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H I GH L IG H T S
A R T I C LE I N FO A B S T R A C T
Keywords: In this paper, a refractive index (RI) and temperature sensor based on a folded-tapered multimode-no-core
Folded-tapered multimode fiber (FTMN) fiber structure is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The FTMN has an additional Mach-
Mach-Zehnder interferometer Zehnder interferometer (MZI), which is introduced in the folded-tapered multimode (FTM) fiber. And with the
Multimode interference inherent multimode interference (MMI) and the previously mentioned MZI as foundation, a composite inter-
Refractive index
ference is successfully established. This synthetic composite interference greatly improves the performance of
Temperature
traditional optical fiber RI sensing in the low RI range. The experimental results demonstrate that a maximum
sensitivity of 1191.5 nm/RIU within a linear RI ranging from 1.3405 to 1.3497 can be achieved, which is greater
than the traditional modal interferometer structure. Furthermore, the temperature sensitivities at interference
dips A and B are 0.0648 nm/°C and 0.0598 nm/°C, respectively. By monitoring the wavelength shifts of inter-
ference dips A and B, the sensor can simultaneously measure RI and temperature to overcome the temperature
induced cross-sensitivity.
⁎
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: yf-liu@htu.edu.cn (Y. Liu).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlastec.2020.106333
Received 22 July 2019; Received in revised form 14 April 2020; Accepted 9 May 2020
Available online 25 May 2020
0030-3992/ © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
F. Wang, et al. Optics and Laser Technology 130 (2020) 106333
1.33–1.35, and the slight change of RI can reflect the transient physical
environment disturbance or the combining role [18,19]. Therefore,
designing a high RI sensitive optic fiber sensor suitable for the low RI
range has become an urgent task.
This paper proposed a fiber optic sensor based on folded-tapered
multimode-no-core (FTMN) fiber sandwiched between two single-mode
fibers (SMFs) and the sensor is constituted by multimode interferometer
(MMI) and MZI. The transmission spectral response of the composite
interference to the low RI range is demonstrated theoretically and ex-
perimentally. The results show that the maximal sensitivity of RI is
1191.5 nm/RIU within a linear RI ranging from 1.3405 to 1.3497.
Moreover, the temperature sensitivities at interference dips A and B are
0.0648 nm/°C and 0.0598 nm/°C, respectively. By monitoring the wa-
velength shifts of interference dips A and B, simultaneous measurement
of RI and temperature can be achieved to overcome the temperature
induced cross-sensitivity. Details regarding the fabrication and working
of the proposed sensor and the results from an experimental evaluation
are presented in the following sections.
Fig. 2. The flame-based tapering machine.
Fig. 3. (a) Transmission spectra of the three types of FTMN. (b) Measured
transmission and spatial frequency spectra of FTMN (θ =150°).
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F. Wang, et al. Optics and Laser Technology 130 (2020) 106333
out of the fiber in the tapered area. It can be observed that there is no M
obvious interference pattern when the θ was 180°. However, in the case E (r , z ) = ∑ ηm ψm (r ) exp(jβm z )
m=1 (2)
of 165°, the resultant effect is relatively weak that the composite in-
terference resulting interference dips have a relatively low extinction where ψm is the field profile of LP0m excited within the MMF, βm is the
ratio (ER). By decreasing the θ to 150°, an enhanced interference propagation constant of the excited mth order mode and ηm is the ex-
spectrum was obtained, in which two interference dips as shown in citation coefficient which can be calculated using the following for-
Fig. 3(b). Both of them were observed with a relatively high ER (more mula:
than 10 dB). As the θ was further decreased to 135°, there is no obvious ∞
∫0 E (r , 0) ψm (r ) rdr
interference pattern. If the θ continues to decrease, more light will leak ηm = ∞
out from the fiber, resulting in a significant decrease in the intensity of ∫0 ψm (r )2rdr (3)
the transmission spectrum, which is not worthy. Ultimately, an ap-
When the light arrives at the tapered section, a portion of light from
propriate θ to form an effective composite interference should be in the
the MMF core is coupled into the MMF cladding at which point it ex-
region of 150° based on the results of above experiments. Furthermore,
cites cladding modes [23]. These excited cladding modes propagate
Fig. 3(b) shows the Fourier frequency spectra of the FTMN fiber
within the tapered MMF cladding, and when they transmit through the
structure (θ =150°). Obviously, besides the fundamental frequency,
tapered area, a portion of the cladding modes are recoupled back into
there are two main frequency component in the Fourier frequency
the MMF core. Due to the difference in effective RIs between the core
spectra of the FTMN fiber interferometer. Hence, it could be regarded as
and cladding and the optical path difference between the light signals in
a composite interference, which is constituted by MMI and MZI.
transmission, an interference exists between the propagating funda-
Using the beam propagation method (BPM) in Rsoft software to
mental and high-order modes, and thus, an MZI is formed. The trans-
describe the optical field distribution within the FTMN fiber structure
mission intensity is analyzed by using the two-mode interference model
(θ =150°). The specific simulation parameters were: the diameter and
for simplification [6,21].
RI for the MMF core/cladding are 65/125 μm and 1.452/1.447, and the
RI for NCF is 1.444. The external medium was a transitional boundary I = If + Im + 2 If Im cos φm (4)
condition (TBC) (n = 1). When the input light wavelength was set to
1550 nm, the field intensity distribution along the FTMN in the air is where, If and Im are the intensities of the fundamental core mode and
shown in Fig. 4. The fundamental mode of the tapered MMF will be mth high-order mode, respectively. The phase difference φm between the
partly coupled to the high-order mode that the power of modes parti- fundamental mode and mth high-order mode can be expressed as:
cipating in the interference will be more matched and meanwhile the m
2π Δneff Leff
mode interference will be enhanced [20]. When the light propagates φm =
λ (5)
through the tapered area, most of light is coupled into the core and
cladding of MMF, while a small portion of the light leaks out of the where the length of interferometer is Leff ; λ is the wavelength of input
m
fiber. And the light transmitted along the NCF comes from the inter- light; Δneff (m = 1,2,3…) represents the effective RI difference between
ference between the core and cladding modes in the tapered MMF. the modes. The attenuation peak wavelength of the spectrum can be
Ultimately, at the fusion point between NCF and output SMF, the core expressed as:
and cladding modes satisfying the phase matching condition generate m
2Δneff Leff
interference phenomenon. λm =
2m + 1 (6)
As discussed previously, the light from the source initially propa-
gates along the core of input SMF in the fundamental mode (LP01). When the light arrives at the NCF section, each mode is associated
When the light launches into the MMF section, a series of high-order with their respective phase difference and MMI between each mode
modes (LP0m) are effectively excited due to the mode field mismatch occurs again, hence resulting in composite interference. Based on the
between the SMF and MMF. For a step-index MMF, the excited mode Eq. (6), red shift of the interference fringes could be observed due to the
m
number M can be approximately calculated by: positive change of Δneff with the SRI increasing.
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F. Wang, et al. Optics and Laser Technology 130 (2020) 106333
Fig. 7. Wavelength shift with the change of the SRI. Fig. 9. Wavelength shift with the change of temperatures.
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F. Wang, et al. Optics and Laser Technology 130 (2020) 106333
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