Ultra small integrated optical fiber sensing system

Abstract

This paper introduces a revolutionary way to interrogate optical fiber sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) and to integrate the necessary driving optoelectronic components with the sensor elements. Low-cost optoelectronic chips are used to interrogate the optical fibers, creating a portable dynamic sensing system as an alternative for the traditionally bulky and expensive fiber sensor interrogation units. The possibility to embed these laser and detector chips is demonstrated resulting in an ultra thin flexible optoelectronic package of only 40 µm, provided with an integrated planar fiber pigtail. The result is a fully embedded flexible sensing system with a thickness of only 1 mm, based on a single Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL), fiber sensor and photodetector chip. Temperature, strain and electrodynamic shaking tests have been performed on our system, not limited to static read-out measurements but dynamically reconstructing full spectral information datasets.

Additional Information: Open access. This article is freely available and re-usable. http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/12/9/12052
Uncontrolled Keywords: dynamic read-out, fiber sensor, flexible, integration, low-cost, polymer embedding, ultra thin optoelectronic chip package, VCSEL
Publication ISSN: 1424-8239
Last Modified: 23 Oct 2019 12:32
Date Deposited: 14 Dec 2012 13:42
Published Date: 2012-09-03
Authors: Van Hoe, Bram
Bosman, Erwin
Missinne, Jeroen
Kalathimekkad, Sandeep
Van Steenberge, Geert
Lee, Graham
Maskery, Oliver
Webb, David J.
Sugden, Kate
Van Daele, Peter

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