Design of vibration-insensitive Sagnac fiber-optic current sensors using spun high-birefringence fibers

Abstract

A novel fiber-optic current sensing element is proposed to enhance sensor performance using spun high-birefringence fibers. Such element includes three fiber sections. Two terminal sections with a varying spin rate along the fiber are utilized to replace the fiber quarter-wave plates, each converting the light polarization state from linear to circular and vice versa. The middle section with a uniform spin rate is utilized as the current sensing fiber that maintains the circular polarization state during the light propagation. The fiber is also wound into a special geometric structure so that the Sagnac phase shift can be inherently eliminated, and the sensing result does not depend on the position of the current conductor. The evolution of the light polarization state was analyzed using coupled-mode theory with different polarization state incidents in the sensing fiber. A sensor scheme based on this type of spun fiber is also proposed.

Keywords:

• fiber-optic current sensor
• vibration insensitivity
• spun fibers

Funding

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 51207159], [grant number 61275149]; the Advanced Programs of Technological Activities for Overseas Scholars, and the Special Grade of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation [grant number 200902600].