Cascaded-cavity fabry-perot interferometric gas pressure sensor based on vernier effect

Abstract

An extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) composed of double fiber FP cavities in a glass capillary tube to generate Vernier effect has been fabricated and employed for gas pressure sensing. A lead-in single-mode fiber (LSMF) and a reflective single-mode fiber (RSMF) were inserted into the capillary tube to form a FP cavity. Femtosecond (fs) laser was used to ablate openings on a capillary tube for gas passage to the FP cavity. A fusion hole was also drilled on the end face of a SMF by fs laser. The sensitivity of the sensor is enhanced due to Vernier effect. Experimental results show that the sensitivity was as high as 86.64 nm/MPa in the range of 0~0.6 MPa, which is 32.8 times larger than that of an open-cavity EFPI sensor without Vernier effect. The temperature cross-sensitivity of the sensor was measured to be about 5.18 KPa/°C. The proposed sensor was characterized by its high sensitivity, compact structure and ease of fabrication, and would have extensive application prospects in gas sensing fields.