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Photonics
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Emerging Trends in Optical Fiber Sensors and Sensing Techniques
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Emerging Trends in Optical Fiber Sensors and Sensing Techniques

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Lasers, Light Sources and Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 January 2025 | Viewed by 6125

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yang Lu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Meteorology and Oceanology, National University of Defense Technology, No. 109, Deya Road, Changsha 410073, China
Interests: distributed fiber-optic sensors; fiber-optic interferometers; nano fiber-optic devices; nonlinear optics; photonic computing
Dr. Qi Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
Interests: resonant fiber-optic biochemical sensors; fiber-optic displacement sensors; fiber-optic gas sensors; lossy fiber-optic sensors; fiber-optic point sensor applications

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optical fiber sensors (OFSs) are sensors that uses optical fibers for the purpose of detecting and measuring physical parameters. They have become attractive after decades of development due to their unique immunity to the electromagnetic field, the fact that they can be easily multiplexed on a large scale, their high sensitivity, their fine and soft geometric structure, etc. OFSs and related sensing techniques play an important role in the age of data-driven artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things. Market demand and advances in techniques such as light manipulating, fiber fabricating, and signal processing have driven the development of OFSs and related sensing techniques.  This Special Issue aims to present the emerging trends regarding OFSs and sensing techniques in terms of both fundamental research and field applications. In this Special Issue, original research articles on theoretical and experimental advances in OFSs and related sensing techniques are welcome. Review articles summarizing advancements in the field are also welcome. We are pleased to invite researchers to submit their publications to this Special Issue. The topics of interest for this Special Issue include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

  • Distributed acoustic/vibration sensing;
  • Distributed temperature/strain sensing;
  • Hybrid distributed fiber-optic sensing;
  • The applications of distributed fiber-optic sensing;
  • The application of artificial intelligence to distributed fiber-optic sensing;
  • Resonant fiber-optic biochemical sensors;
  • Fiber-optic displacement sensors;
  • Fiber-optic gas sensors;
  • Lossy fiber-optic sensors;
  • Fiber-optic point sensor applications.

Dr. Yang Lu
Dr. Qi Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • distributed acoustic/vibration sensing
  • distributed temperature/strain sensing
  • hybrid distributed fiber-optic sensing
  • applications of distributed fiber-optic sensing
  • application of AI to distributed fiber-optic sensing
  • resonant fiber-optic biochemical sensors
  • fiber-optic displacement sensors
  • fiber-optic gas sensors
  • lossy fiber-optic sensors
  • fiber-optic point sensor applications

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

11 pages, 1881 KiB  
Article
Influence of Pump Light on LP01 and LP11 Modes in Few-Mode Fiber Brillouin Optical Time Domain Reflectometry
by Yunqi Hao, Yiliang Han, Weitong Liao, Miao Miao and Kun Yang
Photonics 2024, 11(6), 539; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11060539 - 5 Jun 2024
Viewed by 711
Abstract
The quality of pump pulse in few-mode-fiber Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry (FMF-BOTDR) is vital for the spontaneous Brillouin scattering of modes LP01 and LP11 because it is the comprehensive effect of the main laser linewidth and pulse width, which is [...] Read more.
The quality of pump pulse in few-mode-fiber Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry (FMF-BOTDR) is vital for the spontaneous Brillouin scattering of modes LP01 and LP11 because it is the comprehensive effect of the main laser linewidth and pulse width, which is firstly discussed as we know. Numerical and experimental analysis are made for the amplitude and linewidth distribution, corresponding to the signal–noise ratio (SNR) and frequency resolution in BOTDR, respectively. Simulation shows the linewidths and peak values of Brillouin scattering have the same tendency for the LP01 mode and LP11 mode when the laser linewidth is less than 1 MHz but decreases slowly until they are the same when the laser linewidth is wider than 1 MHz. With the pulse width widening, the Brillouin linewidths for LP01 and LP11 modes both decrease sharply, almost to the natural linewidth of fiber 41 MHz and 35 MHz. Experimental results show that the amplitude distribution for the LP01 mode is always larger than for the LP11 mode if the main laser has the same linewidth and the frequency fluctuation is at least 2 MHz with the fiber laser and LP11 mode. The above results could provide improved sensing resolution for FMF-BOTDR sensing system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Optical Fiber Sensors and Sensing Techniques)
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11 pages, 2972 KiB  
Article
Humidity Sensing Using a Multimode Fiber Ring Laser with Thermal Compensation
by Shaonian Ma, Qiang Ji, Xian Zhao, Zengguang Qin, Zhaojun Liu and Yanping Xu
Photonics 2024, 11(6), 484; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11060484 - 21 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 901
Abstract
We propose a multimode fiber laser sensor utilizing PI-SMF (polyimide-coated single mode fiber) for low-error relative humidity (RH) measurement, which is temperature compensated based on FBG. The PI-SMF in the laser cavity is used as a sensing element, and its length varies with [...] Read more.
We propose a multimode fiber laser sensor utilizing PI-SMF (polyimide-coated single mode fiber) for low-error relative humidity (RH) measurement, which is temperature compensated based on FBG. The PI-SMF in the laser cavity is used as a sensing element, and its length varies with humidity and temperature by volume-variation induced strain, which leads to frequency shift of the longitudinal mode beat frequency signal (BFS). When the 2000 MHz BFS is selected as the sensing signal, a RH sensitivity of −2.68 kHz/%RH and a temperature sensitivity of −14.05 kHz/°C are achieved. The peak shift of the FBG-based laser emission spectrum is only sensitive to temperature rather than RH with a temperature sensitivity of 9.95 pm/°C, which is used as the temperature compensation for RH measurements. By monitoring the response of the BFS and the laser wavelength, the cross-sensitivity effect of RH and temperature is overcome, and low-error RH measurement in the temperature range of 20 to 65 °C is realized with errors within ±0.67 %RH (25 to 85 %RH). The scheme does not require the design and production of complex structures and hygroscopic material coating processes, owning the advantages of simple structure, easy operation and high accuracy, and is expected to be practically applied in food safety and environmental monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Optical Fiber Sensors and Sensing Techniques)
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10 pages, 3948 KiB  
Article
A Miniature Liquid Flowmeter Using All-Fiber Fabry–Perot Cavity for Real-Time Measurement
by Haotian Ding, Dongqin Lu, Xiangxu Kong, Junxian Luo, Hanwen Liu, Hongwei Tong, Ye Chen and Fei Xu
Photonics 2024, 11(4), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11040354 - 12 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1125
Abstract
A miniature and highly sensitive fiber-optic liquid flowmeter based on Fabry–Perot interferometry (FPI) is proposed and demonstrated for fluid-flow micro-channel testing. The diaphragm deformation and pressure of the proposed sensor for flow rate detection are obtained from numerical and finite element method simulations [...] Read more.
A miniature and highly sensitive fiber-optic liquid flowmeter based on Fabry–Perot interferometry (FPI) is proposed and demonstrated for fluid-flow micro-channel testing. The diaphragm deformation and pressure of the proposed sensor for flow rate detection are obtained from numerical and finite element method simulations of the theoretical model. The FPI flowmeter can be applied in real time to measure the ultra-wide dynamic range from 0 mL/min to 90 mL/min, with a response time of hundreds of milliseconds, controlling the flow rate with a resolution of 1.08 mL/min, which is 1.2% of the full scale. The quadratic functional relation between dip wavelength shifts and flow rates is verified by the flow calibration curves of the FPI flowmeter under dynamic pressure conditions. In addition, the effective temperature compensation is realized by connecting an FBG temperature sensor for variable temperature flow detection, and the measured error is reduced by nearly 25-times. The proposed sensor has the potential to measure the liquid flow rate in various applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Optical Fiber Sensors and Sensing Techniques)
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10 pages, 4762 KiB  
Article
Easy-to-Fabricate UV-Glue-Based Cascaded Fabry–Perot Fiber Sensor Probe for Temperature Measurement
by Xuehao Hu, Hongyu Fu, Pengcheng Li, Carlos Marques, Chuanxin Teng, Hang Qu and Christophe Caucheteur
Photonics 2024, 11(2), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11020111 - 25 Jan 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1208
Abstract
In this paper, we propose an in-line fiber sensor probe based on UV-glue-assisted cascaded Fabry–Perot cavities for temperature measurement. The UV-curable adhesive in the sensing cavity plays an important role due to its high thermo-optic coefficient. We show that the temperature sensitivity depends [...] Read more.
In this paper, we propose an in-line fiber sensor probe based on UV-glue-assisted cascaded Fabry–Perot cavities for temperature measurement. The UV-curable adhesive in the sensing cavity plays an important role due to its high thermo-optic coefficient. We show that the temperature sensitivity depends on the optical path length difference between both cavities. We report a maximum value of 12.57 nm/°C in the range of 20 to 30 °C. This original sensor architecture features a low cost and simple structure that can be straightforwardly manufactured with readily available materials and a short production time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Optical Fiber Sensors and Sensing Techniques)
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14 pages, 5568 KiB  
Article
Structural Optimization and Temperature Compensation of GMM-FBG Fiber Current Transducer
by Wei-Chao Zhang, Lin-Heng Li and Tao Zhang
Photonics 2023, 10(12), 1376; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10121376 - 14 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1214
Abstract
In order to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of the giant magnetostrictive material-fiber Bragg gratings’ (GMM-FBG) current sensor, in which the magnetostrictive modulator is Terfenol-D, the temperature effects on the FBG center wavelength and GMM magnetostriction coefficient are investigated to initiate an amending [...] Read more.
In order to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of the giant magnetostrictive material-fiber Bragg gratings’ (GMM-FBG) current sensor, in which the magnetostrictive modulator is Terfenol-D, the temperature effects on the FBG center wavelength and GMM magnetostriction coefficient are investigated to initiate an amending scheme in which temperature parameters are introduced into a GMM-FBG sensing model so as to calibrate current values. Based on electromagnetism theory, the magnetic structure is optimized in design to significantly increase the magnetic coupling efficiency and to homogenize magnetic distribution, employing finite element simulations of the electromagnetic field. The relevant experimental platform is constructed with a wavelength demodulation system. At the temperature range of 20~70 °C, response amplitudes of the current sensor are tested under various current values. The experimental results indicate that the sensitivity of the GMM-FBG current sensor decreases with the temperature increment and is also positively correlated to the target current. Through analyzing the response characteristics of the current sensor to temperature variation, a reasonable GMM-FBG sensing amelioration model with a temperature compensation coefficient is established based on a mathematical fitting method, according to which the current detecting accuracy can be increased by 4.8% while measuring 60 A current at the representative working temperature of 40 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Optical Fiber Sensors and Sensing Techniques)
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Review

Jump to: Research

45 pages, 6470 KiB  
Review
Polymer-Based Optical Guided-Wave Biomedical Sensing: From Principles to Applications
by Malhar A. Nagar and Davide Janner
Photonics 2024, 11(10), 972; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11100972 - 17 Oct 2024
Viewed by 243
Abstract
Polymer-based optical sensors represent a transformative advancement in biomedical diagnostics and monitoring due to their unique properties of flexibility, biocompatibility, and selective responsiveness. This review provides a comprehensive overview of polymer-based optical sensors, covering the fundamental operational principles, key insights of various polymer-based [...] Read more.
Polymer-based optical sensors represent a transformative advancement in biomedical diagnostics and monitoring due to their unique properties of flexibility, biocompatibility, and selective responsiveness. This review provides a comprehensive overview of polymer-based optical sensors, covering the fundamental operational principles, key insights of various polymer-based optical sensors, and the considerable impact of polymer integration on their functional capabilities. Primary attention is given to all-polymer optical fibers and polymer-coated optical fibers, emphasizing their significant role in “enabling” biomedical sensing applications. Unlike existing reviews focused on specific polymer types and optical sensor methods for biomedical use, this review highlights the substantial impact of polymers as functional materials and transducers in enhancing the performance and applicability of various biomedical optical sensing technologies. Various sensor configurations based on waveguides, luminescence, surface plasmon resonance, and diverse types of polymer optical fibers have been discussed, along with pertinent examples, in biomedical applications. This review highlights the use of biocompatible, hydrophilic, stimuli-responsive polymers and other such functional polymers that impart selectivity, sensitivity, and stability, improving interactions with biological parameters. Various fabrication techniques for polymer coatings are also explored, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Special emphasis is given to polymer-coated optical fiber sensors for biomedical catheters and guidewires. By synthesizing the latest research, this review aims to provide insights into polymer-based optical sensors’ current capabilities and future potential in improving diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes in the biomedical field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends in Optical Fiber Sensors and Sensing Techniques)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Azobenzene Fiber Optics-Based Polarization Control Devices
Authors: Beatriz G. Soares; Susana Silva; Maria Raposo*; Paulo A. Ribeiro; Orlando Frazão
Affiliation: /
Abstract: Currently, optical fiber polarization control devices require the use of bulk components, which often see the light leaving the fiber into air, leading to high recoupling losses. On the other hand, more modular solutions using dedicated high birefringence fibers of the spun Hi-Bi type are of high cost and non-trivial application. Accordingly, the project proposes new optical fiber devicescapable of controlling the polarization state based on thin films of azobenzene compounds. The underlying idea to the project is to make use of the isomerization properties, sensitive to light, around the N=N bond of azobenzene molecules, inducing, thusly, birefringence in the medium. In this way, it is intended to incorporate films of these compounds in optical fiber devices, presenting a new solution for polarization control, which can be utilized in the development of sensors and optical filters.

Title: Polymer-based Optical Guided-Wave Biomedical sensing: from principles to applications
Authors: Davide Janner; Malhar A. Nagar
Affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza Applicata e Tecnologia (DISAT), Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Turin - Italy
Abstract: Polymer-based optical sensors represent a transformative advancement in biomedical diagnostics and monitoring, owing to their unique properties of flexibility, biocompatibility, and selective responsiveness. This review provides a comprehensive overview of polymer-based optical sensors, focusing on polymer-based Fiber Bragg Grating sensors, emphasizing their pivotal role in enhancing the performance and applicability of optical sensing technologies in the biomedical field. Indeed, we present a broad overview of polymer-based optical sensing technologies, emphasizing their significant role and functionality in enabling biomedical applications covering the fundamental operational principles, key insights of various polymer-based optical sensors, and the considerable impact of polymer integration on their functional capabilities. Unlike other reviews on similar topics that focus mainly on specific polymer types and optical sensor methods for biomedical use, this review aims at highlighting the substantial impact of polymers as functional materials and transducers in enhancing the performance and applicability of various biomedical optical sensing technologies. Various sensor configurations based on waveguides, luminescence, surface plasmon resonance, and diverse types of polymer optical fibers have been discussed, along with pertinent examples, in biomedical applications. We also highlight the use of biocompatible, hydrophilic, stimuli-responsive polymers and other such functional polymers that impart selectivity, sensitivity, and stability, improving interactions with biological measurands. Various fabrication techniques for polymer coatings are also explored, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Special attention is given to polymer-coated sensors for biomedical catheters and guidewires. By synthesizing the latest research, this review aims to provide insights into polymer-coated optical fiber sensors' current capabilities and future potential in improving diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes in the biomedical field.

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