Performance limitation of fiber optic methane sensors due to interference effects

Author

Jin, Wei ; Stewart, George ; Culshaw, Brian ; Murray, S. ; Wilkinson, M. ; Norris, J.O.W.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electron. & Electr. Eng., Strathclyde Univ., Glasgow, UK

Volume

14

Issue

5

fYear

1996

fDate

5/1/1996 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

760

Lastpage

769

Abstract

We model interference effects in fiber optic methane sensors and predict the influence on the sensitivity. System sensitivity in terms of minimum detectable methane concentration is expressed as a function of birefringence, spectral transmission characteristics and polarization dependent loss of the fiber system, and the polarization and coherence characteristics of the light source. The sensitivity is calculated for various system arrangements and compared with existing experimental data. The model predicts that the interference effects may be minimized by using a depolarized broadband source (say, 30-50 nm) with a Gaussian spectral lineshape, together with a birefringence balanced sensor configuration

Keywords

Fabry-Perot interferometers; birefringence; fibre optic sensors; gas sensors; light coherence; optical fibre losses; optical fibre polarisation; Fabry-Perot interferometer; Gaussian spectral lineshape; birefringence; birefringence balanced sensor configuration; coherence characteristics; depolarized broadband source; fiber optic methane sensors; interference effects; minimum detectable methane concentration; performance limitation; polarization dependent loss; sensitivity; spectral transmission characteristics; Birefringence; Coherence; Interference; Optical fiber losses; Optical fiber polarization; Optical fiber sensors; Optical fibers; Predictive models; Propagation losses; Sensor phenomena and characterization;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.495156

Filename

495156