Fiber optic sensors mainly consist of a light source, an incident fiber, an outgoing fiber, an optical modulator, a photodetector, and a demodulator.
During operation, the light source enters the optical modulation region through the incident fiber. The physical quantity to be measured (such as pressure, temperature, displacement, etc.) acts on the modulator in the sensor, causing changes in parameters such as intensity, frequency, phase, and polarization state of the light wave transmitted in the fiber. The photodetector receives the changed light and converts the signal change into a physical measurement value through calculation.
Main Types of Fiber Optic Sensors
Fiber optic sensors can be divided into two main categories according to their structure: functional fiber optic sensors and non-functional fiber optic sensors.
Functional Fiber Optic Sensors
These utilize optical fibers (or special optical fibers) that are sensitive to and capable of detecting external information as sensing elements. The light transmitted within the fiber is modulated, causing changes in its intensity, phase, frequency, or polarization state. The modulated signal is then demodulated to obtain the measured signal.
These functional fiber optic sensors are characterized by their compact structure, strong compatibility, and high sensitivity, but require special optical fibers and are therefore costly. They are often used in environments requiring high measurement accuracy and sensitivity, and are unaffected by electromagnetic interference, such as structural health monitoring of bridges, tunnels, and in aerospace and defense.
The SFO-W fiber optic strain sensor is designed for civil engineering applications, specifically for monitoring the stability of building structures. Its sensitivity and resolution can reach 0.01%.
Non-functional Fiber Optic Sensors
Non-functional sensors use independent sensing elements located at the end of the optical fiber for light modulation. The optical fiber only serves as a signal transmission medium, transmitting light to and from external elements; the measurement is performed on the entire external element.
Non-functional fiber optic sensors are characterized by not requiring special optical fibers, low cost, independently optimizable sensing elements, and lower sensitivity. They are often used in applications where high detection accuracy is not required, localized point measurements are needed, and in harsh electrical environments.
The above is a brief introduction to fiber optic sensor types. OFweek Mall offers a wide variety of fiber optic sensors for wholesale. Welcome to visit our store for more information.
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