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In this paper, the types and principles of operation of fiber sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are investigated. The influence of strain and temperature on the characteristics of FBGs is considered, and a method for the simultaneous measurement of these parameters is presented. Laboratory studies were carried out in the temperature range from +18 °C to +135 °C with an incremental step of 5 °C, with the actual temperature not deviating by more than ±0.5 °C. From the data obtained, the Bragg wavelength–temperature relationships were plotted, which showed a linear increase in wavelength with increasing temperature. This study shows that the use of two FBGs with a different sensitivity to temperature and strain allowed for the simultaneous measurement of both parameters. Numerical models created in the MATLAB R2022b environment confirmed the high accuracy and precision of the measurements. The FBG-based sensors demonstrated a robust performance in harsh environments, withstanding temperatures of up to 160 °C and high humidity, making them applicable in various industries and sciences. This work confirms that FBGs are a promising tool for accurate temperature and strain measurements, providing reliable results in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber SPR biosensors have low sensitivity and accuracy in detecting biomolecules. In this study, the TRIZ is applied to molecules and optimization. By defining the prototype system, clarifying the components and interacting objects, and adopting a functional model analysis and causal analysis, we deeply explored the key points and root causes of leakage and used a variety of tools, such as technological contradiction, object-field analysis, the HOW-TO model and knowledge effect library, physical contradiction, and the villain method, to come up with different solutions. A novel multimode–single-mode–multimode fiber SPR sensor based on the structure of gold (Au)–molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)–gold nanoparticles was designed and manufactured by using the TRIZ systematically for the first time. Under the effective guidance of the TRIZ, the sensitivity of the novel sensor is significantly enhanced after the optimization and experimental verification. The new sensor provides an effective reduction in the cost of detection and production and at the same time has excellent stability, ease of preparation, and high reproducibility, which is of significant value and significance for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bridges are widely used for train transportation. Some bridges must be constructed close to geologic faults or across them due to the constraints of travel route alignment and the geographical environment. Taiwan is located at the junction of the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Plate, where geological joints are present and earthquakes are frequent. In Taiwan, the monitoring and early warning of structural displacements is increasingly important, especially in the mutual control and monitoring of bridges and railways. This study utilizes fiber as a continuous sensor to monitor the safety of railway bridges in a near-fault region. This research builds upon the theory of Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) and applies it to a practical scenario of a fault-crossing railway bridge. BFS is related to the strain and temperature change in a single-mode fiber. Distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) systems enable us to detect shifts in frequency on the sensing fiber. A systemic approach to installing DFOS systems will be discussed. Data from a DFOS system are collected, and through data processing, they are converted into strain with regard to the deformations (bending, tension, compression) of a box girder bridge. Changes in the geometric structure of the box girder bridge throughout the year are measured and processed into graphical data. This system can be effectively applied to the structural safety monitoring of railway bridges. Through this research, several functions have been achieved, including continuous displacement, automatic monitoring, and real-time automatic alarm functions, without the need for human intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a high performance surface plasmon resonance (SPR) fiber sensor based on metallic elliptical nanohole and circular nanodisk binary array has been theoretically designed and investigated. The binary array structure is integrated on the end facet of optical fiber to excite SPR and generate three optical resonance dips in reflection spectra in the near-infrared region. The first resonance dip not only fits the characteristics of narrow linewidth, but also has the advantages of high peak-to-dip signal ratio and sensitivity. When the external environment changes in the refractive index (RI) range of 1.33 ~ 1.40, a high RI sensitivity of 669 nm/RIU, a narrow FWHM of 5.8 nm, and a high FOM value of 115.3 are yielded simultaneously for the first dip. Compared to unitary nanostructure arrays, the composite plasmonic structure of nanodisk and elliptical nanohole array demonstrated here can generate SPR modes with sharper spectral feature which is crucial to high sensitivity and precision detection technology. These features make our proposed plasmonic fiber tip sensor highly promising in terms of high-performance biosensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their contactless and fast measuring capabilities, laser interferometers represent an interesting alternative to tactile stylus instruments for surface profilometry. In addition to these outstanding attributes, acquisition costs play a major role in industry, limiting the frequent use of optical profilometers, which are significantly more expensive than tactile profilometers. We present a low-cost laser distance-measuring interferometer featuring axial repeatability below 1 nm at acquisition rates of 38,000 height values per second. The sensor's performance is validated on several surface standards, achieving lateral scan velocities up to 160 mm/s. Further to high scan velocities, the high acquisition rate enables improved measurement accuracy by averaging measured height values. For example, the standard deviation of 625 pm for repeated measurements can be reduced to 265 pm at the expense of the data rate. However, the sensor concept provides the potential for further improvements in data rate and measurement repeatability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a novel side polished PCF-based SPR sensor with shifted core region employing gold as a plasmonic layer for sensing analytes of refractive index ranging from 1.33 to 1.39. For the ease of plasmonic excitation, we shift the core region towards the edge of the polished cladding. Upon optimizing the sensor structure by varying the geometrical parameters for the sensing range of 1.33–1.39, the proposed PCF sensor structure exhibits a maximum wavelength sensitivity of 24,200 nm/RIU with the resolution of 4.13 × 10−6 RIU. Also, this sensor exhibits a maximum amplitude sensitivity of 432 RIU−1 with a resolution of 2.3 × 10−6 RIU. The proposed sensor exhibits linearity with the R2 value of 0.98791 for the refractive index ranging between 1.33 and 1.39. Furthermore, we carry out perturbation analysis to ensure that the proposed sensor withstands the fabrication tolerance. Therefore, the proposed sensor holds good as a potential contender for sensing in chemical and biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kidneys are one of the most important organs in the body. They cleanse the blood and convert waste and excess water into urine. If the kidneys are unable to perform their functions, dialysis is prescribed to assist the patient. Clean and healthy water, as well as accurate evaluation of dissolved substances in water, play a key role in the dialysis process to ensure the patient's safety and well-being. As the dissolved substances change the refractive index of pure water, a refractive index biosensor can be a useful system. In this research, a fiber optic sensor based on surface plasmon resonance with a coating of nanocomposite layers has been studied theoretically. In the numerical simulation, water is used as the sensing medium. The aim of this simulation is to test the sensors that detect impurities in water for dialysis. The simulation is conducted for nanocomposites of nickel-tellurium oxide, platinum-tellurium oxide, and cobalt-tellurium oxide with thicknesses of 50 nm, 70 nm, 90 nm, 110 nm, and 130 nm. The simulation also considers various volume filling factors, including 0.55, 0.65, 0.75, and 0.85. The comparison of the results showed that Ni-TeO2 (with a thickness of 110 nm and a volume filling factor of 0.85) has the highest quality and is considered the winning structure. The graphene layers are tested on the nanocomposites to enhance the quality of the final structure. The results of the simulations show that adding 50 layers of graphene can improve the sensor figure of merit from 80.603 (RIU−1) to 85.522 (RIU−1), while the refractive index of the aqueous media changes from 1.33 to 1.34. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A greenhouse gas sensor has been developed to simultaneously detect multiple gas species within a hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PBF) structure entirely composed of fibers. To enhance sensitivity, the gas cell consists of HC-PBF enclosed between two single-mode fibers fused with a reflective end surface to double the absorption length. The incorporation of side holes for gas diffusion allows for analysis of the relationship between gas diffusion speed, number of drilled side holes, and energy loss. As the number of drilled holes increases, the response time decreases to less than 3 min at the expense of energy loss. Gas experiments demonstrated detection limits of 0.1 ppm for methane and 2 ppm for carbon dioxide, with an average time of 50 s. In-situ testing conducted in rice fields validates the effectiveness of the developed gas detection system using HC-PBF cells, establishing all-fiber sensors with high sensitivity and rapid response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) functioning as band-reject filters have played a pivotal role in the realm of optical communication. Since their initial documentation in 1996, LPFGs have witnessed rapid advancements in areas such as optical sensing, the equalization of optical amplification, and optical band-pass filtering, etc. The unique attributes of optical fiber-based grating, including their miniaturized size, cost-effectiveness, and immunity to electromagnetic interference, have contributed significantly to various sectors over the last two decades. This paper presents a review of the evolution of LPFGs, with a specific focus on the progression and current trends of mechanically induced long-period fiber gratings. It offers a concise overview of coupled-mode theory, the fabrication processes, the merits, and the limitations associated with mechanically induced LPFGs. Moreover, this review elucidates the application methodologies of mechanically induced LPFGs and anticipates future directions in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the types and principles of operation of fiber sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are investigated. The influence of strain and temperature on the characteristics of FBGs is considered, and a method for the simultaneous measurement of these parameters is presented. Laboratory studies were carried out in the temperature range from +18 °C to +135 °C with an incremental step of 5 °C, with the actual temperature not deviating by more than ±0.5 °C. From the data obtained, the Bragg wavelength–temperature relationships were plotted, which showed a linear increase in wavelength with increasing temperature. This study shows that the use of two FBGs with a different sensitivity to temperature and strain allowed for the simultaneous measurement of both parameters. Numerical models created in the MATLAB R2022b environment confirmed the high accuracy and precision of the measurements. The FBG-based sensors demonstrated a robust performance in harsh environments, withstanding temperatures of up to 160 °C and high humidity, making them applicable in various industries and sciences. This work confirms that FBGs are a promising tool for accurate temperature and strain measurements, providing reliable results in harsh environments.

Fiber SPR biosensors have low sensitivity and accuracy in detecting biomolecules. In this study, the TRIZ is applied to molecules and optimization. By defining the prototype system, clarifying the components and interacting objects, and adopting a functional model analysis and causal analysis, we deeply explored the key points and root causes of leakage and used a variety of tools, such as technological contradiction, object-field analysis, the HOW-TO model and knowledge effect library, physical contradiction, and the villain method, to come up with different solutions. A novel multimode–single-mode–multimode fiber SPR sensor based on the structure of gold (Au)–molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)–gold nanoparticles was designed and manufactured by using the TRIZ systematically for the first time. Under the effective guidance of the TRIZ, the sensitivity of the novel sensor is significantly enhanced after the optimization and experimental verification. The new sensor provides an effective reduction in the cost of detection and production and at the same time has excellent stability, ease of preparation, and high reproducibility, which is of significant value and significance for practical applications.

Bridges are widely used for train transportation. Some bridges must be constructed close to geologic faults or across them due to the constraints of travel route alignment and the geographical environment. Taiwan is located at the junction of the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Plate, where geological joints are present and earthquakes are frequent. In Taiwan, the monitoring and early warning of structural displacements is increasingly important, especially in the mutual control and monitoring of bridges and railways. This study utilizes fiber as a continuous sensor to monitor the safety of railway bridges in a near-fault region. This research builds upon the theory of Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) and applies it to a practical scenario of a fault-crossing railway bridge. BFS is related to the strain and temperature change in a single-mode fiber. Distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) systems enable us to detect shifts in frequency on the sensing fiber. A systemic approach to installing DFOS systems will be discussed. Data from a DFOS system are collected, and through data processing, they are converted into strain with regard to the deformations (bending, tension, compression) of a box girder bridge. Changes in the geometric structure of the box girder bridge throughout the year are measured and processed into graphical data. This system can be effectively applied to the structural safety monitoring of railway bridges. Through this research, several functions have been achieved, including continuous displacement, automatic monitoring, and real-time automatic alarm functions, without the need for human intervention.

In this paper, we investigate a simple arc shaped Au coated photonic crystal fiber-based refractive index sensor that works on principle of surface plasmon resonance. We analyze the performance of the proposed sensor using the finite element method. Further, we analyze the effect of the arc shaped metal coating on different orientations of air holes in the cladding region. For the sensing range of 1.32–1.37, the proposed PCF sensor structure exhibits a maximum wavelength sensitivity of 14,100 nm/RIU with the resolution of 7.09 × 10–6 RIU. Also, this sensor exhibits a maximum amplitude sensitivity of 109 RIU−1 with a resolution of 9.17 × 10–6 RIU. Further, from the linearity of the proposed sensor, R2, is 0.96181 for the refractive index ranging between 1.32 and 1.37. Furthermore, we carry out perturbation analysis to ensure that the proposed sensor withstands the fabrication tolerance. Therefore, the proposed sensor holds good for a potential contender for sensing in chemical and biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber-optic biosensors have garnered significant attention and witnessed rapid development in recent years owing to their remarkable attributes such as high sensitivity, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and real-time monitoring. They have emerged as a potential tool in the realm of biomarker detection for low-concentration and small molecules. In this paper, a portable and cost-effective optical fiber biosensor based on surface plasmon resonance for the early detection of breast cancer is demonstrated. By utilizing the aptamer human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) as a specific biomarker for breast cancer, the presence of the HER2 protein can be detected through an antigen-antibody binding technique. The detection method was accomplished by modifying a layer of HER2 aptamer on the flat surface of a gold-coated D-shaped polymer optical fiber (core/cladding diameter 120/490 μm), of which the residual thickness after side-polishing was about 245 μm, the thickness of the coated gold layer was 50 nm, and the initial wavelength in pure water was around 1200 nm. For low-concentration detection of the HER2 protein, the device exhibited a wavelength shift of ~1.37 nm with a concentration of 1 μg/mL (e.g., 5.5 nM), which corresponded to a limit of detection of ~5.28 nM. Notably, the response time of the biosensor was measured to be as fast as 5 s. The proposed biosensor exhibits the potential for early detection of HER2 protein in initial cancer serum and offers a pathway to early prevention of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report results of an experimental study of radiation-resistant photosensitive nitrogen-doped silica-core fibers and fiber Bragg gratings based on them under the influence of intense reactor radiation in the presence of neutron and gamma photon fluxes. The total dose of gamma radiation received by the Bragg elements reaches a value of 0.5 GGy in the experiment. A quasi-linear radiation-induced increase in the Bragg wavelength of the sensors is observed, as well as a decrease in the level of reflection of the elements, which should be taken into account in designing sensors. An example is presented of the use of radiation-resistant Bragg sensors based on nitrogen-doped silica-core fibers to monitor the parameters of the core of a nuclear power reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their contactless and fast measuring capabilities, laser interferometers represent an interesting alternative to tactile stylus instruments for surface profilometry. In addition to these outstanding attributes, acquisition costs play a major role in industry, limiting the frequent use of optical profilometers, which are significantly more expensive than tactile profilometers. We present a low-cost laser distance-measuring interferometer featuring axial repeatability below 1 nm at acquisition rates of 38,000 height values per second. The sensor’s performance is validated on several surface standards, achieving lateral scan velocities up to 160 mm/s. Further to high scan velocities, the high acquisition rate enables improved measurement accuracy by averaging measured height values. For example, the standard deviation of 625 pm for repeated measurements can be reduced to 265 pm at the expense of the data rate. However, the sensor concept provides the potential for further improvements in data rate and measurement repeatability.

A relative humidity (RH) fiber optic sensor is demonstrated based on the multimode interference (MMI) phenomenon utilizing a no-core fiber (NCF) coated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The sensor’s structure is simple and consists of a section of NCF spliced between two standard single-mode fibers (SMFs). The fabrication and testing of a tapered version with enhanced sensitivity is also presented. The native MMI sensor showed a sensitivity of 5.6nm/RH%, in the range from 87 RH% to 93 RH%, while the tapered one exhibited an increased sensitivity of 6.6nm/RH%, in the range from 91.5 RH% to 94 RH%. The sensitivity values obtained with these MMI sensors are at least twice as large as the most sensitive fiber optics humidity sensor reported in the literature in a similar RH range.

In this paper, we proposed and experimentally demonstrated the association of a fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensing system with You Only Look Once V7 (YOLO V7) to identify the vibration signal of a faulty machine. In the experiment, the YOLO V7 network architecture consists of a backbone, three detection heads (Headx3), a path aggregation network (PAN), and a feature pyramid network (FPN). The proposed architecture has an FBG sensor and the FBG interrogator employed for collecting sensing vibration signals or vibration data when degradation or fault occurs. An FBG interrogator collects vibration data independently, and then the YOLO V7 object detection algorithm is the recognition architecture of the vibration pattern of the signal. Thus, the proposed vibration recognition or detection is an assurance for detecting vibration signals that can support monitoring the machine's health. Moreover, this research is promising for ensuring a high accuracy detection of faulty signals rate in industrial equipment monitoring and offers a robust system, resulting in remarkable accuracy with an overall model accuracy of 99.7%. The result shows that the model can identify the faulty signal more accurately and effectively detect the faulty vibration signal using the detection algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A relative humidity (RH) fiber optic sensor is demonstrated based on the multimode interference (MMI) phenomenon utilizing a no-core fiber (NCF) coated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The sensor's structure is simple and consists of a section of NCF spliced between two standard single-mode fibers (SMFs). The fabrication and testing of a tapered version with enhanced sensitivity is also presented. The native MMI sensor showed a sensitivity of 5.6nm/RH%, in the range from 87 RH% to 93 RH%, while the tapered one exhibited an increased sensitivity of 6.6nm/RH%, in the range from 91.5 RH% to 94 RH%. The sensitivity values obtained with these MMI sensors are at least twice as large as the most sensitive fiber optics humidity sensor reported in the literature in a similar RH range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A greenhouse gas sensor has been developed to simultaneously detect multiple gas species within a hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PBF) structure entirely composed of fibers. To enhance sensitivity, the gas cell consists of HC-PBF enclosed between two single-mode fibers fused with a reflective end surface to double the absorption length. The incorporation of side holes for gas diffusion allows for analysis of the relationship between gas diffusion speed, number of drilled side holes, and energy loss. As the number of drilled holes increases, the response time decreases to less than 3 min at the expense of energy loss. Gas experiments demonstrated detection limits of 0.1 ppm for methane and 2 ppm for carbon dioxide, with an average time of 50 s. In-situ testing conducted in rice fields validates the effectiveness of the developed gas detection system using HC-PBF cells, establishing all-fiber sensors with high sensitivity and rapid response.

Copyright of Iraqi Journal of Laser is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fiber sensors possess characteristics such as compact structure, simplicity, electromagnetic interference resistance, and reusability, making them widely applicable in various practical engineering applications. Traditional fiber sensors based on different microstructures solely rely on the thermal expansion effect of silica material itself, limiting their usage primarily to temperature or pressure sensing. By employing thin film technology to form Fabry–Perot (FP) cavities on the end-face or inside the fiber, sensitivity to different physical quantities can be achieved using different materials, and this greatly expands the application range of fiber sensing. This paper provides a systematic introduction to the principle of FP cavity fiber optic sensors based on thin film technology and reviews the applications and development trends of this sensor in various measurement fields. Currently, there is a growing need for precise measurements in both scientific research and industrial production. This has led to an increase in the variety of structures and sensing materials used in fiber sensors. The thin film discussed in this paper, suitable for various types of sensing, not only applies to fiber optic FP cavity sensors but also contributes to the research and advancement of other types of fiber sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel optical fiber sensor for highly sensitive Hg2+ detection based on Mach–Zehnder interference (MZI) structure and thiophene–chitosan hydrogel (TCH). We obtained the MZI structure by splicing the coreless fiber (CLF), thin core fiber, and CLF. And then, we etched the thin-core optical fiber cladding and assembled the TCH to produce a Hg2+ sensitive sensor. According to theoretical derivation and experimental verification, the detection sensitivity of the sensor to Hg2+ can reach 1.008 × 1011 mol l−1, and the detection limit is 5 × 10−13 mol l−1. The sensor also has performance stability within 24 h for concentration measurement, with an average standard deviation of 3.2 × 10−13 mol l−1 within an hour of observation. In addition, the sensor has the advantages of specificity, simple preparation, and low cost, and it is suitable for monitoring the concentration of Hg2+ in complex water systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road infrastructure is a key public asset because it benefits the social and economic development of any country. It plays an important role in the development of the industrial complex and the production sector, and the surfaces of transport roads should be of high quality and have a long service life. Road infrastructure, like all infrastructure, requires preservation, maintenance and repair. There are special requirements for roadways that must be observed during construction or repair. The uncertainty of the composition, temperature sensitivity and viscoelastic characteristics of road materials make the structural analysis of pavement very difficult compared to other civil structures, such as bridges, tunnels and buildings. For this reason, the question of how to improve fiber sensors based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) arose. The novelty of this study is to modernize fiber sensors based on FBG so that they display deformation, stress and displacement, temperature and other parameters with much greater accuracy, which would provide a reliable scientific basis for modifying the theory, as well as the use of a fiber sensor based on FBG for simultaneous measurement of deformation and temperature when monitoring the road surface. This article is devoted to a detailed study of the use of fiber-optic sensors (FOS) based on fiber Bragg grating for road surface monitoring. Such a fiber sensor, consisting of a fiber Bragg grating and a pair of grids, can offer the possibility of simultaneous measurement of deformation and temperature for monitoring the pavement. Temperature and deformation measurements were carried out by installing a sensor on the surface of a made asphalt sample. The built-in fiber sensor based on FBG provides important information about how the pavement structure can withstand the load and subsidence of soil and implement road safety and stability measures in a timely manner to evaluate and predict the service life of the pavement. The results of the study showed that the synchronicity, repeatability and linearity of the characteristics of the fiber sensor are excellent. The difference between the experimental and theoretical results was about 7%. Thus, based on the results of the obtained data, the fiber sensor on the FBG can be used for monitoring and designing road surfaces and in general transport infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Piezoelectrics & Acoustooptics is the property of Piezoelectric & Acoustooptic and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A double Sagnac interferometer (DSI) and vernier effect sensor for relative humidity (RH) is proposed and experimentally implemented, in which two single Sagnac interferometers (SI1 and SI2) cascaded in parallel to construct the structure of the sensor. Owing to the approximate free spectral range (FSR) of the SI1 and SI2, the proposed sensor can produce fundamental and harmonic vernier effect. Theoretical analysis shows that the RH sensitivity of the sensor is only related to the lengths of polarization-maintaining fibers (PMFs). The experimental results show that in the range of 30∼80%RH, the RH sensitivities of the spectral envelope can reach −0.48 nm/%RH, which is 60 times higher than that measured by the single Sagnac interferometer sensor (8 pm/%RH). The experimental results are consistent with the theoretical analysis. The proposed sensor has the superiorities of high sensitivity, good repeatability, simple fabrication, and compact size, and it has potential applications in the areas of biopharmaceuticals, environmental monitoring, food processing, and microbial sensing.

A simple, inexpensive, and high-sensitivity temperature and strain sensor based on a single-mode–multimode–single-mode (SMS) structure with core offset is developed and experimentally characterized. This sensor does not require specialty fibers and can be fabricated using a standard fiber fusion splicer. The dependencies of the temperature and strain sensitivities on the core-offset amplitudes at the input and output single-mode/multimode fiber boundaries are investigated. The results indicate that the maximum temperature and strain sensitivities are two times and eight times higher than those of the standard SMS structure, respectively. The limit of the sensitivity enhancement by core offset is also revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although microwave photonic approaches have been used for fiber sensing applications before, most contributions in the past dealt with evaluating the sensor signal's amplitude. Carrying this topic on, the authors previously presented a scheme for the interrogation of fiber sensors that was based on a fiber Bragg grating's phase response for the electrical signal. However, neither has the measurement setup been analyzed nor have the amplitude and phase-based approaches been compared in detail before. Hence, this paper picks up the previously proposed setup, which relies on an amplitude modulation of the optical signal and investigates for sources of signal degradation, an aspect that has not been considered before. Following the incorporation of the microwave signal, the setup is suitable not only for an amplitude-based evaluation of fiber Bragg gratings but also for a phase-based evaluation. In this context, the signal-to-noise ratios are studied for the conventional amplitude-based evaluation approach and for the recently developed phase-based approach. The findings indicate a strong advantage for the signal-to-noise ratio of the phase response evaluation; an 11 dB improvement at the least has been found for the examined setup. Further studies may investigate the consequences and additional benefits of this approach for radio-over-fiber sensing systems or general performance aspects such as achievable sensitivity and sampling rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrasonic sensor based on extrinsic Fabry–Pérot interference (EFPI) has been designed and demonstrated to detect the ultrasonic wave signal. The sensitivity and natural frequency of fiber Fabry–Pérot (F-P) sensor with different structure parameter have been simulated by COMSOL. The simulation results illustrate that the sensitivity is up to 1.737 nm/kPa and the natural frequency is 2.1 MHz, when the silica diaphragm thickness is 2 μm, the radius is 90 μm, and the cavity length is 18 μm. The most suitable parameters have been selected and the F-P sensor has been fabricated. When the ultrasonic signals with the frequencies of 40 kHz and 1.2 MHz are respectively applied to the sensor, the frequencies detected by the EFPI ultrasonic sensor are 39 kHz and 1.21 MHz based on a partial discharge detection experiment for the designed demodulation system. The experimental results show that the sensor can accurately detect ultrasonic signals. As an excellent platform for ultrasonic signal sensing, this EFPI ultrasonic sensing system has great potential applications in partial discharge detection field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) functioning as band-reject filters have played a pivotal role in the realm of optical communication. Since their initial documentation in 1996, LPFGs have witnessed rapid advancements in areas such as optical sensing, the equalization of optical amplification, and optical band-pass filtering, etc. The unique attributes of optical fiber-based grating, including their miniaturized size, cost-effectiveness, and immunity to electromagnetic interference, have contributed significantly to various sectors over the last two decades. This paper presents a review of the evolution of LPFGs, with a specific focus on the progression and current trends of mechanically induced long-period fiber gratings. It offers a concise overview of coupled-mode theory, the fabrication processes, the merits, and the limitations associated with mechanically induced LPFGs. Moreover, this review elucidates the application methodologies of mechanically induced LPFGs and anticipates future directions in this field.

We demonstrate a method for fast and precise Brillouin frequency shift measurement based on searching for the zero-crossing point of a virtually composed spectrum of Brillouin gain and loss obtained by a dual-frequency probe beam. Simulations and experiments show that searching for the zero-crossing point of a virtually synthesized Brillouin gain spectrum can be easily done without a large error compared with peak search of the Brillouin gain spectrum in the conventional method.

Fiber-optic biosensors have garnered significant attention and witnessed rapid development in recent years owing to their remarkable attributes such as high sensitivity, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and real-time monitoring. They have emerged as a potential tool in the realm of biomarker detection for low-concentration and small molecules. In this paper, a portable and cost-effective optical fiber biosensor based on surface plasmon resonance for the early detection of breast cancer is demonstrated. By utilizing the aptamer human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) as a specific biomarker for breast cancer, the presence of the HER2 protein can be detected through an antigen-antibody binding technique. The detection method was accomplished by modifying a layer of HER2 aptamer on the flat surface of a gold-coated D-shaped polymer optical fiber (core/cladding diameter 120/490 μm), of which the residual thickness after side-polishing was about 245 μm, the thickness of the coated gold layer was 50 nm, and the initial wavelength in pure water was around 1200 nm. For low-concentration detection of the HER2 protein, the device exhibited a wavelength shift of ~1.37 nm with a concentration of 1 μg/mL (e.g., 5.5 nM), which corresponded to a limit of detection of ~5.28 nM. Notably, the response time of the biosensor was measured to be as fast as 5 s. The proposed biosensor exhibits the potential for early detection of HER2 protein in initial cancer serum and offers a pathway to early prevention of breast cancer.

An optical fiber bi-directional strain sensor principled on Mach–Zenhder interferometer is fabricated and demonstrated, a sensing segment no-core fiber of 125 μm diameter both ends fused with a couple of single-mode fibers then bi-directionally strained, the achieved sensitivity was around 16.37 pm με−1, the sensor is excellently repeatable with a very good mechanical toughness; to the best of our knowledge, this is the best strain sensitivity reported in no-core fiber strain sensors. The sensor can be employed in a wide variety of opto-mechanical monitoring applications in different industrial facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly sensitive mid-infrared evanescent wave sensor based on side-polished (SPF) chalcogenide fiber (ChG) was proposed in this work. The optimum optical fiber parameters were determined via numerical simulation by detecting the leakage intensity of evanescent waves from the optical fiber of different polish depths. The SPF remarkably enhanced the evanescent wave sensing while maintaining fiber loss and strength. Graphene oxide (GO) was coated on the fiber to enhance the sensitivity of SPF sensor for butane (C 4 H 10). GO has a great specific surface area and abundant oxygen-containing functional groups, which enlarges the contact area of GO with gas molecules and enables to adsorb gas. Results show that the GO-SPF sensor can be three and five times more sensitive than the original fiber optic sensor and SPF sensor for butane gas detection, and has a fast response time and good repeatability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel super-structure long-period fiber grating (SLPFG) is proposed for bending measurement with high sensitivity. The experimental and simulated results show that the number of multimode fibers (MMF) in one period influences the excited coupling mode and its coupling efficiency. Meanwhile, the bend sensitivity is increased by optimizing the number of MMFs and reaches $17.237\,\,\text {dB}/\text {m}^{-{1}}$. More importantly, the temperature cross-sensitivity is one order of magnitude lower than most fiber bending sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein a gold nanosphere (AuNS)-coated wavelength-mode localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) fiber sensor was fabricated by a simple and time-saving electrostatic self-assembly method using poly(allylamine hydrochloride). Based on the localized enhanced coupling effect between AuNSs, the LSPR spectrums of the AuNS monolayer with good dispersity and high density exhibited a favourable capability for refractive index (RI) measurement. Based on the results obtained from the optimization for AuNS distribution, sensing length, and RI range, the best RI sensitivity of the fiber modified by 100 nm AuNS reached up to about 2975 nm/RIU, with the surrounding RI range from 1.3322 to 1.3664. Using an 80 nm AuNS-modified fiber sensor, the RI sensitivity of 3953 nm/RIU was achieved, with the RI range increased from 1.3744 to 1.3911. The effect of sensing length to RI sensitivity was proven to be negligible. Furthermore, the linear relationship between the RI sensitivity and plasma resonance frequency of the bulk metal, which was dependent on the interparticle plasmon coupling effect, was quantified. Additionally, the resonance peak was tuned from 539.18 nm to 820.48 nm by different sizes of AuNSs-coated fiber sensors at a RI of 1.3322, which means the spectrum was extended from VIS to NIR. It has enormous potential in hypersensitive biochemistry detection at VIS and NIR ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As optical fiber sensing has attracted increasing attention due to its advantages such as high accuracy, low costs, and stability, its optical source judgment has become an attractive issue by which to characterize its performance. Optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR) has been demonstrated as a means of the fiber identification (ID) of optical fibers; however, the linearity of the optical frequency tuning rate determines both the spatial resolution and detection range. In this paper, the results from various simulations and experiments show that the phase error from the initial frequency and tuning rate can affect the performance of the OFDR system, which directs the future improvement direction of fiber sensing based on such technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we review recent advances in the technology of writing fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) in selected cores of multicore fibers (MCFs) by using femtosecond laser pulses. The writing technology of such a key element as the FBG opens up wide opportunities for the creation of next generation fiber lasers and sensors based on MCFs. The advantages of the technology are shown by using the examples of 3D shape sensors, acoustic emission sensors with spatially multiplexed channels, as well as multicore fiber Raman lasers.

In sensors utilizing the traditional harmonic Vernier effect, it is imperative to isolate the reference interferometer to mitigate the impact of external environmental fluctuations on the reference spectrum, thereby averting measurement inaccuracies. However, achieving such isolation between interferometers in compact fiber optic sensors poses significant challenges. We propose a fiber optic strain sensor based on the enhanced harmonic Vernier effect. In the enhanced harmonic Vernier effect, two interferometers are simultaneously involved in sensing. Hence, the isolation of interferometers is no longer a concern. Furthermore, the two interferometers exhibit responses with opposite signs, leading to a greater displacement of the envelope. Consequently, the sensitivity of the sensor is further enhanced without altering the harmonic order. Firstly, we conducted numerical simulations to analyze the enhanced harmonic Vernier effect. Secondly, we fabricated a Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI) and a Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) with strain sensitivity of opposite signs, generating a first-order harmonic. The experimental results indicate that the sensor's sensitivity is 15.1 pm/ μ ϵ , which is 1.41 and 2.80 times higher than the traditional harmonic Vernier effect using FPI and MZI as sensing interferometers, respectively. The proposed sensor and enhancement method hold promising potential for applications in high-sensitivity measurement fields. • High sensitivity fiber optic strain sensor. • Enhanced Harmonic Vernier Effect for improved sensitivity. • Hybrid interferometer design, eliminating the need for a reference interferometer. • Mitigation of external environmental fluctuations without the need for isolation. • Sensitivity enhancement without altering the harmonic order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber optic intrusion detection is recognized as one of the most effective perimeter defense strategies against intruders and terrorists. Most current infiltration detection systems gather information via optical cables and trace invasions using classification techniques. This research introduces two intrusion detection algorithms and a hybrid approach to address the challenges of unstable and hard-to-extract fiber optic infiltration features, especially during rainy weather. The first method, known as the phase parameter-matching algorithm, calculates the system's disturbance covariance at any position and uses the Frobenius norm to identify intrusions by measuring the difference between disturbance covariances at distinct sites. The second method, the cross-rebuilding algorithm, employs the Kalman filter to reconstruct the output of each point based on the non-infiltration state parameters, detecting intrusions through cross-reconstruction error. Experimental tests were conducted to evaluate both methods. The results indicate that both methods are viable, with the phase parameter-matching algorithm being more robust but slower, and the cross-rebuilding algorithm being faster but less reliable. The hybrid algorithm combines the strengths of both approaches, offering a balanced solution with moderate computation time and enhanced resistance to environmental interference, leading to improved overall detection accuracy and reduced false positive rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a D-shaped photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sensor based on a Sagnac interferometer is proposed, and it can achieve ultrahigh refractive index (RI) and temperature sensitivity when operating around the turning point of group birefringence (B g). We undertake a theoretical analysis on B g and a simulation calculation to study the sensing characteristics and obtain the optimized structure parameters of the D-shaped PCF sensor. The simulation results show that the maximum average RI sensitivities can reach 3253.33 and 15500 nm/RIU in the RI range of 1.33 to 1.35 and 1.40 to 1.42, respectively. When the temperature changes from -50 to 0 °C and 0 to 50 °C, the maximum average temperature sensitivities are up to 10.11 and 10.67 nm/°C, respectively. The proposed D-shaped PCF sensor can achieve dual-parameter sensing and has great potential for practical applications in biochemical and environmental science. • A novel D-shaped photonic crystal fiber sensor based on a Sagnac interferometer is proposed. • The proposed sensor can achieve ultrahigh sensitivity when operating around the turning point of group birefringence. • The proposed sensor can achieve the dual-parameters sensing, and has great potential for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact fiber cascaded structure for simultaneous measurement of curvature and temperature based on Fabry-Perot (FP) interference and anti-resonant (AR) mechanism is designed and experimentally demonstrated. The proposed structure is manufactured by sandwiching a segment of hollow core fiber (HCF) with large inner diameter and suitable length between two segments of single mode fibers (SMFs). Three sample sensors were fabricated with different HCF lengths. With theoretical analysis and experimental verifications, an HCF length of 1197 μm was selected for curvature and temperature experiments. The reflection fringes based on FP interference and transmission envelopes based on AR mechanism can be monitored to measure curvature and temperature variations at the same time. From experimental results, the sensitivities of curvature based on AR mechanism and FP interference are 0.2345 nm/m−1 and -0.1021 nm/m−1, and those of sensitivities of temperature are 0.0172 nm/°C and 0.0017 nm/°C, respectively. Therefore, the different responses in curvature and temperature based on two mechanisms enable the proposed structure to simultaneously measure curvature and temperature.

To accurately measure the surrounding refractive index (SRI), an all-fiber microstructure multi-parameters optical sensor based on Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) has been designed. A homemade elliptical multilayer-core fiber (EMCF), in which only two modes could be propagated, is used in this sensor. This sensor has a sandwich structure of EMCF-SMF-EMCF (ESE). The sensitivities of RI, temperature, and strain are analyzed practically, and different from each other which would provide a basis for restraining cross-sensitivity of sensor and improving measuring precision. According to the numerical simulation, the relationship between the guided mode and relevant excitation coefficient is shown, and the sensing characteristic of the interference spectrum is well expatiated. Maximum sensitivities of ∼31.83 nm per refractive index unit (RIU), ∼69 pm/°C, and ∼2.06 pm/µε have been experimentally achieved. The monitoring system is promoted by the fact that the resonance dips have their individual sensitivities, and the standard matrix inversion method is used for simultaneous three parameters determination. Consequently, this fiber sensor could ensure the completion of accurate SRI measurements with temperature and strain decoupled.

Most fluorescent imaging systems use pre-defined filter sets with limited flexibility in the choice of excitation and emission bands and suffer from crosstalk between different fluorophores for multiplexed imaging. When implemented in the context of optical fibers for biological imaging in a remote setting with space constraints, the size of the fiber probe is crucial. To overcome these challenges, we combined the merits of hyperspectral imaging and an ultrathin optical imaging fiber where fluorescent images at 311 spectral bands in the visible range were captured using a liquid crystal tunable filter with a fiber probe of 500 μm in diameter. Fluorescent experiments were performed on quantum dots mixtures and genetically modified E. coli bacteria mixtures to demonstrate the system’s capabilities for multiplexed imaging. Images were first processed using a Fourier transform filtering technique to remove the fiber core pattern artifact. Subsequently, the classification of different types of bacteria samples was calculated using two methods, namely, spectral unmixing with maximum abundance and spectral matching with minimum spectral angle distance. Finally, the spatial distributions of individual bacteria types were overlaid with the mixture image, and the two classification results matched well. A simple-to-use graphic user interface (GUI) platform for the hyperspectral imaging fiber probe system was developed which performs image processing and displays the classification results. The methods and results presented will appeal to the optical fiber-based imaging and hyperspectral imaging communities in general and have great potential for biological imaging applications.

The development of reliable, lightweight, and effective sensors is a vital step in effectively monitoring critical parameter changes. This review focuses on the utilization of tapered optical fiber as a material sensing platform. The fundamental concept of the tapered fiber sensor is based on the interaction of strong evanescent waves caused by the fiber's dimensional change. The primary goal of this review is to explore the potential of tapered optical fiber for biosensing applications. A number of tapered optical fiber configurations and operations have been reviewed in order to propose appropriate optical sensor designs for biosensing applications. Hence, this analysis could serve as a benchmark for a more thorough study of biosensing device development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multipoint sensing measurement system with high sensitivity was developed by combining multimode interference (MMI) sensors and a wavelength selection configuration. MMI optical fibers and an arrayed waveguide (AWG) wavelength filter work as refractive index sensors and wavelength selector, respectively. They were operated with a fine calibration technique using dual AWG wavelength filters and defined wavelength light from a tunable laser source. By employing narrow-core single-mode fibers for the input and output ports of the MMI, the optical fiber improved the average sensitivity up to 820 dB/RIU under multipoint sensing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]