Temperature-hydrostatic pressure cross-sensitivity effect in elliptical-core, highly birefringent fibers

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Fiber Optic Sensors

Background:

• Highly birefringent (HB) fibers are susceptible to environmental factors like temperature and pressure.
• Understanding cross-sensitivity is crucial for accurate sensor performance.
• Existing methods may lack precision for weakly sensitive HB fibers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the cross-sensitivity coefficient between temperature and hydrostatic pressure in Corning elliptical-core HB fiber.
• To propose a novel measurement technique for quantifying cross-sensitivity effects.
• To validate the method's efficacy for weakly sensitive HB fibers.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a thermally compensated polarimetric sensor.
• Registering residual temperature drift under applied hydrostatic pressure.
• Employing specially chosen pressure values for precise measurement.

Main Results:

• Quantified the cross-sensitivity coefficient for temperature and hydrostatic pressure interactions.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method in weakly sensitive HB fibers.
• Provided accurate data on the interplay between thermal and pressure effects.

Conclusions:

• The developed method accurately determines cross-sensitivity in HB fibers.
• This technique is particularly valuable for characterizing weakly sensitive HB fibers.
• Accurate cross-sensitivity data enhances the reliability of fiber optic sensors in diverse environments.