Browsing by Author "Wang, Anbo"

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    Acoustic Waveguides and Sensors for High Temperature and Gamma Radiation Environment
    He, Jiaji (Virginia Tech, 2021-01-12)
    Sensing in harsh environments is always in great need. Although many sensors and sensing systems are reported, such as optical fiber sensors and acoustic sensors, they all have drawbacks. In this dissertation, fused quartz and sapphire acoustic waveguides and sensors are developed for high temperature and heavy gamma radiation. The periodic structure, acoustic fiber Bragg grating (AFBG), is the core sensor structure in this dissertation. To better analyze the propagation of acoustic waves, the acoustic coupled more analysis is proposed. It could solve for the reflection spectrum of the AFBG with at most 2.1% error. For the waveguide, the fused quartz "suspended core" waveguide is designed. It achieved strong acoustic energy confinement so surface perturbations no longer affected the wave propagation. Single crystal sapphire fiber features low acoustic loss, and survivability under high temperature. It is also chosen as an acoustic waveguide. AFBGs are fabricated in both waveguides. The fused quartz suspended core AFBG is shown to sense temperature up to 1000 C and to have stable reading at 700 C for 14 days. The sapphire AFBG as a temperature sensor works up to 1500 C and also provides continuous stable reading at 1100 C for 12 days. Both waveguides with AFBGs are then tested under long-term gamma radiation. Despite some fluctuations from radiation-related causes, the readings of both sensors generally remain stable. Given the experimental observations, the fused quartz AFBG waveguide and the sapphire AFBG waveguide are shown to work well in high temperature and gamma radiations.
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    Adaptive Control of Waveguide Modes in Two-Mode Fibers
    Lu, Peng (Virginia Tech, 2016-04-04)
    Few mode fibers and multimode fibers (MMFs) are traditionally regarded as unsuitable for important applications such as communications and sensing. A major challenge in using MMFs for aforementioned applications is how to precisely control the waveguide modes propagating within MMFs. In this thesis, we experimentally demonstrate a generic method for controlling the linearly polarized (LP) modes within a two-mode fiber (TMF). Our method is based on adaptive optics (AO), where one utilizes proper feedback signals to shape the wavefront of the input beam in order to achieve the desired LP mode composition. In the first part of this thesis, we demonstrate the feasibility of AO-based mode control by using the correlation between the experimentally measured field distribution and the desired mode profiles as feedback for wavefront optimization. Selectively excitation of pure LP modes or their combinations at the distal end of a TMF are shown. Furthermore, we demonstrate that selective mode excitation in the TMF can be achieved by using only 5×5 independent phase blocks. Afterwards, we extend our AO-based mode control method to more practical scenarios, where feedback signals are provided by all-fiber devices such as a directional fiber coupler or fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). Using the coupling ratio of a directional coupler as feedback, we demonstrate adaptive control of LP modes at the two output ports of the directional coupler. With feedback determined by the relative magnitude of optical power reflected by a FBG and the transmitted power, selective excitations of the LP01 and the LP11 modes are experimentally shown. As the final component of this thesis, we experimentally combine the AO-based mode control with time-division-multiplexing. By choosing reflected pulses with appropriate arrival time for mode control, we can selectively excite the LP11 mode at different FBG locations within the TMF, based on the ratio of optical signals reflected by FBGs in the TMF and the transmitted signal. Using two lasers set at the two FBG peak reflection wavelengths associated with the LP01 and the LP11 modes, we can accomplish AO-based mode control within a TMF by using only the reflection signals from the FBG. By using the ratio of the reflected signals of two lasers as feedback, we demonstrate selective excitation of almost pure LP01 or LP11 mode at the FBG location within the TMF. The method developed in this thesis is generic and can be extended to many other applications using appropriately chosen feedback signals. It is possible to generalize the AO-based mode control method to MMF as well. This method may find important applications in MMF-based communication, sensing and imaging et. al. in the future.
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    Adaptive Mode Control in Few-Mode and Highly Multimode Fibers
    Qiu, Tong (Virginia Tech, 2018)
    Few-mode fibers (FMFs) and multimode fibers (MMFs) can provide much higher data-carrying capacities compared with single-mode fibers. But in order to achieve this goal, one must address the challenge of intermodal coupling and dispersion. Therefore the ability to accurately control the optical signal propagation in FMFs/MMFs can play a pivotal role in FMF/MMF applications. This thesis demonstrates the ability to excite, in FMFs and MMFs, the desired linearly polarized (LP) modes as well as their superpositions through adaptive optics (AO). Specifically, in the case of step-index FMFs, a phase-only spatial light modulator (SLM) is employed to manipulate the light at the fiber input end, driven by the feedback signal provided by the correlation between the charge coupled device (CCD) camera captured images at the fiber output end and the target light intensity profile. Through such an adaptive optical system, any arbitrarily selected LP modes can be excited at the distal end of the four-mode and seventeen-mode fibers, respectively. For a graded-index MMF with a uniform Bragg grating, we use a deformable mirror (DM) to perform the wavefront modulation at the fiber input end, where the feedback is based on the ratio of the grating-reflected signal power to the transmitted signal power. At the Bragg grating position of this highly multimode fiber, any desired principal mode groups can be successfully chosen. These experimental results suggest that adaptive control of optical wavefront in FMFs/MMFs is indeed feasible.
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    Analysis and Applications of Microstructure and Holey Optical Fibers
    Kim, Jeong I. (Virginia Tech, 2003-09-10)
    Microstructure and photonic crystal fibers with periodic as well as random refractive-index distributions are investigated. Two cases corresponding to fibers with one-dimensional (1D) radial index distributions and two-dimensional (2D) transverse index distributions are considered. For 1D geometries with an arbitrary number of cladding layers, exact analytical solutions of guided modes are obtained using a matrix approach. In this part, for random index distributions, the average transmission properties are calculated and the influence of glass/air ratio on these properties is assessed. Important transmission properties of the fundamental mode, including normalized propagation constant, chromatic dispersion, field distributions, and effective area, are evaluated. For 2D geometries, the numerical techniques, FDTD (Finite-Difference Time-Domain) method and FDM (Finite Difference Method), are utilized. First, structures with periodic index distributions are examined. The investigation is then extended to microstructure optical fibers with random index distributions. Design of 2D microstructure fibers with random air-hole distributions is undertaken with the aim of achieving single-mode guiding property and small effective area. The former is a unique feature of the holey fiber with periodic air-hole arrangement and the latter is a suitable property for nonlinear fiber devices. Measurements of holey fibers with random air-hole distributions constitute an important experimental task of this research. Using a section of a holey fiber fabricated in the draw tower facility at Virginia Tech, measurements of transmission spectra and fiber attenuation are performed. Also, test results for far-field pattern measurements are presented. Another objective of this dissertation is to explore new applications for holey fibers with random or periodic hole distributions. In the course of measuring the holey fibers, it was noticed that robust temperature-insensitive pressure sensors can be made with these fibers. This offers an opportunity for new low-cost and reliable pressure fiber-optic sensors. Incorporating gratings into holey fibers in conjunction with the possibility of dynamic tuning offers desirable characteristics with potential applications in communications and sensing. Injecting gases or liquids in holey fibers with gratings changes their transmission characteristics. These changes may be exploited in designing tunable optical filters for communication applications or making gas/liquid sensor devices.
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    Analysis Of A High-Speed Fiber-Optic Spectrometer For Fiber-Optic Sensor Signal Processing
    Wang, Y. X.; Han, M.; Wang, Anbo (Optical Society of America, 2007)
    A novel high-speed fiber-optic spectrometer has been demonstrated in our previous work. The high-speed spectrum measurement is enabled by translating the spectral-domain signal into a time-domain signal through a dispersion element. We present a mathematical model that accurately describes the relationship between the optical spectrum to be measured and the dispersed time-domain signal. Based on the model, the effects of the key parameters on the performance of the spectrometer are investigated in detail using numerical simulation. The analysis is useful for the design and application of such spectrometers. (C) 2007 Optical Society of America.
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    Analysis of Side-Polished Few-Mode Optical Fiber
    Ray, Taylor J. (Virginia Tech, 2019-04-29)
    Side-polished fiber allows access to the evanescent field propagating in the cladding of a few-mode fiber. This cladding mode is analyzed and experimentally validated to further the design of a novel class of fiber optic devices. To do this, specific modes are excited in the polished fiber using a phase-only spatial light modulator to determine spatial mode distribution. Each mode is excited and compared to the expected field distribution and to confirm that higher order modes can propagate through side-polished fiber. Based on each mode’s distribution, a side-polished fiber can be designed so that perturbations on the polished portion of the fiber effect each mode independently. By carefully analyzing the effects of identical perturbations on each mode, it is determined that each mode can be isolated based on the geometry of the polished fiber and careful alignment of the mode field. This research has the potential to advance the development of novel fiber-based sensors and communications devices utilizing mode-based interferometry and mode multiplexing.
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    Analysis of Thermally Diffused Single Mode Optical Fiber Couplers
    Velayudhan, Nirmalkumar (Virginia Tech, 1994-12-22)
    The phenomenon of dopant diffusion as a viable means of coupler fabrication is investigated. It is well known that the diffusion of dopants can improve the uniformity of multimode star couplers manufactured by the fused biconical taper technique. The theoretical basis for the same phenomenon in a single mode coupler is developed, on the basis of the theory of diffusion and the Gaussian approximation for circular fibers. A novel technique to manufacture and design single mode optical fiber couplers with a minimization of the manufacturing complexity is demonstrated. Traditionally fused biconical tapered couplers have been manufactured by twisting, fusing and elongating optical fibers at elevated temperatures. Usually, high temperature oxy-hydrogen flames are used for such purposes and some degree of skill is needed for a human operator. The complexity of control procedures for automation of the process is greatly increased by the fact that the tapering process is an integral part of the feedback loop. This can be eliminated if a constant tension is maintained on the fibers in the heating process while heat is applied uniformly from a source such as a platinum wire furnace. Since the refractive index differentials responsible for the guiding phenomenon at optical frequencies are directly dependent on concentration of dopants like fluorine and germania, radial diffusion of such dopants causes the fiber cores that are heated in a platinum wire furnace to come closer together. Such proximity leads to the phenomenon of evanescent field interaction or coupling of optical power from one arm of the coupler to the other. The time evolution of the coupling process can be predicted in theory. While initial results are promising, the ability to automate the manufacture of couplers will be successful only after greater control over the variables is established. It is the intention of this work to understand the physics behind the mechanism as well as to prove the feasibility of modeling real world phenomena under controlled conditions.
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    Analysis of ultrasonic frequency response of surface attached fiber Bragg grating
    Li, Zhuoxuan; Pei, Li; Dong, Bo; Ma, Cheng; Wang, Anbo (Optical Society of America, 2012-07-01)
    In recent years, fiber Bragg grating (FBG), for the well-known advantages over other fiber optic sensors, has attracted more attention in ultrasonic inspection for structure health monitoring (SHM). Spectrum shift of FBG to ultrasonic wave is caused by the refractive index profile changing along the FBG, which can be attributed to nonuniform perturbation caused by strain-optic and geometric effects of ultrasonic wave. Response of FBG to the above two effects was analyzed firstly by the V-I transmission matrix model, showing high computing efficiency. Based on this model, spectra response of FBG under changing ultrasonic frequencies was simulated and discussed. In experiment, the system was able to detect a wideband ultrasonic wave ranging from 15 to 1380 kHz. These results would provide a guideline for an FBGbased acoustic detection system design in a specific ultrasonic frequency. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America
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    Apparatus and method for on-line, real-time analysis of chemical gases dissolved in transformer oil
    (United States Patent and Trademark Office, 2014-06-03)
    An inspection probe for directly measuring a transmission spectrum of a solvent oil in a transformer includes a tube having a plurality of apertures spaced along a side of the tube to allow oil to pass therethrough, and first and second optical collimators disposed at opposing ends of the tube. The first and second collimators are aligned by the tube such that incident light is transmitted through the first collimator, the tube, and the second collimator to a spectrometer.
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    Application of Sapphire-Fiber-Bragg-Grating-Based Multi-Point Temperature Sensor in Boilers at a Commercial Power Plant
    Yang, Shuo; Homa, Daniel S.; Heyl, Hanna; Theis, Logan; Beach, John; Dudding, Billy; Acord, Glen; Taylor, Dwyn; Pickrell, Gary R.; Wang, Anbo (MDPI, 2019-07-21)
    Readily available temperature sensing in boilers is necessary to improve efficiencies, minimize downtime, and reduce toxic emissions for a power plant. The current techniques are typically deployed as a single-point measurement and are primarily used for detection and prevention of catastrophic events due to the harsh environment. In this work, a multi-point temperature sensor based on wavelength-multiplexed sapphire fiber Bragg gratings (SFBGs) were fabricated via the point-by-point method with a femtosecond laser. The sensor was packaged and calibrated in the lab, including thermally equilibrating at 1200 °C, followed by a 110-h, 1000 °C stability test. After laboratory testing, the sensor system was deployed in both a commercial coal-fired and a gas-fired boiler for 42 days and 48 days, respectively. The performance of the sensor was consistent during the entire test duration, over the course of which it measured temperatures up to 950 °C (with some excursions over 1000 °C), showing the survivability of the sensor in a field environment. The sensor has a demonstrated measurement range from room temperature to 1200 °C, but the maximum temperature limit is expected to be up to 1900 °C, based on previous work with other sapphire based temperature sensors.
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    Behavior of Random Hole Optical Fibers under Gamma Ray Irradiation and Its Potential Use in Radiation Sensing Applications
    Alfeeli, Bassam; Pickrell, Gary R.; Garland, Marc; Wang, Anbo (MDPI, 2007-05-24)
    Effects of radiation on sensing and data transmission components are of greatinterest in many applications including homeland security, nuclear power generation, andmilitary. A new type of microstructured optical fiber (MOF) called the random hole opticalfiber (RHOF) has been recently developed. The RHOFs can be made in many differentforms by varying the core size and the size and extent of porosity in the cladding region.The fibers used in this study possessed an outer diameter of 110 _m and a core ofapproximately 20 _m. The fiber structure contains thousands of air holes surrounding thecore with sizes ranging from less than 100 nm to a few _m. We present the first study ofthe behavior of RHOF under gamma irradiation. We also propose, for the first time to ourknowledge, an ionizing radiation sensor system based on scintillation light from ascintillator phosphor embedded within a holey optical fiber structure. The RHOF radiationresponse was compared to normal single mode and multimode commercial fibers(germanium doped core, pure silica cladding) and to those of radiation resistant fibers (puresilica core with fluorine doped cladding fibers). The comparison was done by measuringradiation-induced absorption (RIA) in all fiber samples at the 1550 nm wavelength window(1545 25 nm). The study was carried out under a high-intensity gamma ray field from a 60Co source (with an exposure rate of 4x104 rad/hr) at an Oak Ridge National Laboratory gamma ray irradiation facility. Linear behavior, at dose values less than 106 rad, was observed in all fiber samples except in the pure silica core fluorine doped cladding fiber which showed RIA saturation at 0.01 dB. RHOF samples demonstrated low RIA (0.02 and 0.005 dB) compared to standard germanium doped core pure silica cladding (SMF and MMF) fibers. Results also showed the possibility of post-fabrication treatment to improve the radiation resistance of the RHOF fibers.
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    Characterization and modeling of dry etch processes for titanium nitride and titanium films in Cl₂/N₂ and BCl₃ plasmas
    Muthukrishnan, N. Moorthy (Virginia Tech, 1996-11-04)
    In the past few years, the demands for high speed semiconductor integrated circuits have warranted new techniques in their fabrication process which will meet the ever-shrinking dimensions. The gaseous plasma assisted etching is one of these revolutionary processes. However, the plasma and the etch process are very complex in nature. It has been very difficult to understand various species present in the plasma and their role in the etch reaction. In addition, the submicron geometries also require interconnect materials which will satisfy the necessary properties such as thermal stability and low electrical resistance. Titanium (Ti) and titanium nitride (TiN) are widely used as barriers between aluminum (Al) and silicon (Si) to prevent the destructive intermixing of these two materials. The process of patterning of the interconnect containing Ti and TiN along with Al has been a challenge to the semiconductor process engineers. Therefore, complete characterization of the plasma etch process of Ti and TiN films and development of mathematical models to represent the responses such as the etch rate and uniformity is necessary for a good understanding of the etching process. A robust and well controlled metal etch process usually results in good die yield per wafer and hence can translate into higher profits for the semiconductor manufacturer. The objective of this dissertation is to characterize the plasma etch processes of Ti and TiN films in chlorine containing plasmas such as BCl₃ and Cl₂/N₂ and to develop mathematical models for the etch processes using statistical experimental design and analysis technique known as Response Surface Methodology (RSM). In this work, classical experiments are conducted on the plasma etch process of Ti and TiN films by varying the process parameters, such as gas flow, radio frequency (RF) power, reaction pressure, and temperature, one parameter at a time, while maintaining the other parameters constant. The variation in the etch rate with the change in the process parameter of the film is studied and the results were explained in terms of the concepts of plasma. These experiments, while providing very good understanding of the main effects of the parameters, yield little or no information on the higher order effects or interaction between the process parameters. Therefore, modern experimental design and analysis techniques using computerized statistical methods need to be employed for developing mathematical models for these complex plasma etch processes. The second part of this dissertation concentrates on the Design and Analysis of Experiments using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and development of models for the etch rate and the etch uniformity of the Ti and TiN films in chlorine-containing plasmas such as Cl₂/N₂ and Cl₂/N₂/BCl₃. A complete characterization of the plasma etch process of Ti and TiN films is achieved with the RSM technique and a well fitting and statistically significant models have been developed for the process responses, such as the etch rate and the etch uniformity. These models also provide a means for quantitative comparison of main effects, which are also known as first order effects, second order effects and two factor interactions. The models, thus developed, can be effectively used for an etch process optimization, prediction of the responses without actually conducting the experiments, and the determination of process window. This dissertation work has achieved a finite study of the plasma etch process of Ti and TiN films. There is tremendous potential and scope for further research in this area, limited only by the available resources for wafer processing. A few of the possibilities for further research is discussed in the next few sentences. The optimized process derived from the RSM technique needs to be implemented in the actual production process of the semiconductor ICs and its effects on the wafer topography, etch residue and the resulting die yield have to be studied. More research studies are needed to examine the effect of process parameters such as temperature, the size and shape of the etch chamber, the quality of the film being etched, among other parameters. It is worth emphasizing in this respect that this dissertation marks beginning of research work into the ever-increasing complexities of gas plasma.
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    Characterization of Optical Coupling and Back-reflection of Few Mode Fibers
    Shipton, Matthew J. (Virginia Tech, 2015-09-01)
    The continued growth of the communications industry has caused interest in mode-division multiplexing (MDM) techniques to flourish in recent years. These techniques allow individual waveguide modes to be used as distinct channels. However, as with any versatile technique, it should be also useful and beneficial to extend its application to other areas. This work concerns itself with an initial conceptual design of a mode-division multiplexing (MDM) enabled optical sensor network that can use modes to interrogate either specific sensors or sensor subsystems, and specifically with quanitizing and optimizing the injection and detection of the signal of interest. A hypothetical test setup is demonstrated, and the major issue of back reflection burying the intended signal is addressed, analyzed, and improved. Improvements in the signal-to-background contrast ratio (SBCR) of approximately 10dB were achieved depending on fibre type and proximal face. Suggestions for extensions to further improve the SBCR as well as for applications of this system are discussed.
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    Chemical Micro Preconcentrators Development for Micro Gas Chromatography Systems
    Alfeeli, Bassam (Virginia Tech, 2010-10-06)
    Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology allows the realization of mechanical parts, sensors, actuators and electronics on silicon substrate. An attractive utilization of MEMS is to develop micro instruments for chemical analysis. An example is gas chromatography (GC) which is widely used in food, environmental, pharmaceutical, petroleum/refining, forensic/security, and flavors and fragrances industries. A MEMS-based micro GC (µGC) provides capabilities for quantitative analysis of complex chemical mixtures in the field with very short analysis time and small amounts of consumables. The aim of this research effort is to enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of µGC instruments by implementing chemical amplification method known as preconcentration. A micro preconcentrator (µPC) extracts the target analytes from the sample matrix, concentrates them, and injects them into the separation column for analysis. This work resulted in the development of silicon-glass bonded chips consisting of 7 mm x 7 mm x 0.38 mm multiport cavity with thousands of embedded 3D microstructures (to achieve high surface-to-volume ratio) coated with polymeric thin film adsorbents. Deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) was the enabling technology for the realization of µPCs. Several coating methods, such as inkjet printing of polymers and polymer precipitation from solution have been utilized to coat complex geometrical structures. One major outcome was the development of cobweb adsorbent structure. Moreover, the porous polymeric adsorbent Tenax TA in the film form was characterized, for the first time, for μPC application and shown to have similar properties to that of the granular form. Several μPC designs were experimentally evaluated for their performance in concentrating volatile organic compounds, including cancer biomarkers, Propofol (anesthetic agent), environmental pollutants, and chemical warfare simulants. The possibility of utilizing the μPCs in practical applications such breath analysis was also demonstrated.
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    CMOS Receiver Design for Optical Communications over the Data-Rate of 20 Gb/s
    Chong, Joseph (Virginia Tech, 2018-06-21)
    Circuits to extend operation data-rate of a optical receiver is investigated in the dissertation. A new input-stage topology for a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) is designed to achieve 50% higher data-rate is presented, and a new architecture for clock recovery is proposed for 50% higher clock rate. The TIA is based on a gm-boosted common-gate amplifier. The input-resistance is reduced by modifying a transistor at input stage to be diode-connected, and therefore lowers R-C time constant at the input and yielding higher input pole frequency. It also allows removal of input inductor, which reduces design complexity. The proposed circuit was designed and fabricated in 32 nm CMOS SOI technology. Compared to TIAs which mostly operates at 50 GHz bandwidth or lower, the presented TIA stage achieves bandwidth of 74 GHz and gain of 37 dBohms while dissipating 16.5 mW under 1.5V supply voltage. For the clock recovery circuit, a phase-locked loop is designed consisting of a frequency doubling mechanism, a mixer-based phase detector and a 40 GHz voltage-controlled oscillator. The proposed frequency doubling mechanism is an all-analog architecture instead of the conventional digital XOR gate approach. This approach realizes clock-rate of 40 GHz, which is at least 50% higher than other circuits with mixer-based phase detector. Implemented with 0.13-μm CMOS technology, the clock recovery circuit presents peak-to-peak clock jitter of 2.38 ps while consuming 112 mW from a 1.8 V supply.
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    Controlled Fabrication System of Fabry-Perot Optical Fiber Sensors
    Huo, Wei (Virginia Tech, 1998-09-23)
    The use of optical fiber sensors is increasing widely in industry, civil, medicine, defense and research. Among different categories of these sensors is the Extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) sensor which is inherently simple and requires only modest amount of interface electronics. These advantages make it suitable for many practical applications. Investigating a cost-effective, reliable and repeatable method for optical fiber sensor fabrication is challenging work. In this thesis, a system for controlled fabrication of Fabry-Perot optical fiber sensors is developed and presented as the first attempt for the long-term goal of automated EFPI sensor fabrication. The sensor fabrication control system presented here implements a real-time control of a carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser as sensor bonding power, an optical fiber white light interferometric subsystem for real-time monitoring and measurement of the air gap separation in the Fabry-Perot sensor probe, and real-time control of a piezoelectric (PZT) motion subsystem for sensor alignment. The design of optoelectronic hardware and computer software is included. A large number of sensors are fabricated using this system and are tested under high temperature and high pressure. This system as a prototype system shows the potential in automated sensor fabrication.
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    Coupled Mode Analysis for 3D Stress-Free Elastic Acoustic Waveguide
    He, Jiaji; Homa, Daniel S.; Pickrell, Gary R.; Wang, Anbo (IEEE, 2019)
    Acoustic sensors and acoustic measurements receive much attention in various applications. Because waveguides are commonly used in sensor design, theoretical means to study acoustic propagation and interaction in waveguides are necessary. However, current methods for elastic wave coupling, including the transfer matrix method and coupled mode theory in planar 2D waveguides, are not satisfactory. In this work, a coupled mode analysis for acoustic waves in 3D stress-free elastic waveguides is proposed. Similar to the coupled mode theory in optical waveguides, the analysis is presented by the evolution of modal amplitudes. It can solve various modal conversion and scattering problems in elastic waveguides with small changes of cross sections and stress-free boundaries. To demonstrate the practicability, the coupled mode analysis is used to calculate the reflection spectrum of the newly proposed structure, the acoustic fiber Bragg grating. In a notch-based grating fabricated on a thin cylindrical waveguide, the results from coupled mode analysis are in good agreement with those from the transfer matrix method, which has been already validated experimentally. The coupled mode analysis is a promising method to solve various scattering problems.
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    Decoding The Spectra Of Low-Finesse Extrinsic Optical Fiber Fabry-Perot Interferometers
    Ma, Cheng; Dong, Bin; Gong, Jianmin; Wang, Anbo (Optical Society of America, 2011)
    A theoretical model is developed to address the fringe visibility and additional phase in the interference spectra of low-finesse extrinsic optical fiber excited Fabry-Perot interferometers. The model described in the paper applies to both single-mode and multimode fiber excitations; according to the theory, the fringe visibility and additional phase term are primarily determined by the working wavelength and angular power density distribution outputting from the excitation fiber, rather than based on spatial and temporal degree of coherence. Under certain approximations, the output interference intensity and the spatial power density distribution projected onto the fiber axis form a Fourier-transform pair, which potentially provides a tool for spatial density distribution analysis of fiber output. With excellent agreement with experiments, the theory presented in this paper leads to design guidelines for Fabry-Perot interferometric sensors and insightful physical understanding of such devices. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America
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    Demonstration Of A Cylindrically Symmetric Second-Order Nonlinear Fiber with Self-Assembled Organic Surface Layers
    Daengngam, Chalongrat; Hofmann, M.; Liu, Z. W.; Wang, Anbo; Heflin, James R.; Xu, Yong (Optical Society of America, 2011-05-01)
    We report the fabrication and characterization of a cylindrically symmetric fiber structure that possesses significant and thermodynamically stable second-order nonlinearity. Such fiber structure is produced through nanoscale self-assembly of nonlinear molecules on a silica fiber taper and possesses full rotational symmetry. Despite its highly symmetric configuration, we observed significant second harmonic generation (SHG) and obtained good agreement between experimental results and theoretical predictions. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America
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    Detection and Position Location of Partial Discharges in Transformers Using Fiber Optic Sensors
    Song, Lijun (Virginia Tech, 2004-12-03)
    Power transformers are one of the most important components in the electrical energy network. Extending transformer life is very economically valuable due to power outage. Therefore the development of instruments to monitor the transformer condition is of great interest. Detection of partial discharges (PDs) in power transformers is an effective diagnostic because it may reveal and quantify an important aging factor and provide information on the condition of the transformer. However, partial discharge diagnostics are still not effectively used for online monitoring of transformers because of the complexity of PD measurements and difficulties of discriminating of PDs and other noise sources. This thesis presents a further study of detection and location of partial discharges in power transformers based on previous work conducted at the Center for Photonics Technology (CPT) at Virginia Tech. The detection and positioning system consists of multiple extrinsic Fabry-Parot interferometric (EFPI) fiber acoustic sensors which can survive the harsh environment of oil-filled transformers. This thesis work is focused on optimal arrangement of multiple sensors to monitor and locate PD activities in a power transformer. This includes the following aspects. First, the sensor design requirements are discussed in order to successfully detect and accurately position the PD sources. In the following sections, Finite Element Method (FEM) is used to model the EFPI sensor fabricated at CPT. Experiments were conducted to measure the angular dependence of the frequency response of the sensor. It is shown that within the range of ±45º incident angles, the sensitivity varies by 3-5dB. Finally, the thesis demonstrates a PD positioning experiment in a 500 gallon water tank (R à H = 74" à 30" cylinder) using a hyperbolic positioning algorithm and time difference of arrival (TDOA). Finally we demonstrated that 100% of the positioning data is bounded by a 22.7à 4.1à 5.3 mm₃ cube, with a sensing range of 810 mm using the leading edge method with FIR filtering.