A novel type of fiber optic displacement sensor based on Gaussian beam interference

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 234; no. 1; pp. 163 - 168
• Main Authors: Qiu, Taiqing, Kuo, Long-Sheng, Yeh, Hsien-Chi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.04.2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Displacement measurement; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fiber optic sensors; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; Interference; Measurements common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Metrology, measurements and laboratory procedures; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Optical interference; Optics; Physics; Position-sensitive detectors; Spatial dimensions (e.g.: position, lengths, volume, angles, displacements, including nanometer-scale displacements); Spatial dimensions (eg, position, lengths, volume, angles, displacements, including nanometer-scale displacements); Wave optics; 29.40.G; Optical interference; 42.81.P; Displacement measurement; Position-sensitive detectors; 06.30.B; 42.25.H; Fiber optic sensors; Gaussian beam; Non destructive method; Dielectric materials; Least squares method; Displacement sensor; Refraction index; Theoretical study; Position sensitive detector; Manufacturing
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2004.02.017

Developing a high-precision and nondestructive displacement sensor is always an essential issue of ultra-precision manufacturing engineering. This article presents the working principle and the preliminary results of a prototype of fiber optic displacement sensor that could be applied to insulating, dielectric and optical transparent surfaces. Phenomena described in the theoretical model include transmission, reflection and interference of Gaussian laser beams within a compact sensor space. The geometrical dimensions of sensor, the polarization and the wavelength of incident light and the refractive index of sample surface characterize the performance of sensor. By using nonlinear least squares fitting with the experimental data to the simulated result, we verify the model of Gaussian beam interference for fiber optic sensing. In addition, the nanometer resolution of fiber optic displacement sensor is also approved.