Fiber optic sensing device and method of making and operating the same

• US 7,421,162 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Xia, Hua, McCarthy, Kevin Thomas, Krok, Michael Joseph, Taware, Avinash Vinayak, Deng, Kung-Li Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, TINA MEI SENG
• Application Number:
  US11/086,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20060215959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 385/12, 385/31, 385/37, 385123-125
• US Class Current: 385/37
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/35303 using a reference fibre, e.g. interferometric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/35358 using backscattering to detect the measured quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/35383 using multiple sensor devices using multiplexing techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/774 the reagent being on a grating or periodic structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02085 characterised by the grating profile, e.g. chirped, apodised, tilted, helical
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02123 characterised by the method of manufacture of the grating photolithography G03F7/0005
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02147 Point by point fabrication, i.e. grating elements induced one step at a time along the fibre, e.g. by scanning a laser beam, arc discharge scanning G02B6/02133 and G02B6/02142 take precedence

Abstract

In accordance with one exemplary embodiment the invention provides a multi-parameter fiber optic sensing system with an aperiodic sapphire fiber grating as sensing element for simultaneous temperature, strain, NO_x, CO, O₂ and H₂ gas detection. The exemplary sensing system includes an aperiodic fiber grating with an alternative refractive index modulation for such multi-function sensing and determination. Fabrication of such quasiperiodic grating structures can be made with point-by-point UV laser inscribing, diamond saw micromachining, and phase mask-based coating and chemical etching methods. In the exemplary embodiment, simultaneous detections on multi-parameter can be distributed, but not limited, in gas/steam turbine exhaust, in combustion and compressor, and in coal fired boilers etc. Advantageously, the mapping of multiple parameters such as temperature, strain, and gas using sapphire aperiodic gratings improves control and optimization of such systems directed to improve efficiency and output and reduce emissions.

Claims

1. A fiber optic sensor cable, composing:

a core having a grating with a quasiperiodic modulation of index of refraction, the grating composing;

a plurality of grating element blocks having a refractive index n_a and a fiber length d(n_a) or a refractive index n_b and a fiber length d(n_b), arranged in a quasiperiodic sequence, wherein the quasiperiodic sequence is defined by the equation S_j={S_j-1,S_j-2} for j values greater than two, wherein S₁=n_a and S₂=n_a n_b and

a cladding disposed circumferentially about the core.

2. The fiber optic sensor cable of claim 1, wherein the index of refraction n_b is lower than the index of refraction n_a.

3. The fiber optic sensor cable of claim 1, wherein the core comprises a fused silica fiber.

4. The fiber optic sensor cable of claim 1, wherein the core comprises a sapphire fiber.

5. The fiber optic sensor cable of claim 1, wherein the grating reflects light in phase corresponding to one or more wavelengths.

6. The fiber optic sensor cable of claim 1, wherein Bragg resonant wavelengths are determined by λ

=2n_eff Λ

/(m+nτ

), where m,n are discrete wave numbers.

7. The fiber optic sensor cable of claim 6, wherein m,n are integers.

8. The fiber optic sensor cable of claim 1, wherein the grating is a limited generation grating.

9. The fiber optic sensor cable of claim 1, wherein the index of refraction na is lower than the index of refraction n_b.

10. A fiber optic sensing device, comprising:

a fiber core comprising a grating with a quasiperiodic modulation of index of refraction, wherein the grating comprises a plurality of grating element blocks having a refractive index n_a or a refractive index n_b, arranged in a quasiperiodic sequence, wherein the quasiperiodic sequence is defined by the equation S_j={S_j-1,S_j-2} for j values greater than two, wherein S₁=n_a and S₂=n_a n_b;

a light source configured to illuminate the core; and

a detector system configured to estimate at least one parameter based upon at least one diffraction peak generated from the plurality of grating element blocks.

11. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 10, wherein the detector system comprises an indium gallium arsenide based detector.

12. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 10, wherein the detector system is configured for measuring a temperature in an environment.

13. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 10, wherein the detector system is configured for measuring a strain, or a stress, or a pressure, or any combination thereof in an environment.

14. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 10, wherein the sensing device is configured for use in a narrow band reflector, or a broadband mirror, or a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) filter, or a differential photonic sensor, or combinations thereof.

15. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 10, wherein the index of refraction n_b is lower than the index of refraction n_a.

16. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 10, wherein the detector system is configured to process first and second diffraction peaks to estimate the first and second sensed parameters.

17. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 16, wherein the detector system is configured to process the first and second diffraction peaks to determine the presence of a gaseous environment.

18. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 16, wherein the grating is configured to generate first and second diffraction peaks and the detector system is configured to detect the first and second diffraction peaks to concurrently estimate a first and second sensed parameter.

19. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 18, wherein the first sensed parameter is temperature and the second sensed parameter is pressure, or strain, or stress, or combination thereof.

20. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 10, wherein the index of refraction n_a is lower than the index of refraction n_b.

21. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 10, wherein a grating element block of the plurality of grating element blocks having the refractive index n_a, has a fiber length d(n_a) and wherein another grating element block of the plurality of grating element blocks having the refractive index n_b, has a fiber length d(n_b), wherein the quasiperiodic modulation is defined by equation Λ

=d(n_a)+τ

d(n_b), wherein τ

is a constant.

22. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 21, wherein τ

is the golden mean with a value of 1.618.

23. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 21, wherein a diffraction wave vector is determined by k(n,m)=(m+τ

n)/Λ

, where m,n are discrete wave numbers.

24. The fiber optic sensing device of claim 10, wherein Bragg resonant wavelengths are determined by λ

=2n_effΛ

/(m+τ

n), where m,n are integers.

25. A fiber optic sensor cable, comprising:

a core; and

a cladding disposed circumferentially about the core;

wherein the core comprises an aperiodic grating comprising an aperiodic sequence of blocks n_a and n_b, wherein n_a having a first index of refraction and n_b having a second index of refraction different from the first index of refraction, wherein the aperiodic sequence is a Fibonacci sequence.

26. A fiber optic sensor cable, comprising:

a core; and

a cladding disposed circumferentially about the core;

wherein the core comprises an aperiodic grating comprising an aperiodic sequence of blocks n_a and n_b, wherein n_a having a first index of refraction and n_b having a second index of refraction different from the first index of refraction, wherein the aperiodic sequence is defined by the equation S_j{S_j-1,S_j-2} for j values greater than two, wherein S₁=n_a and S₂ =n_an_b.

27. The fiber optic sensor cable of claim 26, wherein the aperiodic grating is configured to generate a diffraction spectrum comprising a first Bragg diffraction peak corresponding to a first wavelength of light in phase, a second Bragg diffraction peak corresponding to a second wavelength of light in phase, and a plurality of diffraction peaks determined by a modulation periodicity and a diffraction wave vector.