Ultrasensitive vector bending sensor based on multicore optical fiber.

In this Letter, we demonstrate a compellingly simple directional bending sensor based on multicore optical fibers (MCF). The device operates in reflection mode and consists of a short segment of a three-core MCF that is fusion spliced at the distal end of a standard single mode optical fiber. The asymmetry of our MCF along with the high sensitivity of the supermodes of the MCF make the small bending on the MCF induce drastic changes in the supermodes, their excitation, and, consequently, on the reflected spectrum. Our MCF bending sensor was found to be highly sensitive (4094 pm/deg) to small bending angles. Moreover, it is capable of distinguishing multiple bending orientations.

Optimization of multicore fiber for high-temperature sensing.

We demonstrate a novel high-temperature sensor using multicore fiber (MCF) spliced between two single-mode fibers. Launching light into such fiber chains creates a supermode interference pattern in the MCF that translates into a periodic modulation in the transmission spectrum. The spectrum shifts with changes in temperature and can be easily monitored in real time. This device is simple to fabricate and has been experimentally shown to operate at temperatures up to 1000°C in a very stable manner. Through simulation, we have optimized the multicore fiber design for sharp spectral features and high overall transmission in the optical communications window. Comparison between the experiment and the simulation has also allowed determination of the thermo-optic coefficient of the MCF as a function of temperature.

Piezospectroscopic measurements capturing the evolution of plasma spray-coating stresses with substrate loads.

Plasma-spray coatings have a unique microstructure composed of various types of microcracks and weakly bonded interfaces which dictate their nonlinear mechanical properties. The intrinsic photo-luminescence (PL) characteristics of alpha-alumina (α-Al2O3) within these coatings offer a diagnostic functionality, enabling these properties to be probed experimentally at the microscale, under substrate loading. The piezospectroscopic (PS) measurements from the coatings are capable of revealing microstructural stress at high spatial resolution. Here, for the first time, the evolution of stresses within air plasma spray (APS) coatings under increasing substrate loads were captured using piezospectroscopy. With mechanical cycling of the substrate, the PS properties revealed anelastic and inelastic behavior and a relaxation of residual tensile stress within the APS coatings. With decreasing substrate thickness, the coating was observed to sustain more stress, as the substrate's influence on the mechanical behavior decreased. The findings provide an insight into the microstructural response that can serve as the basis for model validation and subsequently drive the design process for these coatings.