Fabry-Perot interferometric sensor to measuring vibrations in mechanical structures based on the Doppler effect

A simple and inexpensive method to measure vibrations in mechanical structures is presented by means of Fabry-Perot interferometry and Doppler effect. The sensor consists of a transparent hydrogel sphere attached to an single-mode optical fiber from a 50:50 fiber coupler, laser light with a wavelength of 658 nm, and a photodetector which is connected to an oscilloscope. The vibrometric sensor works in the time domain by detecting the number of interference fringes. The tip of the prototype is composed of mechanical couplings that join the fiber with the hydrogel sphere. The sensor allows knowing the vibration frequency at which a mechanical part is oscillating. The analysis presented in this work shows several advantages over conventional methods, such as low cost, real-time measurement, and simplification in experimental setup. The sensor system is capable of capturing vibrations of up to 5000 Hz.