Open Access
Multidirectional bending sensor using capillary fibers and machine learning for real-time applications
(IEEE, 2025-02-25) Vanegas Tenezaca, Evelyn Dayanara; Galarza Galarza, Marko; Dauliat, Romain; Jamier, Raphael; Roy, Philippe; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoa eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritza; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Universidad Publica de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
In this article, the design and implementation of a bidirectional curvature sensor based on a fiber-optic interferometer are presented. The sensor structure was fabricated by fusing a capillary fiber fragment between single-mode fibers (SMFs), with the addition of a long end capillary to promote a long interferometric section, forming a Fabry-Perot (FP) cavity. Detailed analysis of the curvature data was carried out using machine learning techniques, allowing accurate classification of curvature in both directions of rotation. The experimental results showed excellent agreement (R2: 0.9998) with the predicted values. The sensor exhibits a maximum error of 1.9485°. This approach presents significant potential for applications requiring accurate real-time curvature measurements.
Open Access
Compound lasing fiber optic ring resonators for sensing
(SPIE, 2014-06-02) Rota Rodrigo, Sergio; González Herráez, Miguel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoa eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritza
In this work, we present a new method for increasing simultaneously the sensitivity and interrogation stability of fiberoptic intensity sensors. The configuration is based on a double-coupler ring resonator. On one side, the attenuation sensitivity of the sensor is enhanced by placing it inside a ring resonator. On the other side, the stability of the interrogation method is rendered close to perfect by creating an external lasing ring resonator with matched spectral response. The resulting lasers allow the stable interrogation of the sensors with an impressive sensitivity enhancement. In our experiments, the dynamic range of the intensity sensor (and consequently its sensitivity) is increased 15 dB by using this laser-based interrogation system. Simultaneously, the instability of the system is reduced to ±0.05 dB. In comparison with systems based on external interrogation, our method is >100 times more stable and also simpler, as no wavelength tunable elements are required.
Open Access
High resolution liquid level measurement using a multisection interferometer based on capillary fibers
(IEEE, 2024-08-05) Vanegas Tenezaca, Evelyn Dayanara; Galarza Galarza, Marko; Dauliat, Romain; Jamier, Raphael; Roy, Philippe; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoa eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritza; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
This paper presents a novel capillary structure for liquid level measurement. The multifiber interferometric structure, which employs two capillary sections, is well-suited to the measurement of liquid levels in both short distances and with high resolution. The measurement range extends up to 60 mm with a resolution of 0.70 mm.
Open Access
Interferometric vs wavelength selective optical fiber sensors for cryogenic temperature measurements
(SPIE, 2017) Miguel Soto, Verónica de; Leandro González, Daniel; López Aldaba, Aitor; Beato López, Juan Jesús; Pérez de Landazábal Berganzo, José Ignacio; Auguste, Jean-Louis; Jamier, Raphael; Roy, Philippe; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa; Fisika; Institute for Advanced Materials and Mathematics - INAMAT2; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Física
In this work, a preliminary study of the behavior of two different interferometric fiber optic sensors and two different wavelength selective fiber optic sensors is performed. A photonic cristal fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometer, a Sagnac interferometer, a commercial fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and a π-phase shifted fiber Bragg grating interrogated in a random distributed feedback fiber laser are analyzed. A comparison of their sensitivities and resolutions is carried out to analyze their performance as sensors for cryogenic temperatures, taking into account their advantages and drawbacks.
Open Access
An in-reflection strain sensing head based on a Hi-Bi photonic crystal fiber
(MDPI, 2013) Rota Rodrigo, Sergio; Rodrigues Pinto, Ana Margarida; Bravo Acha, Mikel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa
A photonic crystal fiber-based sensing head is proposed for strain measurements. The sensor comprises a Hi-Bi PCF sensing head to measure interferometric signals in-reflection. An experimental background study of the sensing head is conducted through an optical backscatter reflectometer confirming the theoretical predictions, also included. A cost effective setup is proposed where a laser is used as illumination source, which allows accurate high precision strain measurements. Thus, a sensitivity of ~7.96 dB/me was achieved in a linear region of 1,200 μe.
Open Access
Polyaniline deposition on tilted fiber Bragg grating for pH sensing
(SPIE, 2017) López Aldaba, Aitor; González Vila, Á.; Debliquy, M.; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Caucheteur, C.; Lahem, D.; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa
In this paper, we present the results of a new pH sensor based on a polyaniline (PAni) coating on the surface of a tilted fiber Bragg grating. The pH-sensitive PAni was deposited by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization. The performance of the fabricated pH sensor was tested and the obtained pH values were compared with the results obtained using a pH meter device. It was found that the sensor exhibits response to pH changes in the range of 2-12, achieving a sensitivity of 46 pm/pH with a maximum error due to the hysteresis effect of ±1.14 pH. The main advantages of this PAni-TFBG pH sensor are biochemical compatibility, temperature independence, long-term stability and remote real-time multipoint sensing features. This type of sensor could be used for biochemical applications, pipeline corrosion monitoring or remote-multipoint measurements.
Open Access
Compound lasing fiber optic ring resonators for sensor sensitivity enhancement
(IEEE / OSA, 2015) Rota Rodrigo, Sergio; González Herráez, Miguel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa
In this work, a new method for increasing simultaneously the sensitivity and interrogation stability of fiberoptic intensity sensors is presented. The configuration is based on a double-coupler ring resonator. On one side, the attenuation sensitivity of the sensor is enhanced by placing it inside a ring resonator. On the other side, the stability of the interrogation method is widely improved by creating an external lasing ring resonator with matched spectral response. The combination of the wavelength selective response of the ring resonator and optical amplification from Er-doped fiber amplifier is used to create different fiber lasers. The resulting lasers present an impressive sensitivity enhancement and a dynamic range increment up to 15 dB. Simultaneously, the instability of the system is reduced to ±0.05 dB. In comparison with systems based on tunable laser interrogation, our method is >100 times more stable and also simpler, as no wavelength tunable elements are required.
Open Access
Study of optical fiber sensors for cryogenic temperature measurements
(MDPI, 2017) Miguel Soto, Verónica de; Leandro González, Daniel; López Aldaba, Aitor; Beato López, Juan Jesús; Pérez de Landazábal Berganzo, José Ignacio; Auguste, Jean-Louis; Jamier, Raphael; Roy, Philippe; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa; Fisika; Institute for Advanced Materials and Mathematics - INAMAT2; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Física; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
In this work, the performance of five different fiber optic sensors at cryogenic temperatures has been analyzed. A photonic crystal fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometer, two Sagnac interferometers, a commercial fiber Bragg grating (FBG), and a -phase shifted fiber Bragg grating interrogated in In this work, the performance of five different fiber optic sensors at cryogenic temperatures has been analyzed. A photonic crystal fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometer, two Sagnac interferometers, a commercial fiber Bragg grating (FBG), and a π-phase shifted fiber Bragg grating interrogated in a random distributed feedback fiber laser have been studied. Their sensitivities and resolutions as sensors for cryogenic temperatures have been compared regarding their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, the results have been compared with the given by a commercial optical backscatter reflectometer that allowed for distributed temperature measurements of a single mode fiber.
Open Access
Micro-drilled optical fiber for enhanced laser strain sensors
(SPIE, 2019) Pérez Herrera, Rosa Ana; Bravo Acha, Mikel; Roldán Varona, Pablo; Leandro González, Daniel; Rodríguez Cobo, Luis; López Higuera, José Miguel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
In this work, we present an experimental measurement of temperature and strain sensitivities of a micro-drilled optical fiber (MDOF). The MDOF consisted of a quasi-randomly distributed reflector along a single mode fiber (SMF). A fiber cavity laser based on MDOF was experimentally studied, attaining a single-wavelength laser emission centered at 1568.6nm. The output power level obtained from this single-laser oscillation when pumped at 140mW was around - 9.6dBm, and an optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) of around 45dB was measured. Although temperature sensitivities of fiber Bragg gratings used as sensors are similar to our MDOF, strain sensitivity is enhanced around one order of magnitude when the MDOF was used.
Open Access
Design of optical fiber Bragg grating-based sensors for flow measurement in pipes
(Taylor & Francis, 2023) Diéguez Elizondo, Pedro; Rodríguez Rodríguez, Armando; Urroz Unzueta, José Carlos; López Rodríguez, José Javier; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniería; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniaritza; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
In this work, optical Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors were used to measure water flow in pipes. Several types of coatings were incorporated into the design of the sensors to examine their effects on the elastic strain that the fiber underwent as a result of the water flow. ANSYS-CFX V2020 R2 software was used to model the elastic strain encountered by the fiber under various flow rates in order to assess the performance of the FBG sensors. The calculations and experimental data exhibited good convergence, demonstrating the accuracy of the FBG sensors in determining water flow. These calculations and procedures can be extrapolated to any other fluid.