An Optical Fiber Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometer based Displacement Sensor with Centimeter Measurement Range

Abstract

A low-cost and robust extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) based optical fiber displacement sensor with a wide measurement range, up to cm level, is reported in this paper. A gold-coated reflective mirror fixed inside the metal shell of the sensor, together with the endface of a single mode fiber form a Fabry-Perot cavity. The optical fiber is supported and oriented by a fiber ceramic ferrule, and the sensor is packaged and protected by a metal shell. A triangle geometry based displacement transfer mechanism is employed in the constructed sensor which makes the sensor capable of measuring wide-range displacement, and this triangle geometry based structure allows the measurement range of the sensor to be flexibly adjusted. When the measurement handgrip of the sensor experiences a displacement, the cavity length will change due to the triangle geometry design. By tracking the change in the reflection spectrum, the displacement can be determined. The experimental results show that a displacement measurement sensitivity of 42.68 nm/μm (change in EFPI cavity length/displacement magnitude) over a measurement range of 2.0 cm was achieved by the constructed prototype sensor. The present wide-range displacement sensor with low cost, high robustness has a great potential in the chemical-oil industry, the construction industry.

Meeting Name

SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring (2018: Mar. 5-8, Denver, CO)

Department(s)

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research Center/Lab(s)

Intelligent Systems Center

Keywords and Phrases

Construction industry; Fabry-Perot interferometers; Fiber optic sensors; Geometry; Gold coatings; Optical fibers; Single mode fibers; Displacement; Displacement sensor; Dynamic range; Extrinsic Fabry Perot interferometer; Fabry-Perot cavity; Optical fiber displacement; Reflection spectra; Transfer mechanisms; Displacement measurement; Cm dynamic range; Extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer

International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

978-151061692-9

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0277-786X; 1996-756X

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2018 SPIE, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Mar 2018

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