Highly Sensitive Torsion Sensor Based on Sagnac Interferometer Using Side-Leakage Photonic Crystal Fiber

A highly sensitive torsion sensor, which can measure the torsion angle and determine the torsion direction simultaneously, is proposed and demonstrated based on Sagnac interferometer by incorporating a segment of novel side-leakage photonic crystal fiber (SLPCF). The SLPCF was designed by introducing an elliptical Ge-doped core and a symmetrical linear side-leakage defect. The experimental results show that the proposed sensor has different torsion sensitivities at different valley wavelengths and in different twist directions. The achieved maximum torsion sensitivity is about 0.9354 nm/^°, which is much higher than that of the previously reported torsion sensors. In order to eliminate the temperature effect and obtain an accurate value of the torsion angle, the matrix method is adopted.