Conventional fiber optic sensors used for critical monitoring often suffer from limited sensitivity and an inability to distinguish between different physical parameters or detect directional deformation.
To address this, researchers from the University of Basque Country (EHU) and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), have developed advanced sensing technologies that enhance sensitivity and enable precise directional deformation detection with simplified interrogation.
The first technology is a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) system consisting of an optical fiber device comprising a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber including first and second cores, each containing a fiber Bragg grating having the same reflection wavelength; bending produces changes in the reflectivity that depend on both the magnitude and the direction of bending, while the reflectivity does not depend on temperature.
The second technology consists of a composed multicore optical fiber interferometer formed by segments of the same three-core coupled multicore fiber spliced with a 180° rotation; supermodes are excited and external perturbations modify the phase difference, resulting in a single, well-defined reflection peak to determine both the magnitude and the direction of bending.
These solutions provide robust directional sensing capabilities, significantly improving sensitivity while simplifying the interrogation process compared to existing methods.
The FBG system has been validated in a laboratory scale and the researchers are already finishing the development of a functional prototype of the described technology and plan to compare its performance against other commercial technologies.
While the Multifiber fiber interformer has been validated in a laboratory scale and performed comparative tests with other commercially available multicore fibers.
Benefits (FBG system)
- Reduced temperature influence compared to conventional FBG
- Simplified architecture
- Simplified spectral processing
- Multi-parameter measurement capabilities
- Compatible with standard FBG systems.
Benefits (Interfermoteter)
- Higher sensitivity.
- Amplified response from the combination of two different-length MCF segments.
- Simplified spectral tracking.
- Allows directional detection
The represented institution is looking for a collaboration that leads to commercial exploitation of the presented invention.
Institution: Universidad del País Vasco (EHU)
TRL: 3-4
Protection Status: Granted European patents
Contact: Carlos G. Gredilla | c.gredilla@viromii.com