title: Multiplexed displacement fiber sensor using thin core fiber exciter.
abstract: This letter reports a multiplexed optical displacement sensor using a thin core fiber (TCF) exciter. The TCF exciter is followed by a stripped single mode optical fiber. A small section of buffer is used as the movable component along the single mode fiber. Ultra-weak cladding mode reflection (< - 75 dB) was employed to probe the refractive index discontinuity between the air and buffer coating boundary. The position change of the movable buffer segment results in a delay change of the cladding mode reflection. Thus, it is a measure of the displacement of the buffer segment with respect to the glass fiber. The insertion loss of one sensor was measured to be less than 3 dB. A linear relationship was evaluated between the measurement position and absolute position of the moving actuator. Multiplexed capability was demonstrated and no cross talk was found between the sensors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, USA.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, USA.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hefferman
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, USA.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016014:Linear Models; D055100:Optical Fibers