TITLE:
Role of Flexible Macro Fibre Composite (MFC) Actuator on Bragg Wavelength Tuning in Microstructure Polymer Optical Fibre Long Period Grating for Strain Sensing Applications*
AUTHORS:
Asok K. Dikshit, Akhil Raj V. L.
KEYWORDS:
Microstructure Polymer Optical Fibre (mPOF); Long Period Grating (LPG); Macro Fibre Composite (MFC); Actuator; Strain Sensing; Blue Shifting
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Sensor Technology,
Vol.3 No.3,
September
12,
2013
ABSTRACT: The microstructure polymer optical fibre (mPOF) inscribed long period grating (LPG) offers a wide field of application in strain sensors arena within the materials elastic limit. Flexible innovative macro fibre composite (MFC) actuator generates electromechanical force under DC driving voltage. We propose a novel method for Bragg wavelength blue shifting through stretch tuning of mPOF LPG in axial direction under applied DC voltage on attached MFC with LPG. The grating period of mPOF LPG changes refractive index and causes blue shift of Bragg grating fibre wavelength. The shifting governs on the values of generated electromechanically strain transfer from flexible MFC to mPOF LPG and they have potential applications in strain sensor.