This article describes an analysis of the use of fiber-optic technology in biomedical applications, specifically for the monitoring heart rate of the pregnant (mHR) and fetal (fHR). Authors focused on the use of Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) and Fiber-Optic Interferometers (FOI). Thanks to the utilization of conventional method so-called cardiotocography (CTG), the mortality of newborn babies during delivery has decreased. Generally, among disadvantages of this method, there is a high sensitivity to noises caused by the movement of a mother, and it is connected with the frequent transfer of ultrasonic converters. This method is not suitable for a long-term continuous monitoring due to a possible influence of ultrasonic radiation on the fetus. Use of fiber-optic technology offers many advantages, for example, use measuring probes based FBG or FOI does not represent any additional radiation burden for the pregnant woman or fetus, fiber-optic measurement probes are resistant to technical artifacts such as electromagnetic interferences (EMI), thus they can be used in situations where it is impossible to use classic methods, e.g. examination by magnetic resonance (MR) or in case of delivery in water. The article describes the first experimental knowledge of based on real measurements.
The article describes a method for fabrication of polymer optical micro-lenses using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) at the end of optical fibers. PDMS is an optically clear substance having a refractive index very similar to the optical fibers. Therefore it is an interesting material for optical purposes. PDMS is characterized by resistance to electromagnetic interference (EMI), enabling the use in electromagnetically noisy environments. These lenses could be used for example for the security applications. For the manufacture of the micro-lenses is used Sylgard silicone elastomer 184. When applied to the end of conventional optical fiber is cured by treatment at 100 °C ± 5 °C. Authors performed a series of experimental measurements. The optical characteristics of the treated fibers compared with conventional fibers without micro-lenses. The fibers provided with optical lenses made of PDMS may be used for security applications, in the visible light communication (VLC) or as a microprobe.
Authors of this article present the fiber-optic system based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) which are used to secure the entrance areas such as buildings, halls, warehouses, etc. The system uses the specially encapsulated sensory array of fiber Bragg gratings which are implemented into the floor or on the floor and allows for monitoring the area of 1 m2 up to 100 m2 depending on the number of FBG sensors. The sensory array is characterized by immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI), passivity regarding electrical power supply, the possibility of remote evaluation (up to units of km) and high sensitivity. Proposed sensor system has detection capability greater than 99 % and furthermore, provides information about the weight load to an accuracy of ± 5 kg. The concept has been tested in a real environment within the test polygon for several weeks. As the reference devices, we used the CCTV (Closed Circuit Television).
This article focuses on the sensitivity of encapsulated interferometric probes. These probes are used mainly for BioMed and security applications. Fiber-optic sensors are interesting for these applications, as they are resistant to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and that also do not affect the surrounding medical and security equipment. Using a loop of the optical fiber with is not a suitable for these measurements. The optical fiber should be fixed to one position, and should not significantly bend. For these reasons, the optical fiber is encapsulated. Furthermore, it is necessary that the encapsulated measuring probes were flexible, inert, water resistant and not toxic. Fiber-optic sensors shouldn't be magnetically active, so they can be used for example, in magnetic resonance environments (MR). Probes meeting these requirements can be widely used in health care and security applications. Encapsulation of interferometric measuring arm brings changes in susceptibility of measurements in comparison with the optical fiber without encapsulation. To evaluate the properties of the encapsulated probes, series of probes made from different materials for encapsulation was generated, using two types of optical fibers with various degrees of protection. Comparison of the sensitivity of different encapsulated probes was performed using a series of measurements at various frequencies. The measurement results are statistically compared in the article and commented. Given the desired properties polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer has been proven the most interesting encapsulating material for further research.
Authors of this article focused on the analysis of the influence location of the fiber-optic sensor on the measurement and determination the heart rate of the human body. The sensor uses a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) and is encapsulated in the polymer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The combination of fiber-optic technology and its encapsulation in a polymer PDMS allows the use of the sensor e.g. in magnetic resonance environments (MRI). Among currently solved doctors requirements belongs field focusing on the study of hyperventilation and panic attacks of patients during MRI examination due to their very frequent occurrence. Proposed FBG sensor can help doctors to predict (based on heart rate) hyperventilation and panic attacks of patients during MRI examinations. For the most accurate determination of the heart rate, it is necessary to know the influence location of the sensor on the human body. The sensor functionality and analysis of the sensor placement on the heart rate has been verified by a series of real experimental measurements of test subjects in laboratory environment.
Protection of persons and assets is the key challenge of Smart City safeguards technologies. Conventional security technologies are often outdated and easy to breach. Therefore, new technologies that could complement existing systems or replace them are developed. The use of optical fibers and their subsequent application in sensing is a trend of recent years. This article discusses the use of fiber-optic sensors in perimeter protection. The sensor consists of optical fibers and couplers only and being constructed without wires and metal parts bring many advantages. These include an absence of interference with electromagnetic waves, system presence can be difficult to detect as well as affect its operation. Testing installation of perimeter system was carried out under reinforced concrete structure. Subjects walked over the bridge at different speeds and over the different routes. The task for the system was an absolute detection of all subjects. The proposed system should find application mainly in areas with the presence of volatile substances, strong electromagnetic fields, or in explosive areas.
Fiber-optic sensors (FOS), today among the most widespread measuring sensors and during various types of measuring, are irreplaceable. Among the distinctive features include immunity to electromagnetic interference, passivity regarding power supply and high sensitivity. One of the representatives FOS is the interferometric sensors working on the principle of interference of light. Authors of this article focused on the analysis of the detection material as resonant pads for attaching the measuring arm of the interferometer when sensing mechanical vibrations (low frequencies). A typical example is the use of interferometer sensors in automobile traffic while sensing a vibration response from the roadway while passing the cars. For analysis was used sensor with Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Defined were different detection materials about different size and thickness. We analyzed the influence on the sensitivity (amplitude response) of the interferometer. Based on the results we have defined the best material for sensing mechanical vibrations. The signal was processed by applications created in LabView development environment. The results were verified by repeated testing in laboratory conditions.
Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is formed by the periodic structure in the core of the optical fiber and is one of the widelyused
types of fiber optic sensors. FBGs are primarily sensitive to strain and temperature. For sensory application is an
important encapsulation of FBG to achieve maximum sensitivity to the desired measurand and ensure of protection
against damage. Interesting way to encapsulate FBG is the use of elastomer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Authors of
this paper followed on previous research regarding encapsulation of FBG and analyzed the influence of different
encapsulation types and shapes of PDMS on the temperature sensitivity and change of the reflected Bragg wavelength of
the FBG. Realization of encapsulation is composed of three parts: FBG insertion to a regular form with the liquid PDMS,
curing in a temperature box with a constant temperature 100 °C ± 5 % and 24 hours relaxation. Analysis of temperature
sensitivity and reflected Bragg wavelength was carried out after curing including relaxation time and it using the
broadband source of light LED (Light-Emitting Diode) with central wavelength 1550 nm and the optical spectrum
analyzer OSA 203.
This article is focused on the design of an all-fiber laser that was supposed to be used for simulating power load similar to the power load in backbone networks. The first part of the article is a brief introduction to the topic of lasers and erbium doped fiber amplifiers. The following parts present design of a fiber laser with ring cavity, and measuring the ideal length of a doped fiber and the split ratio of the output coupler. After proposing the first stage –a laser– we focused on the construction of the two following stages –EDFA preamplifier and EDFA amplifier. There were used fibers with various levels of erbium ion density, namely ISO-GAIN I6, and Liekki ER110-4/125. The resulting output power of the whole system was 320 mW. This value is sufficient when we take into account that we used only single-mode fibers with energy pumped directly to the fiber core. The output wavelength of the whole laser system was 1559 nm.
Today interferometric sensors are among the most accurate available thanks to their inherent high sensitivity. These highly versatile sensors may be used to measure phenomena such as temperature, strain, fluid level, flow, vibration, stress, etc. This article concentrates on the composition of fiber-optic interferometers, in particular the Mach-Zehnder type. The Mach-Zehnder type is composed of two arms, one for measurement and a second serving as a reference. When light enters the interferometer, ideally the phase of the light is shifted only in the measurement arm while the phase in the second arm remains unchanged. Interference occurs when the light recombining at the output and the resulting light intensity is proportional to the measurand. A major issue in the application of fiber based sensors is laying and fixing the fibers effectively in real life environments. Different approaches are necessary for both arms. The reference arm should as far as possible be isolated from the measurand. In this paper, various isolating materials are considered, however there are almost unlimited materials that may be used for isolation purposes. Conventional construction methods and materials were used such as aluminum tubing, flexible PVC tubing, double sided tape, steel clinches, superglue, PVC strips and PVC strips filled by silicon.
Nowadays, it appears that the optical components aging faster. Therefore, it is accelerate of the research of the aging of
the optical coupler by thermal stress necessary. This paper discusses finding of the influence of the thermal aging on the
basic parameters of the optical coupler. The examined coupler has one input and eight outputs (1:8). The process of heat
stress is carried out at 95°C in the electric drying oven where the coupler is loaded during the period of 120 hours. The
optical power at the input of the coupler and the output optical powers of the individual branches of the coupler are
measured after cooling to room temperature (approximately 25°C). The insertion losses of the individual branches, split
ratio, total losses, homogeneity of the losses and cross-talk between individual branches are calculated using formulas.
Measurements are made at wavelengths 1310 nm and 1550 nm. All optical powers are measured 20 times due to the
statistical exclusion of error of measurements. The coupler is loaded during the period of 120 hours again immediately
after measuring. Storing of the optical coupler in the drying oven is carried out so that is completely uniform heating of
all the parts. The coupler is turn around every 30 hours. The paper contains the exact procedure of measurement of
optical powers, which is followed by an evaluation of results. The results are shown for measurements before and after 5
cycles of heating.
Interferometric sensors can be categorized as highly sensitive and precise devices with series inconsiderable benefits from the possibility of using standard telecommunication fibers. They can be measured even small changes in the deformation of shapes in time, changes in temperature, pressure, voltage, vibration, electric field, etc. The basic idea, which is described in this article is the usage of the interferometer as a security and monitoring component, which offers a solution for securing of closed spaces, especially before unwanted entries. Its primary task is to detect intrusions - disrupting the integrity of the transparent window area due to vibration response. The base of the solution is a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, which consists of two arms in the power distribution ratio of 1:1, consisting of the SM optical fiber excited by a DFB laser. The interferometer is working on the wavelength of 1550 nm. The resulting signal is registered as a result of interference of optical beams from the reference and sensor arm. Realized measuring scheme was terminated optical receiver comprising PbSe detector. Below described experimental measurements have shown that implemented interferometer has a sufficient value of the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and is able to detect very weak signals in a wide frequency range from tens of Hz to kHz units. The signal was processed by applications developed for the amplitude-frequency spectrum. Evaluated was the maximum amplitude of the signal and compared to the noise. The results were verified by retesting the assembled prototype.
Distributed optical fiber sensors monitor the measured variables over the entire fiber length. Distributed strain and temperature system (DSTS) scans the frequency change of Brillouin scattering which depends on the measured temperature and mechanical stress of the fiber. This paper deals with the effect of fiber geometric deformations on the Brillouin scattering. The points of maximum and minimum deformations were searched using the Brillouin frequency change. The optical fiber was installed into base geometric shapes and deformed by mechanical stress. Standard single-mode fiber G.652.D was used. The aim of this study was to verify if the standard optical fiber originally designed for telecommunication transmissions are suitable for sensor applications with DSTS. It turned out that these fibers are applicable for the deformation measurement and geometrical arrangement has great influence on the measurement sensitivity too.
Fiber optic interferometers belong to a group of highly sensitive and precise devices enabling to measure small changes in the deformation shapes, changes in pressure, temperature, vibration and so on. The basis of their activity is to evaluate the number of fringes over time, not changes in the intensity of the optical signal. The methodology described in the article is based on using the interferometer to monitor traffic density. The base of the solution is a Mach-Zehnder interferometer operating with single-mode G.652 optical fiber at the wavelength of 1550 nm excited by a DFB laser. The power distribution of the laser light into the individual arms of the interferometer is in the ratio 1:1. Realized measuring scheme was terminated by an optical receiver including InGaAs PIN photodiode. Registered signal from the photodetector was through 8 Hz high pass filter fed to the measuring card that captures the analog input voltage using an application written in LabView development environment. The interferometer was stored in a waterproof box and placed at the side of the road. Here panned individual transit of cars in his environs. Vertically across the road was placed in contact removable belt simulating a retarder, which was used when passing cars to create sufficient vibration response detecting interferometer. The results demonstrated that the individual vehicles passing around boxing showed characteristic amplitude spectra, which was unique for each object, and had sufficient value signal to noise ratio (SNR). The signal was processed by applications developed for the amplitude-frequency spectrum. Evaluated was the maximum amplitude of the signal and compared to the noise. The results were verified by repeated transit of the different types of cars.
Interferometric sensors are very accurate and sensitive sensors that due to the extreme sensitivity allow sensing vibration and acoustic signals. This paper describes a new method of implementation of Mach-Zehnder interferometer for sensing of vibrations caused by touching on the window panes. Window panes are part of plastic windows, in which the reference arm of the interferometer is mounted and isolated inside the frame, a measuring arm of the interferometer is fixed to the window pane and it is mounted under the cover of the window frame. It prevents visibility of the optical fiber and this arrangement is the basis for the safety system. For the construction of the vibration sensor standard elements of communication networks are used - optical fiber according to G.652D and 1x2 splitters with dividing ratio 1:1. Interferometer operated at a wavelength of 1550 nm. The paper analyses the sensitivity of the window in a 12x12 measuring points matrix, there is specified sensitivity distribution of the window pane.
Nowadays, the interferometric sensors belong to the one of the most accurate, thanks to its great sensitivity. With their
help we are able to measure temperature, strain, level, flow, vibration, stress, etc. For its operation the Michelson
interferometer consist of the two arms terminated by mirrors, by which is possible to measure generated phase shift in
the individual arms. Furthermore, polarization maintaining fibers were used. With this setup we will examine the effects
of vibration and also how is this sensor influenced by the different setup arrangement and how it will manifest its
frequency response. It is important to isolate the reference arm to increase the sensitivity of the measurement and the
subsequent effect on the maximum phase shift and maximum frequencies response. In this work, we are going to
describe various combinations of the arrangement of the measuring and reference arm and their effect on the sensitivity
of different measured phenomena. Subsequently obtained frequency bands are evaluated for these various configurations
and materials.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.