Electric field detection with a piezoelectric polymer-jacketed single-mode optical fiber

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Electric field detection is crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Traditional methods for electric field measurement can be limited in sensitivity and scope.
• Optical fiber sensing offers a promising alternative due to its immunity to electromagnetic interference.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and theoretically analyze a novel method for electric field detection using a piezoelectric polymer-jacketed single-mode optical fiber.
• To investigate the relationship between the fiber's jacket radius and its sensitivity to electric fields.
• To estimate the minimum detectable electric field strength achievable with this sensor configuration.

Main Methods:

• The proposed sensor utilizes a Mach-Zehnder fiber-optic interferometer configuration.
• A single-mode optical fiber jacketed with a piezoelectric polymer, specifically poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), is employed as the sensing element.
• Theoretical calculations are performed to determine the fractional phase change induced by an applied electric field as a function of the PVDF jacket's radius.

Main Results:

• The fractional phase change per unit electric field strength was calculated for the PVDF-jacketed fiber.
• The study presents the dependence of this sensitivity on the jacket radius.
• A minimum detectable electric field strength of 6.0 microV/m was theoretically estimated for a 1-km fiber length.

Conclusions:

• Piezoelectric polymer-jacketed optical fibers offer a viable approach for sensitive electric field detection.
• The sensor's performance, particularly its sensitivity, can be optimized by adjusting the jacket radius.
• This technology holds potential for advanced electric field monitoring applications.