Embedded Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) Sensors Fabricated by Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing for High-Frequency Dynamic Strain Measurements

• Published in: IEEE sensors journal Vol. 24; no. 3; p. 1
• Main Authors: Zhao, Jieru, Dong, Wen, Hinds, Thomas, Li, Yuqi, Splain, Zach, Zhong, Shuda, Wang, Qirui, Bajaj, Nikhil, To, Albert, Ahmed, Moinuddin, Petrie, Christian M., Chen, Kevin P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-02-2024; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Bragg gratings; Coated fibers; Dynamic Strain Measurement; Embedded sensor; Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG); Fiber gratings; Finite element method; High speed; Interrogation; Manufacturing; MATERIALS SCIENCE; Optical device fabrication; Optical fiber measurement applications; Optical fiber sensors; Optical fibers; Sensors; Strain measurement; Temperature measurement; Temperature sensors; Tunable lasers; Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM); Vertical cavity surface emission lasers; Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers
• ISSN: 1530-437X; 1558-1748
• DOI: 10.1109/JSEN.2023.3343604

This paper demonstrates high-frequency dynamic strain measurements using Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors embedded in metal parts. Using an ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) process, FBGs inscribed in polyimide coated optical fibers were embedded in aluminum parts. An electromagnetic shaker was used to exert dynamic events on the embedded FBG sensors with frequencies from 1-10 kHz. The high-speed interrogation of FBG sensors was accomplished using a tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and a high-speed interrogation system sampling at 120 kHz. The strain response measured by the FBG sensors was compared with real-time measurements using a laser velocimeter. Finite Element Analysis was performed to simulate responses to both static strain and high-frequency dynamic strain. Results show that strains as small as 2.5 μ can be resolved at frequencies up to 10 kHz.