High-spatial-resolution ultrasonic sensor using a micro suspended-core fiber

Opt Express. 2018 Apr 16;26(8):10820-10832. doi: 10.1364/OE.26.010820.

Abstract

A high-resolution fiber-optic ultrasonic sensor based on a suspended-core fiber was designed and experimentally demonstrated. The intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer consisting of a micro suspended-core from acid corrosion of a grapefruit fiber proved highly sensitive to a wide range of ultrasonic wave (UW) frequencies. A compact interrogation system using spectral sideband filtering was constructed for UW detection. The sensor exhibited significantly improved spatial resolution and detection sensitivity by etching the suspended-core diameter to few microns. Sensor fabrication involves only fiber splicing and corrosion, which provide a self-shielding cladding surrounding and protecting the core from collisions. This sensor is an excellent candidate for high-quality UW detection.