures in reinforced concrete specimens exposed to fire. Four beams were tested to failure in a natural gas fueled compartment fire, each instrumented with one fused silica, single-mode optical fiber as a distributed sensor and four thermocouples. Prior to concrete cracking, the distributed temperature was validated at locations of the thermocouples by a relative difference of less than 9 %. The cracks in concrete can be identified as sharp peaks in the temperature distribution since the cracks are locally filled with hot air. Concrete cracking did not affect the sensitivity of the distributed sensor but concrete spalling broke the optical fiber loop required for PPP-BOTDA measurements.

Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors with Ultrafast Laser Enhanced Rayleigh Backscattering Profiles for Real-Time Monitoring of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Aidong; Huang, Sheng; Li, Shuo; Chen, Rongzhang; Ohodnicki, Paul; Buric, Michael; Lee, Shiwoo; Li, Ming-Jun; Chen, Kevin P

2017-08-24

This paper reports a technique to enhance the magnitude and high-temperature stability of Rayleigh back-scattering signals in silica fibers for distributed sensing applications. With femtosecond laser radiation, more than 40-dB enhancement of Rayleigh backscattering signal was generated in silica fibers using 300-nJ laser pulses at 250 kHz repetition rate. The laser-induced Rayleigh scattering defects were found to be stable from the room temperature to 800 °C in hydrogen gas. The Rayleigh scatter at high temperatures was correlated to the formation and modification of nanogratings in the fiber core. Using optical fibers with enhanced Rayleigh backscattering profiles as distributed temperature sensors, we demonstrated real-time monitoring of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) operations with 5-mm spatial resolution at 800 °C. Information gathered by these fiber sensor tools can be used to verify simulation results or operated in a process-control system to improve the operational efficiency and longevity of SOFC-based energy generation systems.

Analysis of seawater flow through optical fiber

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández López, Sheila; Carrera Ramírez, Jesús; Rodriguez Sinobar, Leonor; Benitez, Javier; Rossi, Riccardo; Laresse de Tetto, Antonia

2015-04-01

The relation between sea and coastal aquifer is very important to the human populations living in coastal areas. The interrelation involves the submarine ground water discharge of relatively fresh water to the sea and the intrusion of sea water into the aquifer, which impairs the quality of ground water. The main process in seawater intrusion is managed by fluid-density effects which control the displacement of saline water. The underlain salinity acts as the restoring force, while hydrodynamic dispersion and convection lead to a mixing and vertical displacement of the brine. Because of this, a good definition of this saltwater-freshwater interface is needed what is intimately joined to the study of the movements (velocity fields) of fresh and salt water. As it is well known, the flow of salt water studied in seawater intrusion in stationary state, is nearly null or very low. However, in the rest of cases, this flux can be very important, so it is necessary its study to a better comprehension of this process. One possible manner of carry out this analysis is through the data from optical fiber. So, to research the distribution and velocity of the fresh and saltwater in the aquifer, a fiber optic system (OF) has been installed in Argentona (Baix Maresme, Catalonia). The main objective is to obtain the distributed temperature measurements (OF-DTS) and made progress in the interpretation of the dynamic processes of water. For some applications, the optical fiber acts as a passive temperature sensor but in our case, the technique Heated Active Fiber Optic will be used. This is based on the thermal response of the ground as a heat emission source is introduced. The thermal properties of the soil, dependent variables of soil water content, will make a specific temperature distribution around the cable. From the analyzed data we will deduce the velocity field, the real objective of our problem. To simulate this phenomenon and the coupled transport and flow problem

Phase I Project: Fiber Optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Periodic Hydraulic Tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, Matthew

2017-12-31

The extraction of heat from hot rock requires circulation of fluid through fracture networks. Because the geometry and connectivity of these fractures determines the efficiency of fluid circulation, many tools are used to characterize fractures before and after development of the reservoir. Under this project, a new tool was developed that allows hydraulic connectivity between geothermal boreholes to be identified. Nanostrain in rock fractures is measured using fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS). This strain is measured in one borehole in response to periodic pressure pulses induced in another borehole. The strain in the fractures represents hydraulic connectivity between wells. DAS is typically used at frequencies of Hz to kHz, but strain at mHz frequencies were measured for this project. The tool was demonstrated in the laboratory and in the field. In the laboratory, strain in fiber optic cables was measured in response to compression due to oscillating fluid pressure. DAS recorded strains as small as 10 picometer/m in response to 1 cm of water level change. At a fractured crystalline rock field site, strain was measured in boreholes. Fiber-optic cable was mechanically coupled borehole walls using pressured flexible liners. In one borehole 30 m from the oscillating pumping source, pressure and strain were measured simultaneously. The DAS system measured fracture displacement at frequencies of less than 1 mHz (18 min periods) and amplitudes of less than 1 nm, in response to fluid pressure changes of less 20 Pa (2 mm of water). The attenuation and phase shift of the monitored strain signal is indicative of the permeability and storage (compliance) of the fracture network that connects the two wells. The strain response as a function of oscillation frequency is characteristic of the hydraulic structure of the formation. This is the first application of DAS to the measurement of low frequency strain in boreholes. It has enormous potential for monitoring

Optical pulse generation using fiber lasers and integrated optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilcox, R.B.; Browning, D.F.; Burkhart, S.C.; VanWonterghem, B.W.

1995-01-01

We have demonstrated an optical pulse forming system using fiber and integrated optics, and have designed a multiple-output system for a proposed fusion laser facility. Our approach is an advancement over previous designs for fusion lasers, and an unusual application of fiber lasers and integrated optics

Fiber optic fire detection technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hering, D.W.

1990-01-01

Electrostatic application of paint was, and still is, the most technically feasible method of reducing VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions, while reducing the cost to apply the coatings. Prior to the use of electrostatics, only two sides of the traditional fire triangle were normally present in the booth, fuel (solvent), and oxygen (air). Now the third leg (the ignition source) was present at virtually all times during the production operation in the form of the electrostatic charge and the resulting energy in the system. The introduction of fiber optics into the field of fire detection was for specific application to the electrostatic painting industry, but specifically, robots used in the application of electrostatic painting in the automotive industry. The use of fiber optics in this hazard provided detection for locations that have been previously prohibited or inaccessible with the traditional fire detection systems. The fiber optic technology that has been adapted to the field of fire detection operates on the principle of transmission of photons through a light guide (optic fiber). When the light guide is subjected to heat, the cladding on the light guide melts away from the core and allows the light (photons) to escape. The controller, which contains the emitter and receiver is set-up to distinguish between partial loss of light and a total loss of light. Glass optical fibers carrying light offer distinct advantages over wires or coaxial cables carrying electricity as a transmission media. The uses of fiber optic detection will be expanded in the near future into such areas as aircraft, cable trays and long conveyor runs because fiber optics can carry more information and deliver it with greater clarity over longer distances with total immunity to all kinds of electrical interference

Polymer optical fiber bragg grating sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stefani, Alessio; Yuan, Scott Wu; Andresen, Søren

2010-01-01

Fiber-optical accelerometers based on polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings are reported. We have written fiber Bragg gratings for 1550 nm and 850 nm operations, characterized their temperature and strain response, and tested their performance in a prototype accelerometer....

Remote in-situ laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy using optical fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Marquardt, Brian James

The following dissertation describes the development of methods for performing remote Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) using optical fibers. Studies were performed to determine the optimal excitation and collection parameters for remote LIBS measurements of glasses, soils and paint. A number of fiber-optic LIBS probes were developed and used to characterize various samples by plasma emission spectroscopy. A novel method for launching high-power laser pulses into optical fibers without causing catastrophic failure is introduced. A systematic study of a number of commercially available optical fibers was performed to determine which optical fibers were best suited for delivering high-power laser pulses. The general design of an all fiber-optic LIBS probe is described and applied to the determination of Pb in soil. A fiber-optic probe was developed for the microanalysis of solid samples remotely by LIBS, Raman spectroscopy and Raman imaging. The design of the probe allows for real-time sample imaging in-situ using coherent imaging fibers. This allows for precise atomic emission and Raman measurements to be performed remotely on samples in hostile or inaccessible environments. A novel technique was developed for collecting spectral plasma images using an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF). The spatial and temporal characteristics of the plasma were studied as a function of delay time. From the plasma images the distribution of Pb emission could be determined and fiber-optic designs could be optimized for signal collection. The performance of a two fiber LIBS probe is demonstrated for the determination of the amount of lead in samples of dry paint. It is shown that dry paint samples can be analyzed for their Pb content in-situ using a fiber-optic LIBS probe with detection limits well below the levels currently regulated by the Consumer Products Safety Commission. It is also shown that these measurements can be performed on both latex and enamel paints, and

Behavior of optical fibers under heavy irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakuta, T.; Sagawa, T.

1998-01-01

Several kinds of optical diagnostics are planned in a fusion reactor. Complicated optical systems such as periscopes are thought to be primary candidates for optical measurements, especially for visible wavelengths. However, optical fibers have several advantages over such optical systems. Also, the optical fibers could be a far better transmission line for signals under a high electromagnetic field. However, they have been considered vulnerable to heavy irradiation. In this study, several kinds of optical fibers were irradiated in the JMTR fission reactor. The optical transmissivity in fibers was measured in situ during fast neutron and gamma irradiation, up to doses of 2 x 10 24 n m -2 and 5 x 10 9 Gy, respectively. The irradiation temperature ranged from 300 to 700 K. For pure ionizing irradiation environments, some methods for improving the radiation resistance of optical fibers were indicated. The results showed that effects of the irradiation associated with fast neutrons would be different from the effects of pure ionizing irradiation. Some fibers were found to withstand the heavy irradiation, especially in an infrared wavelength range. (orig.)

Refractive index retrieving of polarization maintaining optical fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Ramadan, W. A.; Wahba, H. H.; Shams El-Din, M. A.; Abd El-Sadek, I. G.

2018-01-01

In this paper, the cross-section images, of two different types of polarization maintaining (PM) optical fibers, are employed to estimate the optical phase variation due to transverse optical rays passing through these optical fibers. An adaptive algorithm is proposed to recognize the different areas constituting the PM optical fibers cross-sections. These areas are scanned by a transverse beam to calculate the optical paths for given values of refractive indices. Consequently, the optical phases across the PM optical fibers could be recovered. PM optical fiber is immersed in a matching fluid and set in the object arm of Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The produced interferograms are analyzed to extract the optical phases caused by the PM optical fibers. The estimated optical phases could be optimized to be in good coincidence with experimentally extracted ones. This has been achieved through changing of the PM optical fibers refractive indices to retrieve the correct values. The correct refractive indices values are confirmed by getting the best fit between the estimated and the extracted optical phases. The presented approach is a promising one because it provides a quite direct and accurate information about refractive index, birefringence and beat length of PM optical fibers comparing with different techniques handle the same task.

Dynamically tunable optical bottles from an optical fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Yuhao; Yan, Lu; Rishøj, Lars Søgaard

2012-01-01

Optical fibers have long been used to impose spatial coherence to shape free-space optical beams. Recent work has shown that one can use higher order fiber modes to create more exotic beam profiles. We experimentally generate optical bottles from Talbot imaging in the coherent superposition of two...... fiber modes excited with long period gratings, and obtain a 28 μm × 6 μm bottle with controlled contrast up to 10.13 dB. Our geometry allows for phase tuning of one mode with respect to the other, which enables us to dynamically move the bottle in free space....

Optical fiber end-facet polymer suspended-mirror devices

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Mian; Wu, Jushuai; Zhang, A. Ping; Tam, Hwa-Yaw; Wai, P. K. A.

2017-04-01

This paper presents a novel optical fiber device based on a polymer suspended mirror on the end facet of an optical fiber. With an own-developed optical 3D micro-printing technology, SU-8 suspended-mirror devices (SMDs) were successfully fabricated on the top of a standard single-mode optical fiber. Optical reflection spectra of the fabricated SU- 8 SMDs were measured and compared with theoretical analysis. The proposed technology paves a way towards 3D microengineering of the small end-facet of optical fibers to develop novel fiber-optic sensors.

Distributed fiber optic sensor-enhanced detection and prediction of shrinkage-induced delamination of ultra-high-performance concrete overlay

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Yi; Valipour, Mahdi; Meng, Weina; Khayat, Kamal H.; Chen, Genda

2017-08-01

This study develops a delamination detection system for smart ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) overlays using a fully distributed fiber optic sensor. Three 450 mm (length) × 200 mm (width) × 25 mm (thickness) UHPC overlays were cast over an existing 200 mm thick concrete substrate. The initiation and propagation of delamination due to early-age shrinkage of the UHPC overlay were detected as sudden increases and their extension in spatial distribution of shrinkage-induced strains measured from the sensor based on pulse pre-pump Brillouin optical time domain analysis. The distributed sensor is demonstrated effective in detecting delamination openings from microns to hundreds of microns. A three-dimensional finite element model with experimental material properties is proposed to understand the complete delamination process measured from the distributed sensor. The model is validated using the distributed sensor data. The finite element model with cohesive elements for the overlay-substrate interface can predict the complete delamination process.

Application of Fiber Optic Instrumentation

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, William Lance; Parker, Allen R., Jr.; Ko, William L.; Piazza, Anthony; Chan, Patrick

2012-01-01

Fiber optic sensing technology has emerged in recent years offering tremendous advantages over conventional aircraft instrumentation systems. The advantages of fiber optic sensors over their conventional counterparts are well established; they are lighter, smaller, and can provide enormous numbers of measurements at a fraction of the total sensor weight. After a brief overview of conventional and fiber-optic sensing technology, this paper presents an overview of the research that has been conducted at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in recent years to advance this promising new technology. Research and development areas include system and algorithm development, sensor characterization and attachment, and real-time experimentally-derived parameter monitoring for ground- and flight-based applications. The vision of fiber optic smart structure technology is presented and its potential benefits to aerospace vehicles throughout the lifecycle, from preliminary design to final retirement, are presented.

Fiber distributed data interface [FDDI] technology report

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

Please note this is a Short Discount publication. Fiber Distributed Data Interface [FDDI] is the American National Standard Institute's proposed standard for a 100 Mbps token-passing ring using an optical fibre medium. The FDDI standard has become a focal point for optical technology application in the LAN environment. The market place is filling with products in every category from complete systems to optical transceivers. The 1990s see FDDI as the predominant high speed LAN and backbone. The latest edition of this report is thoroughly updated and gives a complete overview of FDDI technol

Optical Characterization of Doped Thermoplastic and Thermosetting Polymer-Optical-Fibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor Ayesta

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The emission properties of a graded-index thermoplastic polymer optical fiber and a step-index thermosetting one, both doped with rhodamine 6G, have been studied. The work includes a detailed analysis of the amplified spontaneous emission together with a study of the optical gains and losses of the fibers. The photostability of the emission of both types of fibers has also been investigated. Comparisons between the results of both doped polymer optical fibers are presented and discussed.

Fiber optic vibration sensor using bifurcated plastic optical fiber

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullah, M.; Bidin, N.; Yasin, M.

2016-11-01

An extrinsic fiber optic vibration sensor is demonstrated for a fiber optic displacement sensor based on a bundled multimode fiber to measure a vibration frequency ranging from 100 until 3000 Hz. The front slope has a sensitivity of 0.1938mV/mm and linearity of 99.7% within a measurement range between 0.15-3.00 mm. By placing the diaphragm of the concave load-speaker within the linear range from the probe, the frequency of the vibration can be measured with error percentage of less than 1.54%. The graph of input against output frequency for low, medium and high frequency range show very high linearity up to 99%. Slope for low, medium, and high frequency range are calculated as 1.0026, 0.9934, and 1.0007 respectively. Simplicity, long term stability, low power consumption, wide dynamic and frequency ranges, noise reduction, ruggedness, linearity and light weight make it promising alternative to other well-establish methods for vibration frequency measurement.

Effect of Rayleigh-scattering distributed feedback on multiwavelength Raman fiber laser generation.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Taher, A E; Harper, P; Babin, S A; Churkin, D V; Podivilov, E V; Ania-Castanon, J D; Turitsyn, S K

2011-01-15

We experimentally demonstrate a Raman fiber laser based on multiple point-action fiber Bragg grating reflectors and distributed feedback via Rayleigh scattering in an ~22-km-long optical fiber. Twenty-two lasing lines with spacing of ~100 GHz (close to International Telecommunication Union grid) in the C band are generated at the watt level. In contrast to the normal cavity with competition between laser lines, the random distributed feedback cavity exhibits highly stable multiwavelength generation with a power-equalized uniform distribution, which is almost independent on power.

Investigation of Optical Properties of Biomolecular Materials for Developing a Novel Fiber Optic Biosensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Harry Hong

1995-01-01

Recently considerable efforts have been devoted to the development of optical biosensors for applications such as environmental monitoring and biomedical technology. The research described in this thesis focuses on the development of a novel fiber optic biosensor system for pesticide detection based on enzyme catalyzed chemiluminescence. To optimize the collection efficiency, the tapering effect of a fiber tip has been studied in different cases of light source distribution utilizing fluorescence technique. Our results indicate that a continuously tapered tip with the largest tapering angle is the most efficient configuration when the light source is in a "thick" layer ({> }1 μm) while a combination tapered tip is the best configuration when the light source is either in a thin layer ({offers the flexibility of controlling the number of enzymes on a fiber surface. Multilayer of alkaline phosphatase have been characterized using various techniques including chemiluminescence, ellipsometry and surface plasma resonance. The results indicated that at least 3 layers of enzyme can be assembled on a fiber surface. With this approach, it is possible to immobilize different kinds of enzyme on a fiber surface for biosensors based on a multi-enzyme system. Based on the studies of tapered tip and immobilization schemes, a novel fiber optic biosensor system for the detection of organophosphorous-based pesticide has been developed. The detection mechanism is pesticide inhibition of alkaline phosphatase catalyzed chemiluminescence. Paraoxon with concentration as low as 167 ppb has been detected. This is the first fiber optic chemiluminescence-based biosensor utilizing tapered tips with enzyme immobilized on the fiber surface and a cooled CCD array detector.

Accurate mode characterization of two-mode optical fibers by in-fiber acousto-optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcusa-Sáez, E; Díez, A; Andrés, M V

2016-03-07

Acousto-optic interaction in optical fibers is exploited for the accurate and broadband characterization of two-mode optical fibers. Coupling between LP 01 and LP 1m modes is produced in a broadband wavelength range. Difference in effective indices, group indices, and chromatic dispersions between the guided modes, are obtained from experimental measurements. Additionally, we show that the technique is suitable to investigate the fine modes structure of LP modes, and some other intriguing features related with modes' cut-off.

Fiber-optic polarization diversity detection for rotary probe optical coherence tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Anthony M D; Pahlevaninezhad, Hamid; Yang, Victor X D; Lam, Stephen; MacAulay, Calum; Lane, Pierre

2014-06-15

We report a polarization diversity detection scheme for optical coherence tomography with a new, custom, miniaturized fiber coupler with single mode (SM) fiber inputs and polarization maintaining (PM) fiber outputs. The SM fiber inputs obviate matching the optical lengths of the X and Y OCT polarization channels prior to interference and the PM fiber outputs ensure defined X and Y axes after interference. Advantages for this scheme include easier alignment, lower cost, and easier miniaturization compared to designs with free-space bulk optical components. We demonstrate the utility of the detection system to mitigate the effects of rapidly changing polarization states when imaging with rotating fiber optic probes in Intralipid suspension and during in vivo imaging of human airways.

Optical Fiber Thermometer Based on Fiber Bragg Gratings

Science.gov (United States)

Rosli, Ekbal Bin; Mohd. Noor, Uzer

2018-03-01

Fiber Bragg grating has generated much interest in use as sensors to measure strain, temperature, and other physical parameters. It also the most common component used to develop this sensor with the advantages of simple, intrinsic sensing elements, electrically passive operation, EMI immunity, high sensitivity, compact size and potentially low cost [6]. This paper reports the design of an optical fiber thermometer based on fiber Bragg gratings. The system was developed for detecting temperature and strain by monitoring the shift of Bragg wavelength. The shifting of Bragg wavelength is used to indicate the temperature and strain due to the change in the surrounding temperature and strain. When the temperature and strain reach the exact wavelength level of the system, the temperature and strain value will display on the Arduino liquid crystal display (LCD). The optical fiber will provide the broadband light source and after passing the FBG the Bragg wavelength into the optical spectrum analyzer (OSA). The system is based on FBG as a physical quantity sensor. The temperatures measured is taken from the water bath and that of the strain is provided by amount of slotted mass used. The outcome of this project is to characterize the Bragg wavelength shifting from the fiber Bragg grating output. As the conclusion, this project provides an efficient optical fiber thermometer in measuring temperature and strain in order to replace the use of conventional electrical instruments.

Stabilization of Phase of a Sinusoidal Signal Transmitted Over Optical Fiber

Science.gov (United States)

DAddario, Larry R.; Trink, Joseph T.

2010-01-01

In the process of connecting widely distributed antennas into a coherent array, it is necessary to synchronize the timing of signals at the various locations. This can be accomplished by distributing a common reference signal from a central source, usually over optical fiber. A high-frequency (RF or microwave) tone is a good choice for the reference. One difficulty is that the effective length of the optical fiber changes with temperature and mechanical stress, leading to phase instability in the received tone. This innovation provides a new way to stabilize the phase of the received tone, in spite of variations in the electrical length of the fiber. Stabilization is accomplished by two-way transmission in which part of the received signal is returned to the transmitting end over an identical fiber. The returned signal is detected and used to close an electrical servo loop whose effect is to keep constant the phase of the tone at the receiving end.

Microstructured Optical Fiber for X-ray Detection

Science.gov (United States)

DeHaven, Stanton L.

2009-01-01

A novel scintillating optical fiber is presented using a composite micro-structured quartz optical fiber. Scintillating materials are introduced into the multiple inclusions of the fiber. This creates a composite optical fiber having quartz as a cladding with an organic scintillating material core. X-ray detection using these fibers is compared to a collimated cadmium telluride (CdTe) detector over an energy range from 10 to 40 keV. Results show a good correlation between the fiber count rate trend and that of the CdTe detector.

"A Fiber Optic Ethernet With Inherent Migration Capability To FDDI"

Science.gov (United States)

Ferris, Kenneth D.; Chan, Tammy S.

1988-12-01

A Local Area Network (LAN) designed to a standard commercial interface, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3 or Ethernet, has been developed using fiber optics as the physical medium. The LAN, WhisperNet, operates in an active ring and thus has an inherent low cost migration path to a Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) implementation.

Laboratory Equipment Type Fiber Optic Refractometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. F. Carome

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Using fiber optics and micro optics technologies we designed aninnovative fiber optic index of refraction transducer that has uniqueproperties. On the base of this transducer a laboratory equipment typefiber optic refractometer was developed for liquid index of refractionmeasurements. Such refractometer may be used for medical,pharmaceutical, industrial fluid, petrochemical, plastic, food, andbeverage industry applications. For example, it may be used formeasuring the concentrations of aqueous solutions: as the concentrationor density of a solute increase, the refractive index increasesproportionately. The paper describes development work related to designof laboratory type fiber optic refractometer and describes experimentsto evaluation of its basic properties.

Research on fully distributed optical fiber sensing security system localization algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xu; Hou, Jiacheng; Liu, Kun; Liu, Tiegen

2013-12-01

A new fully distributed optical fiber sensing and location technology based on the Mach-Zehnder interferometers is studied. In this security system, a new climbing point locating algorithm based on short-time average zero-crossing rate is presented. By calculating the zero-crossing rates of the multiple grouped data separately, it not only utilizes the advantages of the frequency analysis method to determine the most effective data group more accurately, but also meets the requirement of the real-time monitoring system. Supplemented with short-term energy calculation group signal, the most effective data group can be quickly picked out. Finally, the accurate location of the climbing point can be effectively achieved through the cross-correlation localization algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can realize the accurate location of the climbing point and meanwhile the outside interference noise of the non-climbing behavior can be effectively filtered out.

Measuring centimeter-resolution air temperature profiles above land and water using fiber-optic Distributed Temperature Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Sigmund, Armin; Pfister, Lena; Olesch, Johannes; Thomas, Christoph K.

2016-04-01

The precise determination of near-surface air temperature profiles is of special importance for the characterization of airflows (e.g. cold air) and the quantification of sensible heat fluxes according to the flux-gradient similarity approach. In contrast to conventional multi-sensor techniques, measuring temperature profiles using fiber-optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) provides thousands of measurements referenced to a single calibration standard at much reduced costs. The aim of this work was to enhance the vertical resolution of Raman scatter DTS measurements up to the centimeter-scale using a novel approach for atmospheric applications: the optical fiber was helically coiled around a meshed fabric. In addition to testing the new fiber geometry, we quantified the measurement uncertainty and demonstrated the benefits of the enhanced-resolution profiles. The fiber-optic cable was coiled around a hollow column consisting of white reinforcing fabric supported by plexiglass rings every meter. Data from two columns of this type were collected for 47 days to measure air temperature vertically over 3.0 and 5.1 m over a gently inclined meadow and over and in a small lake, respectively. Both profiles had a vertical resolution of 1 cm in the lower section near the surface and 5 cm in the upper section with an along-fiber instrument-specific averaging of 1.0 m and a temporal resolution of 30 s. Measurement uncertainties, especially from conduction between reinforcing fabric and fiber-optic cable, were estimated by modeling the fiber temperature via a detailed energy balance approach. Air temperature, wind velocity and radiation components were needed as input data and measured separately. The temperature profiles revealed valuable details, especially in the lowest 1 m above surface. This was best demonstrated for nighttime observations when artefacts due to solar heating did not occur. For example, the dynamics of a cold air layer was detected in a clear night

Optimization of the Refractive-Index Distribution of Graded-Index Polymer Optical Fiber by the Diffusion-Assisted Fabrication Process

Science.gov (United States)

Mukawa, Yoshiki; Kondo, Atsushi; Koike, Yasuhiro

2012-04-01

Graded-index polymer optical fiber (GI-POF) is a promising high-speed communication medium for very-short-reach networks, such as home or office networks. The refractive-index distribution of GI-POF needs to be accurately controlled to maximize the bandwidth. We attempted to control the refractive-index distribution by developing a simulation for dopant diffusion. In the rod-in-tube method, GI-POF with an optimal refractive-index distribution was obtained by adjusting the diffusion temperature and the diffusion time, whereas in the coextrusion process, GI-POF with an optimal refractive-index distribution was fabricated by controlling the length of the diffusion tube and the rate of discharge of polymer.

Fiber-Optic Magnetometry and Thermometry Using Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance With Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Diamond

Science.gov (United States)

Blakley, Sean Michael

Nitrogen--vacancy diamond (NVD) quantum sensors are an emerging technology that has shown great promise in areas like high-resolution thermometry and magnetometry. Optical fibers provide attractive new application paradigms for NVD technology. A detailed description of the fabrication processes associated with the development of novel fiber-optic NVD probes are presented in this work. The demonstrated probes are tested on paradigmatic model systems designed to ascertain their suitability for use in challenging biological environments. Methods employing optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) are used to accurately measure and map temperature distributions of small objects and to demonstrate emergent temperature-dependent phenomena in genetically modified living organisms. These methods are also used to create detailed high resolution spatial maps of both magnetic scalar and magnetic vector field distributions of spatially localized weak field features in the presence of a noisy, high-field background.

Optical fiber sensors-based temperature distribution measurement in ex vivo radiofrequency ablation with submillimeter resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Macchi, Edoardo Gino; Tosi, Daniele; Braschi, Giovanni; Gallati, Mario; Cigada, Alfredo; Busca, Giorgio; Lewis, Elfed

2014-01-01

Radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFTA) induces a high-temperature field in a biological tissue having steep spatial (up to 6°C∕mm) and temporal (up to 1°C∕s) gradients. Applied in cancer care, RFTA produces a localized heating, cytotoxic for tumor cells, and is able to treat tumors with sizes up to 3 to 5 cm in diameter. The online measurement of temperature distribution at the RFTA point of care has been previously carried out with miniature thermocouples and optical fiber sensors, which exhibit problems of size, alteration of RFTA pattern, hysteresis, and sensor density worse than 1 sensor∕cm. In this work, we apply a distributed temperature sensor (DTS) with a submillimeter spatial resolution for the monitoring of RFTA in porcine liver tissue. The DTS demodulates the chaotic Rayleigh backscattering pattern with an interferometric setup to obtain the real-time temperature distribution. A measurement chamber has been set up with the fiber crossing the tissue along different diameters. Several experiments have been carried out measuring the space-time evolution of temperature during RFTA. The present work showcases the temperature monitoring in RFTA with an unprecedented spatial resolution and is exportable to in vivo measurement; the acquired data can be particularly useful for the validation of RFTA computational models.

Triaxial fiber optic magnetic field sensor for MRI applications

Science.gov (United States)

Filograno, Massimo L.; Pisco, Marco; Catalano, Angelo; Forte, Ernesto; Aiello, Marco; Soricelli, Andrea; Davino, Daniele; Visone, Ciro; Cutolo, Antonello; Cusano, Andrea

2016-05-01

In this paper, we report a fiber-optic triaxial magnetic field sensor, based on Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) integrated with giant magnetostrictive material, the Terfenol-D. The realized sensor has been designed and engineered for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) applications. A full magneto-optical characterization of the triaxial sensing probe has been carried out, providing the complex relationship among the FBGs wavelength shift and the applied magnetostatic field vector. Finally, the developed fiber optic sensors have been arranged in a sensor network composed of 20 triaxial sensors for mapping the magnetic field distribution in a MRI-room at a diagnostic center in Naples (SDN), equipped with Positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) instrumentation. Experimental results reveal that the proposed sensor network can be efficiently used in MRI centers for performing quality assurance tests, paving the way for novel integrated tools to measure the magnetic dose accumulated day by day by MRI operators.

Fiber-optical microphones and accelerometers based on polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yuan, Scott Wu; Stefani, Alessio; Bang, Ole

2010-01-01

Polymer optical fibers (POFs) are ideal for applications as the sensing element in fiber-optical microphones and accelerometers based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) due to their reduced Young’s Modulus of 3.2GPa, compared to 72GPa of Silica. To maximize the sensitivity and the dynamic range...... of the device the outer diameter and the length of the sensing fiber segment should be as small as possible. To this end we have fabricated 3mm FBGs in single-mode step-index POFs of diameter 115 micron, using 325nm UV writing and a phase-mask technique. 6mm POF sections with FBGs in the center have been glued...... to standard Silica SMF28 fibers. These POF FBGs have been characterized in terms of temperature and strain to find operating regimes with no hysteresis. Commercial fast wavelength interrogators (KHz) are shown to be able to track the thin POF FBGs and they are finally applied in a prototype accelerometer...

Optical fiber sensors for harsh environments

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Juncheng; Wang, Anbo

2007-02-06

A diaphragm optic sensor comprises a ferrule including a bore having an optical fiber disposed therein and a diaphragm attached to the ferrule, the diaphragm being spaced apart from the ferrule to form a Fabry-Perot cavity. The cavity is formed by creating a pit in the ferrule or in the diaphragm. The components of the sensor are preferably welded together, preferably by laser welding. In some embodiments, the entire ferrule is bonded to the fiber along the entire length of the fiber within the ferrule; in other embodiments, only a portion of the ferrule is welded to the fiber. A partial vacuum is preferably formed in the pit. A small piece of optical fiber with a coefficient of thermal expansion chosen to compensate for mismatches between the main fiber and ferrule may be spliced to the end of the fiber.

Toward the next fiber optic revolution and decision making in the oil and gas industry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cheng, L.K.; Boering, M.; Braal, F.M.

2013-01-01

Fiber optic data transmission has caused revolutionary developments in the current information society. It was also an eye opener for the Oil & Gas industry when fiber optic-based Distributed Temperature Sensing was introduced in the nineties. Temperature profiles over the entire length of the

Fiber optic calorimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudy, C.; Bayliss, S.; Bracken, D.; Bush, J.; Davis, P.

1998-01-01

A twin-bridge calorimeter using optical fiber as the sensor element was constructed and tested. This system demonstrates the principle and capability of using fiber for heat-flow measurements of special nuclear material. This calorimeter uses piezoelectric-generated phase-carrier modulation with subsequent electronic signal processing to allow phase shifts as small as 1 microradian (μrad) to be measured. The sensing element consists of 21-m lengths of single-mode optical fiber wrapped around sample and reference chambers. The sensitivity of the calorimeter was determined to be 74 radians (rad) of phase shift per milliwatt of thermal power. One milliwatt of thermal power is equivalent to 400 mg of plutonium (6% 240 Pu). The system noise base was about 0.2 rad, equivalent to about 1 mg of plutonium

Application technology for optical fiber in nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Min; Kim, Chul Jung; Lee, Yong Bum; Kim, Woong Ki; Yoon, Tae Seob; Sohn, Surg Won; Kim, Chang Hoi; Hwang, Suk Yong; Baik, Sung Hum; Kwon, Seong Ouk

1987-12-01

Lately, the optical fiber increasingly used in such adverse environments as nuclear power plant, radiation facilities because of their endurant properties against heat, radiation, corrosion, etc. Moreover, the transmission of signal through optical fiber does not induce interference from the electromagnetic wave. Basic theory about the optical fiber technology was studied and the developed techniques for nuclear facilities were reviewed. Since the radiations change the characteristics of the optical fiber, the effects of γ-ray irradiation on single mode and multimode optical fiber were examined. The image transmission system through optical fiber bundle was designed, constructed, and tested. Its software system was also updated. It can be used for remote internal inspection in adverse environment. (Author)

All-fiber hybrid photon-plasmon circuits: integrating nanowire plasmonics with fiber optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiyuan; Li, Wei; Guo, Xin; Lou, Jingyi; Tong, Limin

2013-07-01

We demonstrate all-fiber hybrid photon-plasmon circuits by integrating Ag nanowires with optical fibers. Relying on near-field coupling, we realize a photon-to-plasmon conversion efficiency up to 92% in a fiber-based nanowire plasmonic probe. Around optical communication band, we assemble an all-fiber resonator and a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) with Q-factor of 6 × 10(6) and extinction ratio up to 30 dB, respectively. Using the MZI, we demonstrate fiber-compatible plasmonic sensing with high sensitivity and low optical power.

Fundamentals of plastic optical fibers

CERN Document Server

Koike, Yasuhiro

2014-01-01

Polymer photonics is an interdisciplinary field which demands excellence both in optics (photonics) and materials science (polymer). However, theses disciplines have developed independently, and therefore the demand for a comprehensive work featuring the fundamentals of photonic polymers is greater than ever.This volume focuses on Polymer Optical Fiber and their applications. The first part of the book introduces typical optical fibers according to their classifications of material, propagating mode, and structure. Optical properties, the high bandwidth POF and transmission loss are discussed,

Curved Piezoelectric Actuators for Stretching Optical Fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Allison, Sidney G.; Shams, Qamar A.; Fox, Robert L.

2008-01-01

Assemblies containing curved piezoceramic fiber composite actuators have been invented as means of stretching optical fibers by amounts that depend on applied drive voltages. Piezoceramic fiber composite actuators are conventionally manufactured as sheets or ribbons that are flat and flexible, but can be made curved to obtain load-carrying ability and displacement greater than those obtainable from the flat versions. In the primary embodiment of this invention, piezoceramic fibers are oriented parallel to the direction of longitudinal displacement of the actuators so that application of drive voltage causes the actuator to flatten, producing maximum motion. Actuator motion can be transmitted to the optical fiber by use of hinges and clamp blocks. In the original application of this invention, the optical fiber contains a Bragg grating and the purpose of the controlled stretching of the fiber is to tune the grating as part of a small, lightweight, mode-hop-free, rapidly tunable laser for demodulating strain in Bragg-grating strain-measurement optical fibers attached to structures. The invention could also be used to apply controllable tensile force or displacement to an object other than an optical fiber.

Design and Analysis of an Optical Coupler for Concentrated Solar Light Using Optical Fibers in Residential Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afshin Aslian

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Concentrated sunlight that is transmitted by fiber optics has been used for generating electricity, heat, and daylight. On the other hand, multijunction photovoltaic cells provide high efficiency for generating electricity from highly concentrated sunlight. This study deals with designing and simulating a high-efficiency coupler, employing a mathematical model to connect sunlight with fiber optics for multiple applications. The coupler concentrates and distributes irradiated light from a primary concentrator. In this study, a parabolic dish was used as the primary concentrator, a coupler that contains nine components called a compound truncated pyramid and a cone (CTPC, all of which were mounted on a plate. The material of both the CTPC and the plate was BK7 optical glass. Fiber optics cables and multijunction photovoltaic cells were connected to the cylindrical part of the CTPC. The fibers would transmit the light to the building to provide heat and daylight, whereas multijunction photovoltaic cells generate electricity. Theoretical and simulation results showed high performance of the designed coupler. The efficiency of the coupler was as high as 92%, whereas the rim angle of the dish increased to an optimum angle. Distributed sunlight in the coupler increased the flexibility and simplicity of the design, resulting in a system that provided concentrated electricity, heat, and lighting for residential buildings.

Photonics and Fiber Optics Processor Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Photonics and Fiber Optics Processor Lab develops, tests and evaluates high speed fiber optic network components as well as network protocols. In addition, this...

Optical fiber cable chemical stripping fixture

Science.gov (United States)

Kolasinski, John R. (Inventor); Coleman, Alexander M. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

An elongated fixture handle member is connected to a fixture body member with both members having interconnecting longitudinal central axial bores for the passage of an optical cable therethrough. The axial bore of the fixture body member, however, terminates in a shoulder stop for the outer end of a jacket of the optical cable covering both an optical fiber and a coating therefor, with an axial bore of reduced diameter continuing from the shoulder stop forward for a predetermined desired length to the outer end of the fixture body member. A subsequent insertion of the fixture body member including the above optical fiber elements into a chemical stripping solution results in a softening of the exposed external coating thereat which permits easy removal thereof from the optical fiber while leaving a desired length coated fiber intact within the fixture body member.

Fiber-optic technology review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyons, P.B.

1980-01-01

A history of fiber technology is presented. The advantages of fiber optics are discussed (bandwidth, cost, weight and size, nonmetallic construction and isolation). Some aspects of the disadvantages of fiber systems briefly discussed are fiber and cable availability, fiber components, radiation effects, receivers and transmitters, and material dispersion. Particular emphasis over the next several years will involve development of fibers and systems optimized for use at wavelengths near 1.3 μm and development of wavelengths multiplexers for simultaneous system operation at several wavelengths

Distributed Long-Gauge Optical Fiber Sensors Based Self-Sensing FRP Bar for Concrete Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yongsheng; Wu, Zhishen

2016-02-25

Brillouin scattering-based distributed optical fiber (OF) sensing technique presents advantages for concrete structure monitoring. However, the existence of spatial resolution greatly decreases strain measurement accuracy especially around cracks. Meanwhile, the brittle feature of OF also hinders its further application. In this paper, the distributed OF sensor was firstly proposed as long-gauge sensor to improve strain measurement accuracy. Then, a new type of self-sensing fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bar was developed by embedding the packaged long-gauge OF sensors into FRP bar, followed by experimental studies on strain sensing, temperature sensing and basic mechanical properties. The results confirmed the superior strain sensing properties, namely satisfied accuracy, repeatability and linearity, as well as excellent mechanical performance. At the same time, the temperature sensing property was not influenced by the long-gauge package, making temperature compensation easy. Furthermore, the bonding performance between self-sensing FRP bar and concrete was investigated to study its influence on the sensing. Lastly, the sensing performance was further verified with static experiments of concrete beam reinforced with the proposed self-sensing FRP bar. Therefore, the self-sensing FRP bar has potential applications for long-term structural health monitoring (SHM) as embedded sensors as well as reinforcing materials for concrete structures.

Fiber-Optic Pyrometer with Optically Powered Switch for Temperature Measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Vázquez, Carmen; Pérez-Prieto, Sandra; López-Cardona, Juan D; Tapetado, Alberto; Blanco, Enrique; Moreno-López, Jorge; Montero, David S; Lallana, Pedro C

2018-02-06

We report the experimental results on a new infrared fiber-optic pyrometer for very localized and high-speed temperature measurements ranging from 170 to 530 °C using low-noise photodetectors and high-gain transimpedance amplifiers with a single gain mode in the whole temperature range. We also report a shutter based on an optical fiber switch which is optically powered to provide a reference signal in an optical fiber pyrometer measuring from 200 to 550 °C. The tests show the potential of remotely powering via optical means a 300 mW power-hungry optical switch at a distance of 100 m, avoiding any electromagnetic interference close to the measuring point.

Fiber-Optic Pyrometer with Optically Powered Switch for Temperature Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Vázquez

2018-02-01

Full Text Available We report the experimental results on a new infrared fiber-optic pyrometer for very localized and high-speed temperature measurements ranging from 170 to 530 °C using low-noise photodetectors and high-gain transimpedance amplifiers with a single gain mode in the whole temperature range. We also report a shutter based on an optical fiber switch which is optically powered to provide a reference signal in an optical fiber pyrometer measuring from 200 to 550 °C. The tests show the potential of remotely powering via optical means a 300 mW power-hungry optical switch at a distance of 100 m, avoiding any electromagnetic interference close to the measuring point.

Optical fiber cabling technologies for flexible access network

Science.gov (United States)

Tanji, Hisashi

2008-07-01

Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) outside plant infrastructure should be so designed and constructed as to flexibly deal with increasing subscribers and system evolution to be expected in the future, taking minimization of total cost (CAPEX and OPEX) into consideration. With this in mind, fiber access architectures are reviewed and key technologies on optical fiber and cable for supporting flexible access network are presented. Low loss over wide wavelength (low water peak) and bend-insensitive single mode fiber is a future proof solution. Enhanced separable ribbon facilitates mid-span access to individual fibers in a cable installed, improving fiber utilizing efficiency and flexibility of distribution design. It also contributes to an excellent low PMD characteristic which could be required for video RF overlay system or high capacity long reach metro-access convergence network in the future. Bend-insensitive fiber based cabling technique including field installable connector greatly improves fiber/cable handling in installation and maintenance work.

Optical fiber sensor for low dose gamma irradiation monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

de Andrés, Ana I.; Esteban, Ã.`scar; Embid, Miguel

2016-05-01

An optical fiber gamma ray detector is presented in this work. It is based on a Terbium doped Gadolinium Oxysulfide (Gd2O2S:Tb) scintillating powder which cover a chemically etched polymer fiber tip. This etching improves the fluorescence gathering by the optical fiber. The final diameter has been selected to fulfill the trade-off between light gathering and mechanical strength. Powder has been encapsulated inside a microtube where the fiber tip is immersed. The sensor has been irradiated with different air Kerma doses up to 2 Gy/h with a 137Cs source, and the spectral distribution of the fluorescence intensity has been recorded in a commercial grade CCD spectrometer. The obtained signal-to-noise ratio is good enough even for low doses, which has allowed to reduce the integration time in the spectrometer. The presented results show the feasibility for using low cost equipment to detect/measure ionizing radiation as gamma rays are.

Fiber-optic perimeter security system based on WDM technology

Science.gov (United States)

Polyakov, Alexandre V.

2017-10-01

Intelligent underground fiber optic perimeter security system is presented. Their structure, operation, software and hardware with neural networks elements are described. System allows not only to establish the fact of violation of the perimeter, but also to locate violations. This is achieved through the use of WDM-technology division spectral information channels. As used quasi-distributed optoelectronic recirculation system as a discrete sensor. The principle of operation is based on registration of the recirculation period change in the closed optoelectronic circuit at different wavelengths under microstrain exposed optical fiber. As a result microstrain fiber having additional power loss in a fiber optical propagating pulse, which causes a time delay as a result of switching moments of the threshold device. To separate the signals generated by intruder noise and interference, the signal analyzer is used, based on the principle of a neural network. The system detects walking, running or crawling intruder, as well as undermining attempts to register under the perimeter line. These alarm systems can be used to protect the perimeters of facilities such as airports, nuclear reactors, power plants, warehouses, and other extended territory.

Ultrahigh resolution radiation imaging system using an optical fiber structure scintillator plate.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Seiichi; Kamada, Kei; Yoshikawa, Akira

2018-02-16

High resolution imaging of radiation is required for such radioisotope distribution measurements as alpha particle detection in nuclear facilities or high energy physics experiments. For this purpose, we developed an ultrahigh resolution radiation imaging system using an optical fiber structure scintillator plate. We used a ~1-μm diameter fiber structured GdAlO 3 :Ce (GAP) /α-Al 2 O 3 scintillator plate to reduce the light spread. The fiber structured scintillator plate was optically coupled to a tapered optical fiber plate to magnify the image and combined with a lens-based high sensitivity CCD camera. We observed the images of alpha particles with a spatial resolution of ~25 μm. For the beta particles, the images had various shapes, and the trajectories of the electrons were clearly observed in the images. For the gamma photons, the images also had various shapes, and the trajectories of the secondary electrons were observed in some of the images. These results show that combining an optical fiber structure scintillator plate with a tapered optical fiber plate and a high sensitivity CCD camera achieved ultrahigh resolution and is a promising method to observe the images of the interactions of radiation in a scintillator.

Optofluidic in-fiber interferometer based on hollow optical fiber with two cores.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Tingting; Yang, Xinghua; Liu, Zhihai; Yang, Jun; Li, Song; Kong, Depeng; Qi, Xiuxiu; Yu, Wenting; Long, Qunlong; Yuan, Libo

2017-07-24

We demonstrate a novel integrated optical fiber interferometer for in-fiber optofluidic detection. It is composed of a specially designed hollow optical fiber with a micro-channel and two cores. One core on the inner surface of the micro-channel is served as sensing arm and the other core in the annular cladding is served as reference arm. Fusion-and-tapering method is employed to couple light from a single mode fiber to the hollow optical fiber in this device. Sampling is realized by side opening a microhole on the surface of the hollow optical fiber. Under differential pressure between the end of the hollow fiber and the microhole, the liquids can form steady microflows in the micro-channel. Simultaneously, the interference spectrum of the interferometer device shifts with the variation of the concentration of the microfluid in the channel. The optofluidic in-fiber interferometer has a sensitivity of refractive index around 2508 nm/RIU for NaCl. For medicine concentration detection, its sensitivity is 0.076 nm/mmolL -1 for ascorbic acid. Significantly, this work presents a compact microfluidic in-fiber interferometer with a micro-channel which can be integrated with chip devices without spatial optical coupling and without complex manufacturing procedure of the waveguide on the chips.

Longitudinal Lorentz force on a subwavelength-diameter optical fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Huakang; Fang Wei; Gu Fuxing; Yang Zongyin; Tong Limin; Qiu Min

2011-01-01

We analyze the longitudinal Lorentz forces that a propagating continuous-wave light exerts on a subwavelength-diameter optical fiber. Our theoretical results show that, during the propagating process, the guided light exerts no net time-averaged force on the fiber. Via numerical simulation, we find a significant overall pull force of 0.4 pN/mW acting on a 450-nm-diam fiber tip at a wavelength of 980 nm due to the scattering of the end face and a calculated force distribution reveals the feature of a near-field accumulation. Our results may be helpful to the configuration of optomechanical components or devices based on these fibers.

Optical Fiber Sensor Based on Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Using Silver Nanoparticles Photodeposited on the Optical Fiber End

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Gabriel Ortega-Mendoza

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the implementation of an optical fiber sensor to measure the refractive index in aqueous media based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR. We have used a novel technique known as photodeposition to immobilize silver nanoparticles on the optical fiber end. This technique has a simple instrumentation, involves laser light via an optical fiber and silver nanoparticles suspended in an aqueous medium. The optical sensor was assembled using a tungsten lamp as white light, a spectrometer, and an optical fiber with silver nanoparticles. The response of this sensor is such that the LSPR peak wavelength is linearly shifted to longer wavelengths as the refractive index is increased, showing a sensitivity of 67.6 nm/RIU. Experimental results are presented.

Fiber Optic Augmented Reality System (FOARS)

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Innovation: Fiber Optics Augmented Reality System. This system in form of a mobile app interacts real time with the actual FOSS(Fiber Optics Sensing System) data and...

Design of fiber optic probes for laser light scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Dhadwal, Harbans S.; Chu, Benjamin

1989-01-01

A quantitative analysis is presented of the role of optical fibers in laser light scattering. Design of a general fiber optic/microlens probe by means of ray tracing is described. Several different geometries employing an optical fiber of the type used in lightwave communications and a graded index microlens are considered. Experimental results using a nonimaging fiber optic detector probe show that due to geometrical limitations of single mode fibers, a probe using a multimode optical fiber has better performance, for both static and dynamic measurements of the scattered light intensity, compared with a probe using a single mode fiber. Fiber optic detector probes are shown to be more efficient at data collection when compared with conventional approaches to measurements of the scattered laser light. Integration of fiber optic detector probes into a fiber optic spectrometer offers considerable miniaturization of conventional light scattering spectrometers, which can be made arbitrarily small. In addition static and dynamic measurements of scattered light can be made within the scattering cell and consequently very close to the scattering center.

Cladding modes of optical fibers: properties and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanov, Oleg V; Nikitov, Sergei A; Gulyaev, Yurii V

2006-01-01

One of the new methods of fiber optics uses cladding modes for controlling propagation of radiation in optical fibers. This paper reviews the results of studies on the propagation, excitation, and interaction of cladding modes in optical fibers. The resonance between core and cladding modes excited by means of fiber Bragg gratings, including tilted ones, is analyzed. Propagation of cladding modes in microstructured fibers is considered. The most frequently used method of exciting cladding modes is described, based on the application of long-period fiber gratings. Examples are presented of long-period gratings used as sensors and gain equalizers for fiber amplifiers, as well as devices for coupling light into and out of optical fibers. (instruments and methods of investigation)

Optical fiber strain sensor using fiber resonator based on frequency comb Vernier spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Liang; Lu, Ping; Chen, Li

2012-01-01

A novel (to our best knowledge) optical fiber strain sensor using a fiber ring resonator based on frequency comb Vernier spectroscopy is proposed and demonstrated. A passively mode-locked optical fiber laser is employed to generate a phased-locked frequency comb. Strain applied to the optical fib...

Measurement of peak temperature along an optical fiber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fox, R.J.

1983-01-01

A multimode silica-clad optical fiber with a liquid silicone core was used as a distributed-line peak-temperature sensor over a temperature range from ambient to 190 0 C. The maximum error was 2 0 C and was essentially independent of the length or position of the hot zone

Fiber Optic Sensors For Detection of Toxic and Biological Threats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianming Yuan

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Protection of public and military personnel from chemical and biological warfareagents is an urgent and growing national security need. Along with this idea, we havedeveloped a novel class of fiber optic chemical sensors, for detection of toxic and biologicalmaterials. The design of these fiber optic sensors is based on a cladding modificationapproach. The original passive cladding of the fiber, in a small section, was removed and thefiber core was coated with a chemical sensitive material. Any change in the opticalproperties of the modified cladding material, due to the presence of a specific chemicalvapor, changes the transmission properties of the fiber and result in modal powerredistribution in multimode fibers. Both total intensity and modal power distribution (MPDmeasurements were used to detect the output power change through the sensing fibers. TheMPD technique measures the power changes in the far field pattern, i.e. spatial intensitymodulation in two dimensions. Conducting polymers, such as polyaniline and polypyrrole,have been reported to undergo a reversible change in conductivity upon exposure tochemical vapors. It is found that the conductivity change is accompanied by optical propertychange in the material. Therefore, polyaniline and polypyrrole were selected as the modifiedcladding material for the detection of hydrochloride (HCl, ammonia (NH3, hydrazine(H4N2, and dimethyl-methl-phosphonate (DMMP {a nerve agent, sarin stimulant},respectively. Several sensors were prepared and successfully tested. The results showeddramatic improvement in the sensor sensitivity, when the MPD method was applied. In thispaper, an overview on the developed class of fiber optic sensors is presented and supportedwith successful achieved results.

Optical fiber meta-tips

Science.gov (United States)

Principe, Maria; Micco, Alberto; Crescitelli, Alessio; Castaldi, Giuseppe; Consales, Marco; Esposito, Emanuela; La Ferrara, Vera; Galdi, Vincenzo; Cusano, Andrea

2016-04-01

We report on the first example of a "meta-tip" configuration that integrates a metasurface on the tip of an optical fiber. Our proposed design is based on an inverted-Babinet plasmonic metasurface obtained by patterning (via focused ion beam) a thin gold film deposited on the tip of an optical fiber, so as to realize an array of rectangular aperture nanoantennas with spatially modulated sizes. By properly tuning the resonances of the aperture nanoantennas, abrupt variations can be impressed in the field wavefront and polarization. We fabricated and characterized several proof-of-principle prototypes operating an near-infrared wavelengths, and implementing the beam-steering (with various angles) of the cross-polarized component, as well as the excitation of surface waves. Our results pave the way to the integration of the exceptional field-manipulation capabilities enabled by metasurfaces with the versatility and ubiquity of fiber-optics technological platforms.

Superlattice Microstructured Optical Fiber

Science.gov (United States)

Tse, Ming-Leung Vincent; Liu, Zhengyong; Cho, Lok-Hin; Lu, Chao; Wai, Ping-Kong Alex; Tam, Hwa-Yaw

2014-01-01

A generic three-stage stack-and-draw method is demonstrated for the fabrication of complex-microstructured optical fibers. We report the fabrication and characterization of a silica superlattice microstructured fiber with more than 800 rhomboidally arranged air-holes. A polarization-maintaining fiber with a birefringence of 8.5 × 10−4 is demonstrated. The birefringent property of the fiber is found to be highly insensitive to external environmental effects, such as pressure. PMID:28788693

Fiber optic pressure sensors for nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hashemian, H.M.; Black, C.L. [Analysis and Measurement Services Corp., Knoxville, TN (United States)

1995-04-01

In the last few years, the nuclear industry has experienced some problems with the performance of pressure transmitters and has been interested in new sensors based on new technologies. Fiber optic pressure sensors offer the potential to improve on or overcome some of the limitations of existing pressure sensors. Up to now, research has been motivated towards development and refinement of fiber optic sensing technology. In most applications, reliability studies and failure mode analyses remain to be exhaustively conducted. Fiber optic sensors have currently penetrated certain cutting edge markets where they possess necessary inherent advantages over other existing technologies. In these markets (e.g. biomedical, aerospace, automotive, and petrochemical), fiber optic sensors are able to perform measurements for which no alternate sensor previously existed. Fiber optic sensing technology has not yet been fully adopted into the mainstream sensing market. This may be due to not only the current premium price of fiber optic sensors, but also the lack of characterization of their possible performance disadvantages. In other words, in conservative industries, the known disadvantages of conventional sensors are sometimes preferable to unknown or not fully characterized (but potentially fewer and less critical) disadvantages of fiber optic sensors. A six-month feasibility study has been initiated under the auspices of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to assess the performance and reliability of existing fiber optic pressure sensors for use in nuclear power plants. This assessment will include establishment of the state of the art in fiber optic pressure sensing, characterization of the reliability of fiber optic pressure sensors, and determination of the strengths and limitations of these sensors for nuclear safety-related services.

Fiber optic pressure sensors for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashemian, H.M.; Black, C.L.

1995-01-01

In the last few years, the nuclear industry has experienced some problems with the performance of pressure transmitters and has been interested in new sensors based on new technologies. Fiber optic pressure sensors offer the potential to improve on or overcome some of the limitations of existing pressure sensors. Up to now, research has been motivated towards development and refinement of fiber optic sensing technology. In most applications, reliability studies and failure mode analyses remain to be exhaustively conducted. Fiber optic sensors have currently penetrated certain cutting edge markets where they possess necessary inherent advantages over other existing technologies. In these markets (e.g. biomedical, aerospace, automotive, and petrochemical), fiber optic sensors are able to perform measurements for which no alternate sensor previously existed. Fiber optic sensing technology has not yet been fully adopted into the mainstream sensing market. This may be due to not only the current premium price of fiber optic sensors, but also the lack of characterization of their possible performance disadvantages. In other words, in conservative industries, the known disadvantages of conventional sensors are sometimes preferable to unknown or not fully characterized (but potentially fewer and less critical) disadvantages of fiber optic sensors. A six-month feasibility study has been initiated under the auspices of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to assess the performance and reliability of existing fiber optic pressure sensors for use in nuclear power plants. This assessment will include establishment of the state of the art in fiber optic pressure sensing, characterization of the reliability of fiber optic pressure sensors, and determination of the strengths and limitations of these sensors for nuclear safety-related services

Fiber optic fluid detector

Science.gov (United States)

Angel, S.M.

1987-02-27

Particular gases or liquids are detected with a fiber optic element having a cladding or coating of a material which absorbs the fluid or fluids and which exhibits a change of an optical property, such as index of refraction, light transmissiveness or fluoresence emission, for example, in response to absorption of the fluid. The fluid is sensed by directing light into the fiber optic element and detecting changes in the light, such as exit angle changes for example, that result from the changed optical property of the coating material. The fluid detector may be used for such purposes as sensing toxic or explosive gases in the atmosphere, measuring ground water contamination or monitoring fluid flows in industrial processes, among other uses. 10 figs.

Optical fibers and their applications for radiation measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakuta, Tsunemi

1998-01-01

When optical fibers are used in a strong radiation field, it is necessary to increase the radiation-resistant capacity. Aiming at the improvement of such property, the characteristics of recent optical fibers made from quartz-glass were reviewed and the newly developed techniques for radiation measurement using those fibers were summarized in this report. Since optical fibers became able to use in the levels near the core conditions, their applications have started in various fields of technologies related to radiation. By combining the optical fibers and a small sensor, it became possible to act as 'Key Component' for measuring wide range radioactivity from a trace activity to a strong radiation field in the reactor core. Presently, the fibers are utilized for investigation of the optical mechanisms related in radiation, evaluation of their validities so on. Further, the optical fibers are expected to utilize in a multi-parametric measuring system which allows to concomitantly determine the radiation, temperature, pressure, flow amount etc. as an incore monitor. (M.N.)

Optical fibers and their applications for radiation measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kakuta, Tsunemi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokyo (Japan)

1998-07-01

When optical fibers are used in a strong radiation field, it is necessary to increase the radiation-resistant capacity. Aiming at the improvement of such property, the characteristics of recent optical fibers made from quartz-glass were reviewed and the newly developed techniques for radiation measurement using those fibers were summarized in this report. Since optical fibers became able to use in the levels near the core conditions, their applications have started in various fields of technologies related to radiation. By combining the optical fibers and a small sensor, it became possible to act as `Key Component` for measuring wide range radioactivity from a trace activity to a strong radiation field in the reactor core. Presently, the fibers are utilized for investigation of the optical mechanisms related in radiation, evaluation of their validities so on. Further, the optical fibers are expected to utilize in a multi-parametric measuring system which allows to concomitantly determine the radiation, temperature, pressure, flow amount etc. as an incore monitor. (M.N.)

Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensors and Fiber-Optic Bio-Sensors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pospíšilová, M.; Kuncová, Gabriela; Trögl, J.

2015-01-01

Roč. 15, č. 10 (2015), s. 25208-25259 ISSN 1424-8220 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : fiber-optic sensor * chemical sensors * enzymatic sensor Subject RIV: JB - Sensors, Measurment, Regulation Impact factor: 2.033, year: 2015

Portable fiber-optic taper coupled optical microscopy platform

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Weiming; Yu, Yan; Huang, Hui; Ou, Jinping

2017-04-01

The optical fiber taper coupled with CMOS has advantages of high sensitivity, compact structure and low distortion in the imaging platform. So it is widely used in low light, high speed and X-ray imaging systems. In the meanwhile, the peculiarity of the coupled structure can meet the needs of the demand in microscopy imaging. Toward this end, we developed a microscopic imaging platform based on the coupling of cellphone camera module and fiber optic taper for the measurement of the human blood samples and ascaris lumbricoides. The platform, weighing 70 grams, is based on the existing camera module of the smartphone and a fiber-optic array which providing a magnification factor of 6x.The top facet of the taper, on which samples are placed, serves as an irregular sampling grid for contact imaging. The magnified images of the sample, located on the bottom facet of the fiber, are then projected onto the CMOS sensor. This paper introduces the portable medical imaging system based on the optical fiber coupling with CMOS, and theoretically analyzes the feasibility of the system. The image data and process results either can be stored on the memory or transmitted to the remote medical institutions for the telemedicine. We validate the performance of this cell-phone based microscopy platform using human blood samples and test target, achieving comparable results to a standard bench-top microscope.

Essentials of modern optical fiber communication

CERN Document Server

Noé, Reinhold

2016-01-01

This is a concise introduction into optical fiber communication. It covers important aspects from the physics of optical wave propagation and amplification to the essentials of modulation formats and receivers. The combination of a solid coverage of necessary fundamental theory with an in-depth discussion of recent relevant research results enables the reader to design modern optical fiber communication systems. The book serves both graduate students and professionals. It includes many worked examples with solutions for lecturers. For the second edition, Reinhold Noé made many changes and additions throughout the text so that this concise book presents the essentials of optical fiber communication in an easy readable and understandable way.

Fiber Optic Temperature Sensor Insert for High Temperature Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Black, Richard James (Inventor); Costa, Joannes M. (Inventor); Moslehi, Behzad (Inventor); Zarnescu, Livia (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A thermal protection system (TPS) test plug has optical fibers with FBGs embedded in the optical fiber arranged in a helix, an axial fiber, and a combination of the two. Optionally, one of the optical fibers is a sapphire FBG for measurement of the highest temperatures in the TPS plug. The test plug may include an ablating surface and a non-ablating surface, with an engagement surface with threads formed, the threads having a groove for placement of the optical fiber. The test plug may also include an optical connector positioned at the non-ablating surface for protection of the optical fiber during insertion and removal.

Integrated Optical Circuit Engineering For Optical Fiber Gyrocopes

Science.gov (United States)

Bristow, Julian P.; We, Albert C.; Keur, M.; Lukas, Greg; Ott, Daniel M...; Sriram, S.

1988-03-01

Fiber optic gyroscopes are of interest for low-cost, high performance rotation sensors. Integrated optical implementations of the processing optics offer the hope of mass-production, and associated cost reductions. The development of a suitable integrated optical system has been reported by other authors at a wavelength of 850nm [1]. Despite strong technical advantages at 1.3μm wavelength [2], no results have yet appeared. This wavelength is preferred for telecommunications applications applications, thus significantly reduced fiber costs may be realized. Lithium niobate is relatively immune from the photorefractive effect at this wavelength, whereas it is not at at 850nm [3].

High-temperature fiber optic pressure sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Berthold, J. W.

1984-01-01

Attention is given to a program to develop fiber optic methods to measure diaphragm deflection. The end application is intended for pressure transducers capable of operating to 540 C. In this paper are reported the results of a laboratory study to characterize the performance of the fiber-optic microbend sensor. The data presented include sensitivity and spring constant. The advantages and limitations of the microbend sensor for static pressure measurement applications are described. A proposed design is presented for a 540 C pressure transducer using the fiber optic microbend sensor.

Fiber optic communications fundamentals and applications

CERN Document Server

Kumar, Shiva

2014-01-01

Fiber-optic communication systems have advanced dramatically over the last four decades, since the era of copper cables, resulting in low-cost and high-bandwidth transmission. Fiber optics is now the backbone of the internet and long-distance telecommunication. Without it we would not enjoy the benefits of high-speed internet, or low-rate international telephone calls. This book introduces the basic concepts of fiber-optic communication in a pedagogical way. The important mathematical results are derived by first principles rather than citing research articles. In addition, physical interpre

Exploit the Bandwidth Capacities of the Perfluorinated Graded Index Polymer Optical Fiber for Multi-Services Distribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Alain Rolland

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The study reported here deals with the exploitation of perfluorinated graded index polymer optical fiber bandwidth to add further services in a home/office network. The fiber properties are exhibited in order to check if perfluorinated graded index plastic optical fiber (PFGI-POF is suitable to support a multiplexing transmission. According to the high bandwidth length of plastic fibers, both at 850 nm and 1,300 nm, the extension of the classical baseband existing network is proposed to achieve a dual concept, allowing the indoor coverage of wireless signals transmitted using the Radio over Fiber technology. The simultaneous transmission of a 10 GbE signal and a wireless signal is done respectively at 850 nm and 1,300 nm on a single plastic fiber using wavelength division multiplexing commercially available devices. The penalties have been evaluated both in digital (Bit Error Rate measurement and radiofrequency (Error Vector Magnitude measurement domains.

Fiber-Optic Shape Sensing for Intelligent Solar Sail Deployment, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Luna Innovations proposes to develop a distributed fiber-optic shape sensor to provide a control system for the deployment of ultra-lightweight inflatable support...

355-nm hypersensitization of optical fibers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Canagasabey, A.; Canning, J.; Groothoff, N.

2003-01-01

A study is presented on 355-nm hypersensitization of optical fibers. It is found that the intrinsic 244-nm photosensitivity of boron-codoped germanosilicate optical fibers is enhanced by 355-nm hypersensitization. Hypersensitization through standard polymer coating is also demonstrated.

All-optical, thermo-optical path length modulation based on the vanadium-doped fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Matjasec, Ziga; Campelj, Stanislav; Donlagic, Denis

2013-05-20

This paper presents an all-fiber, fully-optically controlled, optical-path length modulator based on highly absorbing optical fiber. The modulator utilizes a high-power 980 nm pump diode and a short section of vanadium-co-doped single mode fiber that is heated through absorption and a non-radiative relaxation process. The achievable path length modulation range primarily depends on the pump's power and the convective heat-transfer coefficient of the surrounding gas, while the time response primarily depends on the heated fiber's diameter. An absolute optical length change in excess of 500 µm and a time-constant as short as 11 ms, were demonstrated experimentally. The all-fiber design allows for an electrically-passive and remote operation of the modulator. The presented modulator could find use within various fiber-optics systems that require optical (remote) path length control or modulation.

Optical fiber Cherenkov detector for beam current monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pishchulin, I.V.; Solov'ev, N.G.; Romashkin, O.B.

1991-01-01

The results obtained in calculation of an optical fiber Cherenkov detector for accelerated beam current monitoring are presented. The technique of beam parameters monitoring is based on Cherenkov radiation excitation by accelerated electrons in the optical fiber. The formulas for calculations of optical power and time dependence of Cherenkov radiation pulse are given. The detector sensitivity and time resolution dependence on the fiber material characteristics are investigated. Parameters of a 10μm one-mode quartz optical fiber detector for the free electron laser photoinjector are calculated. The structure of a monitoring system with the optical fiber Cherenkov detector is considered. Possible applications of this technique are discussed and some recommendations are given

Thermoluminescence characteristics of Ge-doped optical fibers with different dimensions for radiation dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begum, Mahfuza; Rahman, A.K.M. Mizanur; Abdul-Rashid, H.A.; Yusoff, Z.; Begum, Mahbuba; Mat-Sharif, K.A.; Amin, Y.M.; Bradley, D.A.

2015-01-01

Important thermoluminescence (TL) properties of five (5) different core sizes Ge-doped optical fibers have been studied to develop new TL material with better response. These are drawn from same preform applying different speed and tension during drawing phase to produce Ge-doped optical fibers with five (5) different core sizes. The results of the investigations are also compared with most commonly used standard TLD-100 chips (LiF:Mg,Ti) and commercial multimode Ge-doped optical fiber (Yangtze Optical Fiber, China). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and EDX analysis of the fibers are also performed to map Ge distribution across the deposited region. Standard Gamma radiation source in Secondary Standard Dosimetry Lab (SSDL) was used for irradiation covering dose range from 1 Gy to 10 Gy. The essential dosimetric parameters that have been studied are TL linearity, reproducibility and fading. Prior to irradiation all samples ∼0.5 cm length are annealed at temperature of 400 °C for 1 h period to standardize their sensitivities and background. Standard TLD-100 chips are also annealed for 1 h at 400 °C and subsequently 2 h at 100 °C to yield the highest sensitivity. TL responses of these fibers show linearity over a wide gamma radiation dose that is an important property for radiation dosimetry. Among all fibers used in this study, 100 μm core diameter fiber provides highest response that is 2.6 times than that of smallest core (20 μm core) optical fiber. These fiber-samples demonstrate better response than commercial multi-mode optical fiber and also provide low degree of fading about 20% over a period of fifteen days for gamma radiation. Effective atomic number (Z eff ) is found in the range (13.25–13.69) which is higher than soft tissue (7.5) however within the range of human-bone (11.6–13.8). All the fibers can also be re-used several times as a detector after annealing. TL properties of the Ge-doped optical fibers indicate promising applications in

Optical fiber powered pressure sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schweizer, P.; Neveux, L.; Ostrowsky, D.B.

1987-01-01

In the system described, a pressure sensor and its associated electronics are optically powered by a 20 mw laser and a photovoltaic cell via an optical fiber. The sensor is periodically interrogated and sends the measures obtained back to the central unit using an LED and a second fiber. The results obtained as well as the expected evolution will be described

Direct writing of fiber optic components in photonic crystal fibers and other specialty fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Luis Andre; Sezerman, Omur; Best, Garland; Ng, Mi Li; Kane, Saidou

2016-04-01

Femtosecond direct laser writing has recently shown great potential for the fabrication of complex integrated devices in the cladding of optical fibers. Such devices have the advantage of requiring no bulk optical components and no breaks in the fiber path, thus reducing the need for complicated alignment, eliminating contamination, and increasing stability. This technology has already found applications using combinations of Bragg gratings, interferometers, and couplers for the fabrication of optical filters, sensors, and power monitors. The femtosecond laser writing method produces a local modification of refractive index through non-linear absorption of the ultrafast laser pulses inside the dielectric material of both the core and cladding of the fiber. However, fiber geometries that incorporate air or hollow structures, such as photonic crystal fibers (PCFs), still present a challenge since the index modification regions created by the writing process cannot be generated in the hollow regions of the fiber. In this work, the femtosecond laser method is used together with a pre-modification method that consists of partially collapsing the hollow holes using an electrical arc discharge. The partial collapse of the photonic band gap structure provides a path for femtosecond laser written waveguides to couple light from the core to the edge of the fiber for in-line power monitoring. This novel approach is expected to have applications in other specialty fibers such as suspended core fibers and can open the way for the integration of complex devices and facilitate miniaturization of optical circuits to take advantage of the particular characteristics of the PCFs.

Microstructured optical fibers - Fundamentals and applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lægsgaard, Jesper; Bjarklev, Anders Overgaard

2006-01-01

In recent years optical fibers having a complex microstructure in the transverse plane have attracted much attention from both researchers and industry. Such fibers can either guide light through total internal reflection or the photonic bandgap effect. Among the many unique applications offered...... by these fibers are mode guidance in air, highly flexible dispersion engineering, and the use of very heterogeneous material combinations. In this paper, we review the different types and applications of microstructured optical fibers, with particular emphasis on recent advances in the field....

Polymer optical fiber with Rhodamine doped cladding for fiber light systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Narro-García, R., E-mail: roberto.narro@gmail.com [Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230 (Mexico); Quintero-Torres, R. [Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230 (Mexico); Domínguez-Juárez, J.L. [Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230 (Mexico); Cátedras CONACyT, Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230 (Mexico); Ocampo, M.A. [Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230 (Mexico)

2016-01-15

Both preform and polymer optical fiber with a Poly(methyl methacrylate) core and THV–Rhodamine 6G cladding were characterized. UV–vis absorbance, photoluminescence spectra and lifetime of the preform were measured. Axial and lateral photoluminescence spectra of the polymer optical fiber were studied under 404 nm excitation in order to study the illumination performance of the fiber. It was observed that the peak wavelength from the fiber photoluminescence spectra is higher than the peak wavelength from the fiber preform and that the peak wavelength from the fiber photoluminescence spectra is red shifted with the fiber length in the case of axial emission. The obtained results suggest the influence of self-absorption on the photoluminescence shape. Strong lateral emission along the fiber was observed with the naked eyes in all the cases. The lateral photoluminescence spectra show that the lateral emission is a combination between the pump laser and the Rh6G molecule photoluminescence. The results suggest that this polymer optical fiber could be a potential candidate for the development of fiber lighting systems. - Highlights: • Axial and lateral emission along the fiber was studied. • Self-absorption effect was confirmed in the case of axial photoluminescence. • The lateral emission is a combination between the laser and the RhG6 emission. • This fiber could be a potential candidate for the development of lighting systems.

Fiber optic applications in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collette, P.; Kwapien, D.

1984-01-01

Fiber optic technology possesses many desirable attributes for applications in commercial nuclear power plants. The non-electrical nature of fiber optics is an important factor in an industry governed by federal safety regulations such as Class 1E isolation and separation criteria. Immunity from Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), an increasing industry problem area, is another significant characteristic. Because of the extremely wide bandwidth offered, fiber optics better addresses the data acquistion and communication requirements of the complex processes of a nuclear power plant. Potential for fiber optic sensor applications exists within the nuclear industry because their small size and physical flexibility allows access into normally inaccessible areas. They possess high accuracy and allow environmentally sensitive electronics to be remotely located. The purpose of this paper is to explore current applications for fiber optic technology in modern nuclear plants, document examples of present day usage in C-E plants and suggest possible future application areas

Near-field scanning optical microscopy using polymethylmethacrylate optical fiber probes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chibani, H.; Dukenbayev, K.; Mensi, M.; Sekatskii, S.K.; Dietler, G.

2010-01-01

We report the first use of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) optical fiber-made probes for scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM). The sharp tips were prepared by chemical etching of the fibers in ethyl acetate, and the probes were prepared by proper gluing of sharpened fibers onto the tuning fork in the conditions of the double resonance (working frequency of a tuning fork coincides with the resonance frequency of dithering of the free-standing part of the fiber) reported earlier for the case of glass fibers. Quality factors of the probes in the range 2000-6000 were obtained, which enables the realization of an excellent topographical resolution including state-of-art imaging of single DNA molecules. Near-field optical performance of the microscope is illustrated by the Photon Scanning Tunneling Microscope images of fluorescent beads with a diameter of 100 nm. The preparation of these plastic fiber probes proved to be easy, needs no hazardous material and/or procedures, and typical lifetime of a probe essentially exceeds that characteristic for the glass fiber probe.

Environmental performance of an elliptical core polarization maintaining optical fiber for fiber optic gyro applications

Science.gov (United States)

Martinelli, Vincent P.; Squires, Emily M.; Watkins, James J.

1994-03-01

Corning has introduced a new polarization-maintaining optical fiber to satisfy customer requirements for a range of commercial and military FOG applications. This fiber has an elliptical core, matched-clad design, and is intended for operation in the 780 to 850 nm wavelength region. The fiber has a beat length less than 1.5 mm, attenuation rate less than 10 dB/km, and a typical coiled h-parameter less than 1.5 X 10-4 m-1 in the designated operating wavelength range. It has a cladding diameter of 80 micrometers and a coating diameter of 185 micrometers . The coating is an acrylate system, similar to that used in telecommunications optical fibers. We report on the performance of this elliptical core fiber for a variety of environmental exposures representative of an automotive application.

Embedded fiber optic ultrasonic sensors and generators

Science.gov (United States)

Dorighi, John F.; Krishnaswamy, Sridhar; Achenbach, Jan D.

1995-04-01

Ultrasonic sensors and generators based on fiber-optic systems are described. It is shown that intrinsic fiber optic Fabry-Perot ultrasound sensors that are embedded in a structure can be stabilized by actively tuning the laser frequency. The need for this method of stabilization is demonstrated by detecting piezoelectric transducer-generated ultrasonic pulses in the presence of low frequency dynamic strains that are intentionally induced to cause sensor drift. The actively stabilized embedded fiber optic Fabry-Perot sensor is also shown to have sufficient sensitivity to detect ultrasound that is generated in the interior of a structure by means of a high-power optical fiber that pipes energy from a pulsed laser to an embedded generator of ultrasound.

Engineering surface plasmon based fiber-optic sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhawan, Anuj; Muth, John F.

2008-01-01

Ordered arrays of nanoholes with subwavelength diameters, and submicron array periodicity were fabricated on the tips of gold-coated optical fibers using focused ion beam (FIB) milling. This provided a convenient platform for evaluating extraordinary transmission of light through subwavelength apertures and allowed the implementation of nanostructures for surface plasmon engineered sensors. The fabrication procedure was straightforward and implemented on single mode and multimode optical fibers as well as etched and tapered fiber tips. Control of the periodicity and spacing of the nanoholes allowed the wavelength of operation to be tailored. Large changes in optical transmission were observed at the designed wavelengths, depending on the surrounding refractive index, allowing the devices to be used as fiber-optic sensors

Engineering surface plasmon based fiber-optic sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dhawan, Anuj [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27606 (United States); Muth, John F. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27606 (United States)], E-mail: muth@unity.ncsu.edu

2008-04-15

Ordered arrays of nanoholes with subwavelength diameters, and submicron array periodicity were fabricated on the tips of gold-coated optical fibers using focused ion beam (FIB) milling. This provided a convenient platform for evaluating extraordinary transmission of light through subwavelength apertures and allowed the implementation of nanostructures for surface plasmon engineered sensors. The fabrication procedure was straightforward and implemented on single mode and multimode optical fibers as well as etched and tapered fiber tips. Control of the periodicity and spacing of the nanoholes allowed the wavelength of operation to be tailored. Large changes in optical transmission were observed at the designed wavelengths, depending on the surrounding refractive index, allowing the devices to be used as fiber-optic sensors.

A fiber-optic sensor based on no-core fiber and Faraday rotator mirror structure

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Heng; Wang, Xu; Zhang, Songling; Wang, Fang; Liu, Yufang

2018-05-01

An optical fiber sensor based on the single-mode/no-core/single-mode (SNS) core-offset technology along with a Faraday rotator mirror structure has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. A transverse optical field distribution of self-imaging has been simulated and experimental parameters have been selected under theoretical guidance. Results of the experiments demonstrate that the temperature sensitivity of the sensor is 0.0551 nm/°C for temperatures between 25 and 80 °C, and the correlation coefficient is 0.99582. The concentration sensitivity of the device for sucrose and glucose solutions was found to be as high as 12.5416 and 6.02248 nm/(g/ml), respectively. Curves demonstrating a linear fit between wavelength shift and solution concentration for three different heavy metal solutions have also been derived on the basis of experimental results. The proposed fiber-optic sensor design provides valuable guidance for the measurement of concentration and temperature.

Spectrally efficient polymer optical fiber transmission

Science.gov (United States)

Randel, Sebastian; Bunge, Christian-Alexander

2011-01-01

The step-index polymer optical fiber (SI-POF) is an attractive transmission medium for high speed communication links in automotive infotainment networks, in industrial automation, and in home networks. Growing demands for quality of service, e.g., for IPTV distribution in homes and for Ethernet based industrial control networks will necessitate Gigabit speeds in the near future. We present an overview on recent advances in the design of spectrally efficient and robust Gigabit-over-SI-POF transmission systems.

Computational imaging through a fiber-optic bundle

Science.gov (United States)

Lodhi, Muhammad A.; Dumas, John Paul; Pierce, Mark C.; Bajwa, Waheed U.

2017-05-01

Compressive sensing (CS) has proven to be a viable method for reconstructing high-resolution signals using low-resolution measurements. Integrating CS principles into an optical system allows for higher-resolution imaging using lower-resolution sensor arrays. In contrast to prior works on CS-based imaging, our focus in this paper is on imaging through fiber-optic bundles, in which manufacturing constraints limit individual fiber spacing to around 2 μm. This limitation essentially renders fiber-optic bundles as low-resolution sensors with relatively few resolvable points per unit area. These fiber bundles are often used in minimally invasive medical instruments for viewing tissue at macro and microscopic levels. While the compact nature and flexibility of fiber bundles allow for excellent tissue access in-vivo, imaging through fiber bundles does not provide the fine details of tissue features that is demanded in some medical situations. Our hypothesis is that adapting existing CS principles to fiber bundle-based optical systems will overcome the resolution limitation inherent in fiber-bundle imaging. In a previous paper we examined the practical challenges involved in implementing a highly parallel version of the single-pixel camera while focusing on synthetic objects. This paper extends the same architecture for fiber-bundle imaging under incoherent illumination and addresses some practical issues associated with imaging physical objects. Additionally, we model the optical non-idealities in the system to get lower modelling errors.

Optic Fiber Sensing IOT Technology and Application Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenjuan Zeng

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The growth of the Internet of Things (IOT industry has become a new mark of the communication domain. As the development of the technology of the IOT and the fiber-optical sensor, the combination of the both is a big question to be discussed, and the fiber-optical IOT also has a good development prospect. This article first introduces IOT’s current status, the key technology, the theoretical frame and the applications. Then, it discusses the classification of the optical fiber sensor as well as the development and its application’s situation. Lastly, it puts the optical fiber sensing technology into the IOT, and introduces a specific application which is used in the mine safety based on the fiber-optical IOT.

Monitoring techniques for the manufacture of tapered optical fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mullaney, Kevin; Correia, Ricardo; Staines, Stephen E; James, Stephen W; Tatam, Ralph P

2015-10-01

The use of a range of optical techniques to monitor the process of fabricating optical fiber tapers is investigated. Thermal imaging was used to optimize the alignment of the optical system; the transmission spectrum of the fiber was monitored to confirm that the tapers had the required optical properties and the strain induced in the fiber during tapering was monitored using in-line optical fiber Bragg gratings. Tapers were fabricated with diameters down to 5 μm and with waist lengths of 20 mm using single-mode SMF-28 fiber.

A novel thermoset polymer optical fiber

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flipsen, T.A C; Steendam, R; Pennings, A.J; Hadziioannou, G

Polymer optical fibers are being investigated with a view to overcoming some of the disadvantages of glass optical fibers in communications applications. Dense cross-linked polymers, such as the polyisocyanurate discussed here (see figure), have been found to be superior in some respects to the

Modified optical fiber daylighting system with sunlight transportation in free space.

Science.gov (United States)

Vu, Ngoc-Hai; Pham, Thanh-Tuan; Shin, Seoyong

2016-12-26

We present the design, optical simulation, and experiment of a modified optical fiber daylighting system (M-OFDS) for indoor lighting. The M-OFDS is comprised of three sub-systems: concentration, collimation, and distribution. The concentration part is formed by coupling a Fresnel lens with a large-core plastic optical fiber. The sunlight collected by the concentration sub-system is propagated in a plastic optical fiber and then collimated by the collimator, which is a combination of a parabolic mirror and a convex lens. The collimated beam of sunlight travels in free space and is guided to the interior by directing flat mirrors, where it is diffused uniformly by a distributor. All parameters of the system are calculated theoretically. Based on the designed system, our simulation results demonstrated a maximum optical efficiency of 71%. The simulation results also showed that sunlight could be delivered to the illumination destination at distance of 30 m. A prototype of the M-OFDS was fabricated, and preliminary experiments were performed outdoors. The simulation results and experimental results confirmed that the M-OFDS was designed effectively. A large-scale system constructed by several M-OFDSs is also proposed. The results showed that the presented optical fiber daylighting system is a strong candidate for an inexpensive and highly efficient application of solar energy in buildings.

Dispersion properties of plasma cladded annular optical fiber

Science.gov (United States)

KianiMajd, M.; Hasanbeigi, A.; Mehdian, H.; Hajisharifi, K.

2018-05-01

One of the considerable problems in a conventional image transferring fiber optic system is the two-fold coupling of propagating hybrid modes. In this paper, using a simple and practical analytical approach based on exact modal vectorial analysis together with Maxwell's equations, we show that applying plasma as a cladding medium of an annular optical fiber can remove this defect of conventional fiber optic automatically without any external instrument as the polarization beam splitter. Moreover, the analysis indicates that the presence of plasma in the proposed optical fiber could extend the possibilities for controlling the propagation property. The proposed structure presents itself as a promising route to advanced optical processing and opens new avenues in applied optics and photonics.

Engineering the development of optical fiber sensors for adverse environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hastings, M.C.

1994-01-01

During the last decade, many optical fiber sensors have been developed for particular applications in harsh environments with limited success. Off-the-shelf optical fiber sensors and measurement systems are not available, partly because they have not been engineered to meet tough environmental requirements necessary for applications outside the laboratory. Moreover, no generalized computer-aided tools exist to help advance their development, design, and use. Computer-aided design tools currently being developed are described in this paper. Structural finite element analyses have been coupled with optoelastic analyses of both all-fiber interferometers and serial microbend sensors for distributed measurement of various physical quantities. The combined analyses have been parameterized and implemented on personal computers and work stations for use as design/development tools that can be used to determine the performance of different sensor configurations in various environments. Potentially, these computer-aided tools could be used for failure diagnosis and redesign of existing optical fiber sensors. Performances predicted by the computer simulations are verified with experimental data and numerical analyses from the literature. The long-term goal is to develop user-friendly software packages for both sensor manufacturers and end users

Erbium/ytterbium co-doped double clad fiber amplifier, its applications and effects in fiber optic communication systems

Science.gov (United States)

Dua, Puneit

Increased demand for larger bandwidth and longer inter-amplifiers distances translates to higher power budgets for fiber optic communication systems in order to overcome large splitting losses and achieve acceptable signal-to-noise ratios. Due to their unique design ytterbium sensitized erbium doped, double clad fiber amplifiers; offer significant increase in the output powers that can be obtained. In this thesis we investigate, a one-stage, high power erbium and ytterbium co-doped double clad fiber amplifier (DCFA) with output power of 1.4W, designed and built in our lab. Experimental demonstration and numerical simulation techniques have been used to systematically study the applications of such an amplifier and the effects of incorporating it in various fiber optic communication systems. Amplitude modulated subcarrier multiplexed (AM-SCM) CATV distribution experiment has been performed to verify the feasibility of using this amplifier in an analog/digital communication system. The applications of the amplifier as a Fabry-Perot and ring fiber laser with an all-fiber cavity, a broadband supercontinuum source and for generation of high power, short pulses at 5GHz have been experimentally demonstrated. A variety of observable nonlinear effects occur due to the high intensity of the optical powers confined in micron-sized cores of the fibers, this thesis explores in detail some of these effects caused by using the high power Er/Yb double clad fiber amplifier. A fiber optic based analog/digital CATV system experiences composite second order (CSO) distortion due to the interaction between the gain tilt---the variation of gain with wavelength, of the doped fiber amplifier and the wavelength chirp of the directly modulated semiconductor laser. Gain tilt of the Er/Yb co-doped fiber amplifier has been experimentally measured and its contribution to the CSO of the system calculated. Theoretical analysis of a wavelength division multiplexed system with closely spaced

Optical-fiber interferometer for velocity measurements with picosecond resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weng Jidong; Tan Hua; Wang Xiang; Ma Yun; Hu Shaolou; Wang Xiaosong

2006-01-01

The conventional Doppler laser-interference velocimeters are made up of traditional optical elements such as lenses and mirrors and will generally restrict its applications in multipoint velocity measurements. By transfering the light from multimode optical fiber to single-mode optical fiber and using the currently available conventional telecommunications elements, the authors have constructed a velocimeter called all-fiber displacement interferometer system for any reflector. The unique interferometer system is only made up of fibers or fiber-coupled components. The viability of this technique is demonstrated by measuring the velocity of an interface moving at velocity of 2133 m/s with 50 ps time resolution. In addition, the concept of optical-fiber mode conversion would provide a way to develop various optical-fiber sensors

Scintillating optical fibers for fine-grained hodoscopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borenstein, S.R.; Strand, R.C.

1981-01-01

Fast detectors with fine spatial resolution will be needed to exploit high event rates at ISABELLE. Scintillating optical fibers for fine grained hodoscopes have been developed by the authors. A commercial manufacturer of optical fibers has drawn and clad PVT scintillator. Detection efficiencies greater than 99% have been achieved for a 1 mm fiber with a PMT over lengths up to 60 cm. Small diameter PMT's and avalanche photodiodes have been tested with the fibers. Further improvements are sought for the fiber and for the APD's sensitivity and coupling efficiency with the fiber

Comparison of methods for the measurement of radiation dose distributions in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy: Ge-doped optical fiber, EBT3 Gafchromic film, and PRESAGE® radiochromic plastic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, A. L.; Di Pietro, P.; Alobaidli, S.; Issa, F.; Doran, S.; Bradley, D.; Nisbet, A.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Dose distribution measurement in clinical high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is challenging, because of the high dose gradients, large dose variations, and small scale, but it is essential to verify accurate treatment planning and treatment equipment performance. The authors compare and evaluate three dosimetry systems for potential use in brachytherapy dose distribution measurement: Ge-doped optical fibers, EBT3 Gafchromic film with multichannel analysis, and the radiochromic material PRESAGE ® with optical-CT readout. Methods: Ge-doped SiO 2 fibers with 6 μm active core and 5.0 mm length were sensitivity-batched and their thermoluminescent properties used via conventional heating and annealing cycles. EBT3 Gafchromic film of 30 μm active thickness was calibrated in three color channels using a nominal 6 MV linear accelerator. A 48-bit transmission scanner and advanced multichannel analysis method were utilized to derive dose measurements. Samples of the solid radiochromic polymer PRESAGE ® , 60 mm diameter and 100 mm height, were analyzed with a parallel beam optical CT scanner. Each dosimetry system was used to measure the dose as a function of radial distance from a Co-60 HDR source, with results compared to Monte Carlo TG-43 model data. Each system was then used to measure the dose distribution along one or more lines through typical clinical dose distributions for cervix brachytherapy, with results compared to treatment planning system (TPS) calculations. Purpose-designed test objects constructed of Solid Water and held within a full-scatter water tank were utilized. Results: All three dosimetry systems reproduced the general shape of the isolated source radial dose function and the TPS dose distribution. However, the dynamic range of EBT3 exceeded those of doped optical fibers and PRESAGE ® , and the latter two suffered from unacceptable noise and artifact. For the experimental conditions used in this study, the useful range from an isolated

Comparison of methods for the measurement of radiation dose distributions in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy: Ge-doped optical fiber, EBT3 Gafchromic film, and PRESAGE® radiochromic plastic.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, A L; Di Pietro, P; Alobaidli, S; Issa, F; Doran, S; Bradley, D; Nisbet, A

2013-06-01

Dose distribution measurement in clinical high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is challenging, because of the high dose gradients, large dose variations, and small scale, but it is essential to verify accurate treatment planning and treatment equipment performance. The authors compare and evaluate three dosimetry systems for potential use in brachytherapy dose distribution measurement: Ge-doped optical fibers, EBT3 Gafchromic film with multichannel analysis, and the radiochromic material PRESAGE(®) with optical-CT readout. Ge-doped SiO2 fibers with 6 μm active core and 5.0 mm length were sensitivity-batched and their thermoluminescent properties used via conventional heating and annealing cycles. EBT3 Gafchromic film of 30 μm active thickness was calibrated in three color channels using a nominal 6 MV linear accelerator. A 48-bit transmission scanner and advanced multichannel analysis method were utilized to derive dose measurements. Samples of the solid radiochromic polymer PRESAGE(®), 60 mm diameter and 100 mm height, were analyzed with a parallel beam optical CT scanner. Each dosimetry system was used to measure the dose as a function of radial distance from a Co-60 HDR source, with results compared to Monte Carlo TG-43 model data. Each system was then used to measure the dose distribution along one or more lines through typical clinical dose distributions for cervix brachytherapy, with results compared to treatment planning system (TPS) calculations. Purpose-designed test objects constructed of Solid Water and held within a full-scatter water tank were utilized. All three dosimetry systems reproduced the general shape of the isolated source radial dose function and the TPS dose distribution. However, the dynamic range of EBT3 exceeded those of doped optical fibers and PRESAGE(®), and the latter two suffered from unacceptable noise and artifact. For the experimental conditions used in this study, the useful range from an isolated HDR source was 5-40 mm for

Fluoride glass fiber optics

CERN Document Server

Aggarwal, Ishwar D

1991-01-01

Fluoride Glass Fiber Optics reviews the fundamental aspects of fluoride glasses. This book is divided into nine chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the wide range of fluoride glasses with an emphasis on fluorozirconate-based compositions. The structure of simple fluoride systems, such as BaF2 binary glass is elaborated in Chapter 2. The third chapter covers the intrinsic transparency of fluoride glasses from the UV to the IR, with particular emphasis on the multiphonon edge and electronic edge. The next three chapters are devoted to ultra-low loss optical fibers, reviewing methods for purifying and

Dual permeability FEM models for distributed fiber optic sensors development

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar-López, Juan Pablo; Bogaard, Thom

2017-04-01

Fiber optic cables are commonly known for being robust and reliable mediums for transferring information at the speed of light in glass. Billions of kilometers of cable have been installed around the world for internet connection and real time information sharing. Yet, fiber optic cable is not only a mean for information transfer but also a way to sense and measure physical properties of the medium in which is installed. For dike monitoring, it has been used in the past for detecting inner core and foundation temperature changes which allow to estimate water infiltration during high water events. The DOMINO research project, aims to develop a fiber optic based dike monitoring system which allows to directly sense and measure any pore pressure change inside the dike structure. For this purpose, questions like which location, how many sensors, which measuring frequency and which accuracy are required for the sensor development. All these questions may be initially answered with a finite element model which allows to estimate the effects of pore pressure change in different locations along the cross section while having a time dependent estimation of a stability factor. The sensor aims to monitor two main failure mechanisms at the same time; The piping erosion failure mechanism and the macro-stability failure mechanism. Both mechanisms are going to be modeled and assessed in detail with a finite element based dual permeability Darcy-Richards numerical solution. In that manner, it is possible to assess different sensing configurations with different loading scenarios (e.g. High water levels, rainfall events and initial soil moisture and permeability conditions). The results obtained for the different configurations are later evaluated based on an entropy based performance evaluation. The added value of this kind of modelling approach for the sensor development is that it allows to simultaneously model the piping erosion and macro-stability failure mechanisms in a time

Bridge SHM system based on fiber optical sensing technology

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Sheng; Fan, Dian; Fu, Jiang-hua; Huang, Xing; Jiang, De-sheng

2015-09-01

The latest progress of our lab in recent 10 years on the area of bridge structural health monitoring (SHM) based on optical fiber sensing technology is introduced. Firstly, in the part of sensing technology, optical fiber force test-ring, optical fiber vibration sensor, optical fiber smart cable, optical fiber prestressing loss monitoring method and optical fiber continuous curve mode inspection system are developed, which not only rich the sensor types, but also provides new monitoring means that are needed for the bridge health monitoring system. Secondly, in the optical fiber sensing network and computer system platform, the monitoring system architecture model is designed to effectively meet the integration scale and effect requirement of engineering application, especially the bridge expert system proposed integration of sensing information and informatization manual inspection to realize the mode of multi index intelligence and practical monitoring, diagnosis and evaluation. Finally, the Jingyue bridge monitoring system as the representative, the research on the technology of engineering applications are given.