Free space optical coupling to completely embedded fiber Bragg grating sensors

Liang Qiu; Keith W. Goossen; Dirk Heider; Daniel J. O'Brien; Eric D. Wetzel

doi:10.1117/12.861128

25 August 2010 Free space optical coupling to completely embedded fiber Bragg grating sensors

Liang Qiu, Keith W. Goossen, Dirk Heider, Daniel J. O'Brien, Eric D. Wetzel

Proceedings Volume 7787, Novel Optical Systems Design and Optimization XIII; 77870Y (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.861128
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

A novel method of free space passive optical coupling to completely embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors has been investigated. Fiber optical sensors have attracted intense research and commercial interest. Specifically, fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors have shown great utility for integrity management and environmental sensing of composite structures. One major drawback of FBG sensors, however, is that they suffer from cumbersome and fragile techniques for bringing the sensing light into and out of the structures. In our previous publication, we have demonstrated surface normal free space coupling into embedded FBG sensors with 45-degree-angled mirrors integrated into fibers as the coupling technique. These previous studies, however, required physical coupling to detect and analyze the light transmitted through the FBG. In this paper, we successfully couple free space light into and out of an un-embedded FBG sensor using multimode fiber (MMF) spliced to SMFBG with 45-degree-angled mirrors fabricated onto both MMF and SMFBG on a polishing wheel. We also present a manual polishing technique to integrate mirrors onto MMF and SMF (without Bragg grating) embedded in a composite material, and successfully measure the coupling into and through these embedded optical fibers. With this approach, no pigtailing is needed, and the FBG sensors can be completely embedded inside the structures, greatly increasing system simplicity and robustness.

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Liang Qiu, Keith W. Goossen, Dirk Heider, Daniel J. O'Brien, and Eric D. Wetzel "Free space optical coupling to completely embedded fiber Bragg grating sensors", Proc. SPIE 7787, Novel Optical Systems Design and Optimization XIII, 77870Y (25 August 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.861128

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KEYWORDS

Fiber Bragg gratings

Polishing

Sensors

Free space

Single mode fibers

Mirrors

Optical fibers

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