A micromachined intensity-modulated fiber optic sensor for strain measurements: working principle and static calibration.
This paper describes an intensity-modulated fiber optic sensor for strain measurements. The sensing element is a polydimetilsiloxane (PDMS) micro-diffraction grating, 15 mm long, 2 mm thick, with channels 150 µm wide, spaced apart 200 µm. The working principle of the sensor can be summarized as follows: when the sensing element is strained perpendicularly to the grating plane, light passing through the grating undergoes a modulation caused by the phenomenon of diffraction. Since the grating is interposed between a laser source and a fiber optic, the coupled radiation intensity between these two optical elements can be considered as an indirect measure of strain. A static calibration of the measuring system has been performed, showing that the device, with measuring range of about 0.04, is capable to discriminate strain of 0.005 and it presents a sensitivity increase with strain in the whole range of measurements.
Unit of Measurements and Biomedical Instrumentation, Center for Integrated Research, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Álvaro del Portillo, Rome, Italy.
M
M
Moscato
E
E
Schena
P
P
Saccomandi
M
M
Francomano
D
D
Accoto
E
E
Guglielmelli
S
S
Silvestri
D002138:Calibration; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013314:Stress, Mechanical