Optical Publishing Center, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Image: (a) Demodulated diameter distribution before and after etching and its comparison with SEM results (AF). (b) Diameter change along the FUT. c Four representative images of fiber cross-sections at A, B, C, and E captured by SEM. see more
Image source: Hua Zijie, Ba Dexin, Zhou Dengwang, Li Yijia, Wang Yue, Bao Xiaoyi and Dong Yongkang
With the increase in the use of optical fiber, people pay more attention to the precise control and measurement of its diameter. This is because diameter is essential for a wide range of fields from high-speed optical communications to ultra-high sensitivity sensing. Handling the fiber before the measurement may permanently damage the fiber, especially when multi-point measurements are required.
In a new paper published in "Light: Advanced Manufacturing", a team of scientists led by Professor Dong Yongkang from the State Key Laboratory of Tunable Laser Technology of Harbin Institute of Technology has developed a unique technique that can measure the mechanical properties of optical fibers through Forward Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (FSBS). The paper entitled "Nano-resolution fiber diameter lossless distributed measurement based on coherent forward stimulated Brillouin scattering" attempts to protect the fiber during diameter measurement so that it can be implemented in the appropriate field.
In the past, scanning electron microscopes (SEM) or optical microscopes were widely used in many industries to image fiber cross-sections to measure fiber diameters. However, optical and electron microscopes are only suitable for point measurement. This measurement method is destructive because the fiber must be cut at the measurement location, causing irreversible damage. These traditional microscopy techniques involve a trade-off between resolution and the microscope field of view (FOV), limiting the resolution to approximately 100 nm and the fiber diameter to approximately 125 μm.
FSBS is a nonlinear optomechanical interaction between light field components and sound waves propagating in a shared medium. In this case, the process takes place in the forward direction, while the light tones can propagate together or back. It was first used in 1992 to monitor the diameter of a single-mode fiber. Under this paradigm, the research team introduced a new type of optomechanical protocol called optomechanical time domain analysis (OMTDA). They can measure the diameter of each part of an optical fiber up to several kilometers. At the same time, it achieves a significantly higher spatial resolution across the entire fiber axis.
What does it mean? In fact, it means a more direct and non-destructive optical fiber diameter detection method with an accuracy of several nanometers. Although this may seem sluggish, the scientific opportunity is huge.
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Li Yaobiao, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Liyaobiao@ciomp.ac.cn Office: 86-431-861-76851
Optical Publishing Center, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Copyright © 2021 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Copyright © 2021 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)