Fast optical wavelength interrogator employing arrayed waveguide grating for distributed fiber Bragg grating sensors

A new type of interrogator for distributed fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors that employs an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) is proposed and its operating features are in detail investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The remedy for achieving the linear characteristics of wavelength detection as well as for insuring the reliable and environmentally stable operation of interrogation is proposed and its usefulness is demonstrated in good agreement with the experimental results. The developed interrogator consists of a fully passive, small, all-solid, rugged optical IC and can detect wavelengths of a great number of FBG sensors with high precision better than 0.5 pm and high speed.