ABSTRACT
A new method for fast, high resolution interrogation of an array of photonic sensors is proposed. The technique is based on the integrated Fourier transform (FT) interrogator previously introduced by the authors. Compared to other interferometric interrogators, the FT-interrogator is very compact and has an unprecedented tolerance to variations in the nominal values of the sensors' resonance wavelength. In this paper, the output voltages of the interrogator are written as a polynomial function of complex variables whose modulus is unitary and whose argument encodes the resonance wavelength modulation of the photonic sensors. Two different methods are proposed to solve the system of polynomial equations. In both cases, the Gröbner basis of the polynomial ideal is computed using lexicographical monomial ordering, resulting in a system of polynomials whose complex variable contributions can be decoupled. Using an NVidia graphics processing card, the processing time for 1 026 000 systems of algebraic equations takes around 9 ms, which is more than two orders of magnitude faster than the interrogation method previously introduced by the authors. Such a performance allows for real time interrogation of high-speed sensors. Multiple solutions satisfy the algebraic system of equations, but, in general, only one of the solutions gives the actual resonance wavelength modulation of the sensors. Other solutions have been used for optimization, leading to a reduction in the cross-talk among the sensors. The dynamic strain resolution is 1.66 n ε/H z.
ABSTRACT
In this paper, the design and the characterization of a novel interrogator based on integrated Fourier transform (FT) spectroscopy is presented. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first integrated FT spectrometer used for the interrogation of photonic sensors. It consists of a planar spatial heterodyne spectrometer, which is implemented using an array of Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) with different optical path differences. Each MZI employs a 3×3 multi-mode interferometer, allowing the retrieval of the complex Fourier coefficients. We derive a system of non-linear equations whose solution, which is obtained numerically from Newton's method, gives the modulation of the sensor's resonances as a function of time. By taking one of the sensors as a reference, to which no external excitation is applied and its temperature is kept constant, about 92% of the thermal induced phase drift of the integrated MZIs has been compensated. The minimum modulation amplitude that is obtained experimentally is 400 fm, which is more than two orders of magnitude smaller than the FT spectrometer resolution.
ABSTRACT
The acetone concentration exhaled in the breath of three type 1 diabetes patients (two minors and one adult) and one healthy volunteer is studied using a quantum cascade laser-based spectroscopic system. Using the acetone signature between 1150 and 1250 cm(-1) and a multiline fitting method, the concentration variations on the order of parts per billion by volume were measured. Blood glucose and ketone concentrations in blood measurements were performed simultaneously to study their relation with acetone in exhaled breath. We focus on personalized studies to better understand the role of acetone in diabetes. For each volunteer, we performed a series of measurements over a period of time, including overnight fastings of 11 ± 1 h and during ketosis-hyperglycemia events for the minors. Our results highlight the importance of performing personalized studies because the response of the minors to the presence of ketosis was consistent but unique for each individual. Also, our results emphasize the need for performing more studies with T1D minors, because the acetone concentration in the breath of the minors differs, with respect to those reported in the literature, which are based on adults.
