Power control and temperature sensing for fiber-powered active sensors

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Sensor Technology
• Fiber Optics

Background:

• Active sensors require stable optical power for reliable operation.
• Fiber optic communication systems face challenges from temperature fluctuations and signal attenuation.
• Existing power control methods may lack precision or adaptability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate a feedback optical power control technique for fiber powering active sensors.
• To enhance the stability and reliability of active sensor performance.
• To mitigate power variations caused by environmental factors.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a remote 1480 nm high-power laser for powering active sensors (1310 nm Fabry-Perot or 1550 nm DFB lasers).
• Employed indium phosphide photovoltaic cells (1000-1600 nm) for light-to-electricity conversion.
• Implemented a feedback control system to regulate optical power delivery.

Main Results:

• The control system maintained sensor optical power with less than 0.2 dB variation.
• Power stability was achieved across a temperature range of 23 to 100 degrees C.
• The system demonstrated robustness against fiber link attenuation variations from 0 to 10 dB.

Conclusions:

• The proposed feedback optical power control technique effectively stabilizes power for active fiber optic sensors.
• This method significantly improves sensor reliability under varying environmental conditions.
• The technology is suitable for demanding optical sensing applications requiring high power stability.