Eigenvalue equation and core-mode cutoff of weakly guiding tapered fiber as three layer optical waveguide and used as biochemical sensor.

The core-mode cutoff plays a major role in evanescent field absorption based sensors. A method has been proposed to calculate the core-mode cutoff by solving the eigenvalue equations of a weakly guiding three layer optical waveguide graphically. The variation of normalized waveguide parameter (V) is also calculated with different wavelengths at core-mode cutoff. At the first step, theoretical analysis of tapered fiber parameters has been performed for core-mode cutoff. The taper angle of an adiabatic tapered fiber is also analyzed using the length-scale criterion. Secondly, single-mode tapered fiber has been developed to make a precision sensor element suitable for chemical detection. Finally, the sensor element has been used to detect absorption peak of ethylenediamine. Results are presented in which an absorption peak at 1540 nm is observed.

Vibration: history and measurement with an extrinsic Fabry-Perot sensor with solid-state laser interferometry.

We have studied the history of vibration and demonstrate a laser-based noncontact interferometric vibration sensor. The sensor promises the measurement of microdisplacement by using a Fabry-Perot cavity formed between a partially coated gradient-index lens and a movable reflector. Displacement is determined by the detection of interference fringes caused by phase modulation within the cavity. The sensor was tested in conjunction with both multimode and single-mode fiber transmission. Calibration with multimode fiber produced a fringe-contrast function that decreased monotonically with displacement. This calibration allowed at least 30 fringes to be discriminated, giving a displacement resolution of 0.034 microm across a range of 10.2 microm. Dynamic tests demonstrated a working range of at least 3.74 microm at frequencies as high as 2 kHz. Similar tests in which single-mode fiber was used indicated a dynamic working range of at least 4.29 microm.

Vibration monitoring by using a dynamic proximity sensor with interferometric encoding.

An optical sensor for the dynamic measurement of proximity is presented. The sensor combines an extrinsic geometric transducer with interferometric encoding for high vibration sensitivity. Static calibration showed a unique variation in interference contrast over at least 60 fringes, leading to a measurement range of 20 mum and a resolution of at least 0.033mum. Dynamic excitation by using low-amplitude vibrations at 3.6 kHz showed a similar contrast variation, verifying fringe discrimination up to the sixth order. With verification of dynamic performance over all 60 fringes, the sensor should offer a low-cost approach to vibration monitoring in electrical switchgear.