Excerpt from the Proceedings of the COMSOL Conference 2009 Milan

A Study of Optical Sensor Based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)

Using COMSOL Multiphysics
C. Gavrila*1, I. Lancranjan2
1
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest, Romania,
2
Advanced Study Centre - National Institute for Aerospace Research “Elie Carafoli”, Bucharest,
Romania
*Corresponding author: 66, Pache Protopopescu Blvd, Sector 2, 021414 Bucharest, Romania,
[email protected]

Abstract: Fiber optic sensors can measure a large important structural materials for smart structure
range of physical, chemical and environmental applications [1 – 7].
variables such as temperature, pressure, shape,
position, chemical concentration, moisture, etc. Fiber 2. Theory
optic sensors provide measurements in applications
where the conventional electrical based sensors In Figure 1, the schematics of a fiber optic sensor
cannot be used, due to measurement requirements using a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) is presented.
such as extreme temperature, small size, high sensor It is formed by two Bragg grating reflectors of
count, or high electromagnetic energy or radiation reflectance R1 and R2 separated by a fiber optic
environments. In this paper, we propose a study of an portion of length L.
optical sensor based on a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)
setup arrangement using COMSOL Multiphysics.
The effect of environmental parameters on the
composite material machine part is observed by the
modification of the length (L) of the Fabry-Perot
interferometer formed by two Bragg grating mirrors.
This variation can be studied by a transmission
spectroscopy measurement. The developed Figure 1 - Schematic of the analyzed Fiber Bragg Grating
COMSOL Multiphysics sensor model takes into sensor.
account the interaction of Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) The individual Bragg grating reflectors in the
with composite material. FPI can be characterized by transmittances Ti and
reflectance Ri, i = 1, 2, such that Ri + Ti = 1 The
Keywords: Fabry-Perot Interferometer, optic fiber, Fabry–Perot reflectance RFP and transmittance TFP are
Bragg grating reflector found to be

1. Introduction R1 + R 2 + 2 R1 R 2 cos φ
R FP = (1)
1 + R1 R 2 + 2 R1 R 2 cos φ
The paper presents an attempt in modeling a new
T1T2
class of sensors used into an increasing number of T FP = (2)
applications, namely the Bragg grating fiber optic 1 + R1 R 2 + 2 R1 R 2 cos φ
sensors. In-fiber grating-based sensors have many
RFP represents the ratio of the power reflected by the
advantages over conventional electric and alternative FPI, Pr, to the incident power on the FPI, Pi. TFP is
fiber optic sensor configurations. They are relatively
the ratio of the transmitted power Pt to the incident
straight-forward, inexpensive to produce, immune to
power, Pi. represents the round-trip propagation
electromagnetic (EM) interference and interruption, phase shift in the interferometer, defined by:
lightweight, small in size, and self-referencing with a
4πnL
linear response. Most significantly, their wave- φ= (3)
length-encoding multiplexing capability allows tens λ
of gratings in a single piece of fiber to form an In Eq. (3) n is the refractive index of the region
optical data-bus network. The combination of their between the mirrors and λ the free space optical
multiplexing capability and inherent compatibility wavelength. It has been assumed that the light
with fiber reinforced composite materials permits in- experiences a π/2 phase shift at each reflection, as
fiber gratings to be embedded in a number of appropriate for dielectric mirrors, which is added to
the propagation phase shift of Eq. (3).
It is evident from Eq. (2.2) that TFP is a maximum for fiber in which the core refractive index is modulated
cos φ = −1 (4) periodically. As depicted in Figure 2, this structure
and acts as a highly wavelength-selective reflection filter
φ = (2m + 1)π (5) with the wavelength of the peak reflectivity, λB,
determined by the phase matching condition.
with m an integer. If we define
Δ = φ − (2m + 1)π (6)
then near a maximum in TFP,
⎛ Δ2 ⎞
cos φ ≈ −⎜1 − ⎟ (7)
⎜ 2 ⎟⎠
⎝
with
Δ ≤1 (8)
In the case that the mirror reflectances are equal and
approach unity, then Eq. (2) simplifies to
T2
T FP = (9)
(1 − R ) 2 + RΔ2
where R = R1 = R2 and T = 1 – R. The maximum Figure 2 - Schematic diagram of structure and spectral
transmittance occurs when Δ = 0 [1-5]. response of fiber Bragg grating.
Another limiting case where the mirror reflectances The wavelength of the peak reflectivity, λB, is
are low is of particular interest in the case of the fiber defined as
Fabry–Perot sensors. Assuming once again that the λ B = 2n eff Λ (12)
mirrors have equal reflectances, it follows from Eqs. where neff is the effective refractive index of the
(1) and (2) that if R << 1, then guided mode in the fiber, and Λ is the period of the
R FP = 2 R (cos φ + 1) (10) refractive index modulation with a form of
and ⎛ ⎛ 2πz ⎞ ⎞
T FP ≅ 1 − 2 R (cos φ + 1) (11) n( z ) = n co + δn⎜⎜ cos⎜ ⎟ + 1⎟⎟ (13)
⎝ ⎝ Λ ⎠ ⎠
The fiber Fabry–Perot sensors that have evolved from
In Eq.(13) nco is the unexposed core refractive index
early works are generally classified as intrinsic or
and δn is the amplitude of the photo-induced index
extrinsic. In both intrinsic and extrinsic sensors, a
excursion. This periodical index-modulated structure
fiber (in most cases, single mode) transports light
enables the light to be coupled from the forward-
from an emitter to the interferometer and from the
propagating core mode into the backward-
interferometer to a photo detector. In an intrinsic
propagating core mode, generating a reflection
fiber Fabry–Perot interferometer sensor, generally
response [1 – 7].
termed an “FFPI” sensor, the two mirrors are
The sensing function of an FBG derives from the
separated by a length of single-mode fiber and the
sensitivity of both the refractive index and grating
measured affects the optical path length of the light
period to externally apply mechanical or thermal
propagating in the fiber itself. In an extrinsic fiber-
perturbations. The strain field affects the response of
based Fabry–Perot sensor, generally referred to as an
an FBG directly, through the expansion and
“EFPI” sensor, the two mirrors are separated by an
compression of the grating pitch size and through the
air gap or by some solid material other than the fiber.
strain-optic effect—that is, the strain-induced
Thus, in the EFPI sensor the measured affects the
modification of the refractive index. The temperature
optical path length in a medium other than the fiber
sensitivity of an FBG occurs principally through the
that transports the monitoring light to and from the
effect on the induced refractive index change and, to
interferometer. Both FFPIs and EFPIs are designed
a lesser extent, on the thermal expansion coefficient
such that a measured affects the optical length of the
of the fiber. Thus, the peak reflected wavelength
cavity, and light reflected or transmitted by the
shifts by an amount ΔλB in response to strain ε and
interferometer is converted by a photo detector to an
temperature change ΔT as given by
electrical signal that is processed electronically to
Δλ B
evaluate the measured.
λB
[ ( ) ]
= Pe ε + Pe α s − α f + ξ ΔT (14)
The analysis of the schematic of a Fiber Bragg
Grating sensor presented in Figure 1 leads to an The sensor function of the setup presented in
elementary study of Bragg grating reflector. It Figure 1, a setup based on the use of a Fabry – Perot
consists of a short section of single-mode optical etalon formed of two Bragg grating reflectors, is
performed by temperature and strain induced
variations of L and/or λB [4 – 11].

3. Results and Discussion

The COMSOL Multiphysics program is used to

simulate the propagation of the test laser beam inside
a mono mode fiber optic in order to evaluate the
Fabry-Perot interferometer transmittance. The Figure 5 - Geometry of the Bragg grating fiber optic
variations of the two Bragg reflectors composing the embedded composite material. The COMSOL mesh grid
Fabry-Perot interferometer are considered. According can be observed.
to the COMSOL Multiphysics simulation results, the
role of Bragg grating reflectivity variation is In order to obtain more realistic results of the
dominant into the total Fabry-Perot etalon COMSOL Multiphysics simulation of the Fabry-
transmittance. We select 3D as the Space Perot interferometer with Bragg reflectors embedded
Dimension, then in the list of Physical Models the into a composite material, several usual receipts of it
following menu link is selected: COMSOL were considered. In Table 1 the materials used as the
Multiphysics > PDE Modes > Classical PDEs >
ingredients of these receipts are presented. The basic
PDE, General Form. We build the geometry of the
Fabry-Perot interferometer composed of two Bragg rule of thumb of these receipts was that the external
grating reflectors embedded into a piece of composite layers of the analyzed composite materials are made
material of a common structure for aeronautical of glass fiber, Kevlar or carbon fiber. In Table 1 the
applications. In the next step we fix the boundary considered thickness of each layer is mentioned.
settings, the mesh parameters (Figures 3, 4 and 5) and
compute the final solution, namely the variation of Table 1: The materials used for designing the
Fabry-Perot etalon transmittance with its length, for composite material test piece containing the embedded
various values of Bragg grating reflectivity (Figure Bragg grating fiber optic.
6). Material Thickness
COREMAT Lantor 3 ÷ 5 mm
Glass fiber sheet 250 ÷ 500 μm
Carbon fiber sheet 250 ÷ 500 μm
Kevlar sheet 250 ÷ 500 μm
Epoxy Resin 250 ÷ 500 μm

The parameters of Bragg grating optic fiber were

taken from common data sheets, especially the
Figure 3 - Geometry of the Bragg grating fiber optic geometric ones. This means that for building the
embedded composite material. COMSOL Multiphysics model geometry the total
optic fiber diameter was considered to be of 250 μm.
The core of the analyzed fiber optic sensor was
considered of 75 μm. The very different values of the
geometric parameters created some difficulties in
building the COMSOL Multiphysics model
geometry. The strain and/or temperature mechanical
loads of the composite material test pieces were
considered to modify the length L of the Fabry –
Perot etalon, and implicitly its transmittance. The
variation of the two Bragg grating reflectivity was
modeled by considering the temperature and/or strain
induced variation of the effective refractive index of
the guided mode in the fiber, neff and of the period of
the refractive index modulation, Λ.
Figure 4 - Details of the geometry of the Bragg grating In Figure 6 the simulation results obtained in the
fiber optic embedded composite material. The core and case of Fabry-Perot etalon transmittance variation
cladding of Bragg grating fiber optic can be observed. with L for several values of Bragg grating reflectivity
R1 and R2 are presented. The Bragg grating 5. References
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The obtained COMSOL Multiphysics models are
under development for fulfillment of aeronautic
industry design needs. The considered development
includes comparison with experimental results.