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Title: High Pressure Sensing and Dynamics Using High Speed Fiber Bragg Grating Interrogation Systems

Conference · · Proc. SPIE 9098, Fiber Optic Sensors and Applications XI
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2054600· OSTI ID:1178806

Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are developing into useful sensing tools for measuring high pressure dynamics in extreme environments under shock loading conditions. Approaches using traditional diode array coupled FBG interrogation systems are often limited to readout speeds in the sub-MHz range. For shock wave physics, required detection speeds approaching 100 MHz are desired. We explore the use of two types of FBG sensing systems that are aimed at applying this technology as embedded high pressure probes for transient shock events. Both approaches measure time resolved spectral shifts in the return light from short (few mm long) uniform FBGs at 1550 nm. In the first approach, we use a fiber coupled spectrometer to demultiplex spectral channels into an array (up to 12) of single element InGaAs photoreceivers. By monitoring the detectors during a shock impact event with high speed recording, we are able to track the pressure induced spectral shifting in FBG down to a time resolution of 20 ns. In the second approach, developed at the Special Technologies Lab, a coherent mode-locked fiber laser is used to illuminate the FBG sensor. After the sensor, wavelength-to-time mapping is accomplished with a chromatic dispersive element, and entire spectra are sampled using a single detector at the modelocked laser repetition rate of 50 MHz. By sampling with a 12 GHz InGaAs detector, direct wavelength mapping in time is recorded, and the pressure induced FBG spectral shift is sampled at 50 MHz. Here, the sensing systems are used to monitor the spectral shifts of FBGs that are immersed into liquid water and shock compressed using explosives. In this configuration, the gratings survive to pressures approaching 50 kbar. We describe both approaches and present the measured spectral shifts from the shock experiments.

Research Organization:
Nevada Test Site (NTS), Mercury, NV (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Programs (DP)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC52-06NA25396; DE-AC52-06NA25946.
OSTI ID:
1178806
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-14-22492; DOE/NV/25946-2097
Journal Information:
Proc. SPIE 9098, Fiber Optic Sensors and Applications XI, Vol. 9098, Issue 90980C; Conference: SPIE DSS Sensing Technology & Applications 2014: Fiber Sensors and Applications XI, May 5-9, 2014, Baltimore, MD USA
Publisher:
SPIE
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English