Underwater Acoustic Sensor with Fiber Bragg Grating

Abstract

A new type of underwater acoustic sensor is proposed with an optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG). Because of the photoelasticity with respect to the refractive index and the elasticity of the fiber, the sound pressure in water modulates the Bragg reflection wavelength and, in turn, the intensity of the laser light transmitted through the FBG fiber. Good linearity between the detected signal and the sound pressure is obtained in the range from 81 dB to 140 dB re 1 μPa. Since the upper and lower limits of the acoustic signal level for operation of the sensor are limited by the driving circuit and the transduction of the sound in water, the sensor is expected to operate with much larger dynamic range both at higher and lower pressure levels. Operation of the sensor is very stable with the insertion of optical isolators into the system, although without the isolators the output signal fluctuates at low frequency due to the Fabry-Perot interference effect between the FBG and the various facets.