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Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 25001

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Prof. Dr. Oleg G. Morozov

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Department of Radiophotonics and Microwave Technologies, Kazan National Research Technical University Named after A.N. Tupolev-KAI, K. Marx Str. 10, 420111 Kazan, Russia
Interests: fiber optic, sensors; fiber Bragg grating; addressable FBG; microwave photonic interrogation
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue wishes to explore one of the most popular trends of relevance to Sensors, which represents an influential platform for the exchange of scientific knowledge in the field of fiber Bragg gratings and sensor systems based on them. The thirty-year history of FBG development has already transformed them from being exotic novelties to classical sensors, without which it is impossible to imagine any biosensing or downhole telemetry systems, underwater, geophysical or space technology. We are opening a new page in their history, and give the floor to three different groups of scientists. The first group consists of those who are just discovering FBGs and admire their capabilities in comparison with electronic and other types of optical sensors. The second comprises those who are masters of using FBG and are trying to expand the scope of their applications toward infinity, finding new and new ideas for building both point sensors and multi-sensor systems. Still others are those who in spite of the conservatism of the classical mathematical models describing FBG structure, break it by introducing inhomogeneities or making it random, obtaining synergistic effects for promising applications. The ultimate goal of this Special Issue is to find ways to build smart fiber Bragg gratings and identify their future applications, drawing on the research results of authors who will accept our invitation to publish.

Bearing this in mind, this issue is dedicated, but not limited, to the following topics:

Modeling and simulation of FBGs;
Fabrication of FBGs;
FBGs in different classes’ optical fibers;
Multiparameter FBG sensors;
Sensors on shifted, chirped, tilted, superstructured, etc. FBGs;
Нigh-speed optoelectronic interrogation methods;
Microwave photonics interrogation methods;
FBG sensors in dynamic measurements;
FBG sensors in quasistatic measurements;
FBG sensors in DTS, DTSS, and DAS systems;
FBG sensors in onboard applications;
FBG sensors in medicine and living systems monitoring;
Dual nature of FBGs as elements of sensor and telecommunication systems;
Historical and future trends reviews.

We hope that the works published in this Special Issue will confirm the fundamental importance of the FBG invention and the comprehensive application of FBGs in all areas of human activity, as well as open up new prospects for the creation and application of FBGs as quanta of various cyberphysical systems.

Prof. Dr. Oleg G. Morozov
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 560 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Advantages of Microwave Photonic Interrogation of Fiber-Based Sensors: A Noise Analysis

by Ulrich Nordmeyer, Torsten Thiel, Konstantin Kojucharow and Niels Neumann

Sensors 2023, 23(7), 3746; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23073746 - 04 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1400

Abstract

Although microwave photonic approaches have been used for fiber sensing applications before, most contributions in the past dealt with evaluating the sensor signal’s amplitude. Carrying this topic on, the authors previously presented a scheme for the interrogation of fiber sensors that was based on a fiber Bragg grating’s phase response for the electrical signal. However, neither has the measurement setup been analyzed nor have the amplitude and phase-based approaches been compared in detail before. Hence, this paper picks up the previously proposed setup, which relies on an amplitude modulation of the optical signal and investigates for sources of signal degradation, an aspect that has not been considered before. Following the incorporation of the microwave signal, the setup is suitable not only for an amplitude-based evaluation of fiber Bragg gratings but also for a phase-based evaluation. In this context, the signal-to-noise ratios are studied for the conventional amplitude-based evaluation approach and for the recently developed phase-based approach. The findings indicate a strong advantage for the signal-to-noise ratio of the phase response evaluation; an 11 dB improvement at the least has been found for the examined setup. Further studies may investigate the consequences and additional benefits of this approach for radio-over-fiber sensing systems or general performance aspects such as achievable sensitivity and sampling rates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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19 pages, 9759 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Creep Effect on Strain Transfer from Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Strips to Fiber Bragg Grating-Optical Fiber Sensors

by Hai Van Tran and Soo-Yeon Seo

Sensors 2023, 23(3), 1628; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23031628 - 02 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1383

Abstract

In this study, the short-term creep effect (STCE) on strain transfer from fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) strips to fiber Bragg grating-optical fiber (FBG-OF) sensors was investigated. Thirty OF sensors attached to FRP strips were investigated through three primary test parameters: bond length (40, 60, 80, 100, 120, and 150 mm); adhesive type (epoxy resin, CN adhesive, and epoxy resin combined with CN adhesive); and bonding method (embedded and external bonding methods). The strain transfer ability of the OF sensors was evaluated based on the strain ratio of the OF sensor to the FRP strip under different sustained stresses of 20, 40, 50, and 60% of the FRP ultimate tensile strength (f_u). From the test results, it was found that the debonding phenomenon occurred at the interface between the FBG-OF sensor and the adhesive and was clearly observed after applying a load for three days. It was also found that the CN adhesive showed better strain transfer compared to the other adhesive types. Regarding the OF sensors bonded by epoxy resin, in order to maintain strain transfer ability under a high level of sustained stress (0.6f_u), minimum bond lengths of 100 and 120 mm were required for the embedded and external bonding methods, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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23 pages, 10432 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Modeling of a Fully Integrated Microring-Based Photonic Sensing System for Liquid Refractometry

by Grigory Voronkov, Aida Zakoyan, Vladislav Ivanov, Dmitry Iraev, Ivan Stepanov, Roman Yuldashev, Elizaveta Grakhova, Vladimir Lyubopytov, Oleg Morozov and Ruslan Kutluyarov

Sensors 2022, 22(23), 9553; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22239553 - 06 Dec 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2017

Abstract

The design of a refractometric sensing system for liquids analysis with a sensor and the scheme for its intensity interrogation combined on a single photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is proposed. A racetrack microring resonator with a channel for the analyzed liquid formed on the top is used as a sensor, and another microring resonator with a lower Q-factor is utilized to detect the change in the resonant wavelength of the sensor. As a measurement result, the optical power at its drop port is detected in comparison with the sum of the powers at the through and drop ports. Simulations showed the possibility of registering a change in the analyte refractive index with a sensitivity of 110 nm per refractive index unit. The proposed scheme was analyzed with a broadband source, as well as a source based on an optoelectronic oscillator using an optical phase modulator. The second case showed the fundamental possibility of implementing an intensity interrogator on a PIC using an external typical single-mode laser as a source. Meanwhile, additional simulations demonstrated an increased system sensitivity compared to the conventional interrogation scheme with a broadband or tunable light source. The proposed approach provides the opportunity to increase the integration level of a sensing device, significantly reducing its cost, power consumption, and dimensions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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15 pages, 4000 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Twisted Few-Mode Optical Fiber with Improved Height of Quasi-Step Refractive Index Profile

by Anton V. Bourdine, Vladimir V. Demidov, Artem A. Kuznetsov, Alexander A. Vasilets, Egishe V. Ter-Nersesyants, Alexander V. Khokhlov, Alexandra S. Matrosova, Grigori A. Pchelkin, Michael V. Dashkov, Elena S. Zaitseva, Azat R. Gizatulin, Ivan K. Meshkov, Airat Zh. Sakhabutdinov, Eugeniy V. Dmitriev, Oleg G. Morozov, Vladimir A. Burdin, Konstantin V. Dukelskii, Yaseera Ismail, Francesco Petruccione, Ghanshyam Singh, Manish Tiwari and Juan Yin Show full author list Hide full author list

Sensors 2022, 22(9), 3124; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22093124 - 19 Apr 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1855

Abstract

This work presents designed and fabricated silica few-mode optical fiber (FMF) with induced twisting 10 and 66 revolutions per meter, core diameter 11 µm, typical “telecommunication” cladding diameter 125 µm, improved height of quasi-step refractive index profile and numerical aperture 0.22. Proposed FMF supports 4 guided modes over “C”-band. We discussed selection of specified optical fiber parameters to provide desired limited mode number over mentioned wavelength range. Some results of tests, performed with pilot samples of manufactured FMF, are represented, including experimentally measured spectral responses of laser-excited optical signals, that comprise researches and analysis of few-mode effects, occurring after fiber Bragg grating writing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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13 pages, 10867 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wavelength-Tunable Vortex Beam Emitter Based on Silicon Micro-Ring with PN Depletion Diode

by Ivan V. Stepanov, Denis M. Fatkhiev, Vladimir S. Lyubopytov, Ruslan V. Kutluyarov, Elizaveta P. Grakhova, Niels Neumann, Svetlana N. Khonina and Albert K. Sultanov

Sensors 2022, 22(3), 929; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22030929 - 25 Jan 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3150

Abstract

Herein we propose a design of a wavelength-tunable integrated vortex beam emitter based on the silicon-on-insulator platform. The emitter is implemented using a PN-depletion diode inside a microring resonator with the emitting hole grating that was used to produce a vortex beam. The resonance wavelengths can be shifted due to the refractive index change associated with the free plasma dispersion effect. Obtained numerical modeling results confirm the efficiency of the proposed approach, providing a resonance wavelength shift while maintaining the required topological charge of the emitted vortex beam. It is known that optical vortices got a lot of attention due to extensive telecommunication and biochemical applications, but also, they have revealed some beneficial use cases in sensors. Flexibility in spectral tuning demonstrated by the proposed device can significantly improve the accuracy of sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings. Moreover, we demonstrate that the proposed device can provide a displacement of the resonance by the value of the free spectral range of the ring resonator, which means the possibility to implement an ultra-fast orbital angular momentum (de)multiplexing or modulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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24 pages, 8618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Measurement of a Dual FBG High-Precision Shape Sensor for Wing Shape Reconstruction

by Huifeng Wu, Lei Liang, Hui Wang, Shu Dai, Qiwei Xu and Rui Dong

Sensors 2022, 22(1), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22010168 - 28 Dec 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2896

Abstract

FBG shape sensors based on soft substrates are currently one of the research focuses of wing shape reconstruction, where soft substrates and torque are two important factors affecting the performance of shape sensors, but the related analysis is not common. A high-precision soft substrates shape sensor based on dual FBGs is designed. First, the FBG soft substrate shape sensor model is established to optimize the sensor size parameters and get the optimal solution. The two FBG cross-laying method is adopted to effectively reduce the influence of torque, the crossover angle between the FBGs is 2α, and α = 30° is selected as the most sensitive angle to the torquer response. Second, the calibration test platform of this shape sensor is built to obtain the linear relationship among the FBG wavelength drift and curvature, rotation radian loaded vertical force and torque. Finally, by using the test specimen shape reconstruction test, it is verified that this shape sensor can improve the shape reconstruction accuracy, and that its reconstruction error is 6.13%, which greatly improves the fit of shape reconstruction. The research results show that the dual FBG high-precision shape sensor successfully achieves high accuracy and reliability in shape reconstruction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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13 pages, 3369 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Medium-Frequency Fiber Bragg Grating Accelerometer Based on Flexible Hinges

by Zichuang Li, Lei Liang, Hui Wang, Shu Dai, Ke Jiang and Zhiyuan Song

Sensors 2021, 21(21), 6968; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21216968 - 20 Oct 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2113

Abstract

Mediumfrequency fiber Bragg grating (FBG) acceleration sensors are used in important applications in mechanical, aerospace and weapon equipment, and have strict requirements in terms of resonance frequency and sensitivity. A novel medium-frequency accelerometer, based on fiber Bragg grating and flexible hinges, is proposed in this paper. The differential structure doubles the sensitivity of the sensor while avoiding temperature effects. The structure model and principle for the sensor are introduced, the sensor’s sensing characteristics are theoretically analyzed, and the structure parameters for the sensor are determined through numerical analysis. The sensing experiments show that the resonance frequency of the sensor is approximately 2800 Hz, the sensitivity is 21.8 pm/g in the flat frequency range of 50–1000 Hz, and the proposed sensor has a good temperature self-compensation function and lateral anti-interference capability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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13 pages, 4799 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Fabrication and Characterization of Line-by-Line Inscribed Tilted Fiber Bragg Gratings Using Femtosecond Laser

by Hongye Li, Xiaofan Zhao, Binyu Rao, Meng Wang, Baiyi Wu and Zefeng Wang

Sensors 2021, 21(18), 6237; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21186237 - 17 Sep 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1815

Abstract

In this paper, we studied the basic characteristics of tilted fiber Bragg gratings (TFBGs), inscribed line-by-line. Experimental results showed that if the TFBGs were located within different planes parallel to the fiber axis, the spectra performed differently. For 2°TFBG, if it was located near the central plane, the Bragg resonance was stronger than ghost mode resonance, and the order reversed if it was located near the boundary between core and cladding. As the tilted angle increased, the range of cladding mode resonance increased. When the tilted angle was larger than 12°, the birefringence effect was observed. Based on the birefringence phenomenon, torsion characteristics were experimentally studied; the sensitivity was about 0.025 dB/degree in the linear variation range. The harmonic order of TFBGs also affected the transmission spectrum. Leaky mode resonance was observed in the 8th order TFBG, and torsion (or polarization) influenced the spectrum of the 8th order TFBG. Our research represented the theory of line-by-line inscribed TFBGs and provided an inscription guidance for TFBGs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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16 pages, 4302 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Noise Cancellation of Helicopter Blade Deformations Measurement by Fiber Bragg Gratings

by Raoul R. Nigmatullin, Timur Agliullin, Sergey Mikhailov, Oleg Morozov, Airat Sakhabutdinov, Maxim Ledyankin and Kamil Karimov

Sensors 2021, 21(12), 4028; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21124028 - 11 Jun 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2232

Abstract

The work presents data treatment methods aimed at eliminating the noise in the strain sensor data induced by vibrations of the helicopter blade in flight conditions. The methods can be applied in order to enhance the metrological performance of the helicopter weight estimation system based on the deformation measurement of the main rotor blades. The experimental setup included a composite plate fixed to the vibrating stand on the one end, with six fiber-optic strain sensors attached to its surface. In this work, the procedure of the optimal linear smoothing (POLS) and 3D-invariant methods were used to obtain monotone calibration curves for each detector, thereby making it possible to distinguish the increase of load applied to the free end of the plate with an increment of 10 g. The second method associated with 3D invariants took into account 13 quantitative parameters defined as the combination of different moments and their intercorrelations up to the fourth-order inclusive. These 13 parameters allowed the calculation of the 3D surface that can serve as a specific fingerprint, differentiating one set of initial data from another one. The combination of the two data treatment methods used in this work can be applied successfully in a wide variety of applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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10 pages, 2271 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Algorithm of FBG Spectrum Distortion Correction for Optical Spectra Analyzers with CCD Elements

by Vladimir Anfinogentov, Kamil Karimov, Artem Kuznetsov, Oleg G. Morozov, Ilnur Nureev, Airat Sakhabutdinov, Konstantin Lipatnikov, Safaa M. R. H. Hussein and Mustafa H. Ali

Sensors 2021, 21(8), 2817; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21082817 - 16 Apr 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2353

Abstract

Nonlinear spectrum distortions are caused by the peculiarities of the operation of charge-coupled device elements (CCD), in which the signal exposition time (Time of INTegration–TINT) is one of the significant parameters. A change of TINT on a CCD leads to a nonlinear distortion of the resulting spectrum. A nonlinear distortion of the spectrum, in turn, leads to errors in determining the central wavelength of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) and spectrally sensitive sensors, which, in general, negatively affects the accuracy of the measuring systems. This paper proposes an algorithm for correcting the nonlinear distortions of the spectrum obtained on a spectrum analyzer using CCD as a receiver. It is shown that preliminary calibration of the optical spectrum analyzer with subsequent mathematical processing of the signal makes it possible to make corrections in the resulting spectrum, thereby leveling the errors caused by measurements at different TINT. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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Review

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33 pages, 4455 KiB

Open AccessReview

Radiation Effects on Fiber Bragg Gratings: Vulnerability and Hardening Studies

by Adriana Morana, Emmanuel Marin, Laurent Lablonde, Thomas Blanchet, Thierry Robin, Guy Cheymol, Guillaume Laffont, Aziz Boukenter, Youcef Ouerdane and Sylvain Girard

Sensors 2022, 22(21), 8175; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22218175 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2139

Abstract

Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are point optical fiber sensors that allow the monitoring of a diversity of environmental parameters, e.g., temperature or strain. Several research groups have studied radiation effects on the grating response, as they are implemented in harsh environments: high energy physics, space, and nuclear facilities. We report here the advances made to date in studies regarding the vulnerability and hardening of this sensor under radiation. First, we introduce its principle of operation. Second, the different grating inscription techniques are briefly illustrated as well as the differences among the various types. Then, we focus on the radiation effects induced on different FBGs. Radiation induces a shift in their Bragg wavelengths, which is a property serving to measure environmental parameters. This radiation-induced Bragg wavelength shift (RI-BWS) leads to a measurement error, whose amplitude and kinetics depend on many parameters: inscription conditions, fiber type, pre- or post-treatments, and irradiation conditions (nature, dose, dose rate, and temperature). Indeed, the radiation hardness of an FBG is not directly related to that of the fiber where it has been photo-inscribed by a laser. We review the influence of all these parameters and discuss how it is possible to manufacture FBGs with limited RI-BWS, opening the way to their implementation in radiation-rich environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives)

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