We have experimentally investigated the birefringent properties of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) coils in cooperation with a Sagnac loop interferometer. By reducing the bending radius of the PCF coils, very clear interference patterns can be observed for the bending-induced stress effect. Increasing the fiber turns can result in more obvious interference patterns with smaller fringe spacing but has no contribution to the increment of the birefringence value. The fabricated PCF coil is employed in the transverse displacement sensing. Very high sensing sensitivity of 90.4 nm/mm can be achieved due to the large displacement-induced bending radius variations.

© 2011 OSA

1. A. Kumar and R. K. Varshney, “Propagation characteristics of dual-mode elliptical-core optical fibers,” Opt. Lett.14(15), 817–819 (1989). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. J. Noda, K. Okamoto, and Y. Sasaki, “Polarization-maintaining fibers and their applications,” J. Lightwave Technol.4(8), 1071–1089 (1986). [CrossRef]
3. P. St. J. Russell, “Photonic-Crystal Fibers,” J. Lightwave Technol.24(12), 4729–4749 (2006). [CrossRef]
4. A. Ortigosa-Blanch, J. C. Knight, W. J. Wadsworth, J. Arriaga, B. J. Mangan, T. A. Birks, and P. St. J. Russell, “Highly birefringent photonic crystal fibers,” Opt. Lett.25(18), 1325–1327 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. T. P. Hansen, J. Broeng, S. E. B. Libori, E. Knudsen, A. Bjarklev, J. R. Jensen, and H. Simonsen, “Highly birefringent index guiding photonic crystal fibers,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.13(6), 588–590 (2001). [CrossRef]
6. H. Y. Fu, H. Y. Tam, L.-Y. Shao, X. Dong, P. K. A. Wai, C. Lu, and S. K. Khijwania, “Pressure sensor realized with polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber-based Sagnac interferometer,” Appl. Opt.47(15), 2835–2839 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. W. Eickhoff, “Temperature sensing by mode-mode interference in birefringent optical fibers,” Opt. Lett.6(4), 204–206 (1981). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. F. C. Fávero, S. M. M. Quintero, C. Martelli, A. M. B. Braga, V. V. Silva, I. C. S. Carvalho, R. W. A. Llerena, and L. C. G. Valente, “Hydrostatic pressure sensing with high birefringence photonic crystal fibers,” Sensors (Basel Switzerland)10(11), 9698–9711 (2010). [CrossRef]
9. O. Frazão, J. M. Baptista, and J. L. Santos, “Temperature-independent strain sensor based on a Hi-Bi photonic crystal fiber loop mirror,” IEEE Sens. J.7(10), 1453–1455 (2007). [CrossRef]
10. O. Frazão, C. Jesus, J. M. Baptista, J. L. Santos, and P. Roy, “Fiber-optic interferometric torsion sensor based on a two-LP-mode operation in birefringent fiber,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.21(17), 1277–1279 (2009). [CrossRef]
11. R. Ulrich, S. C. Rashleigh, and W. Eickhoff, “Bending-induced birefringence in single-mode fibers,” Opt. Lett.5(6), 273–275 (1980). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. S. C. Rashleigh and R. Ulrich, “High birefringence in tension-coiled single-mode fibers,” Opt. Lett.5(8), 354–356 (1980). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. C. D. Perciante and J. A. Ferrari, “Cancellation of bending-induced birefringence in single-mode fibers: application to faraday sensors,” Appl. Opt.45(9), 1951–1956 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
14. J. Scheuer, “Fiber microcoil optical gyroscope,” Opt. Lett.34(11), 1630–1632 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. M. Sumetsky, “Optical microfiber coil delay line,” Opt. Express17(9), 7196–7205 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. F. Xu, P. Horak, and G. Brambilla, “Optical microfiber coil resonator refractometric sensor,” Opt. Express15(12), 7888–7893 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. M. Sumetsky, Y. Dulashko, and S. Ghalmi, “Fabrication of miniature optical fiber and microfiber coils,” Opt. Lasers Eng.48(3), 272–275 (2010). [CrossRef]
18. A. Bertholds and R. Dändliker, “High-resolution photoelastic pressure sensor using low-birefringence fiber,” Appl. Opt.25(3), 340–343 (1986). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
19. K. Bohnert, P. Gabus, J. Nehring, and H. Brandle, “Temperature and Vibration Insensitive Fiber-Optic Current Sensor,” J. Lightwave Technol.20(2), 267–276 (2002). [CrossRef]
20. D. Tang, A. H. Rose, G. W. Day, and S. M. Etzel, “Annealing of linear birefringence in single-mode fiber coils: Applications to optical fiber current sensors,” J. Lightwave Technol.9(8), 1031–1037 (1991). [CrossRef]
21. T. Sørensen, J. Broeng, A. Bjarklev, E. Knudsen, and S. E. Barkou Libori, “Macro-bending loss properties of photonic crystal fibre,” Electron. Lett.37(5), 287–289 (2001). [CrossRef]
22. M. Nielsen, N. Mortensen, M. Albertsen, J. Folkenberg, A. Bjarklev, and D. Bonacinni, “Predicting macrobending loss for large-mode area photonic crystal fibers,” Opt. Express12(8), 1775–1779 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
23. H. Zhang, B. Liu, Z. Wang, J. Luo, S. Wang, C. Jia, and X. Ma, “Temperature-insensitive displacement sensor based on high-birefringence photonic crystal fiber loop mirror,” Opt. Appl.40(1), 209–217 (2010).

Appl. Opt.

• H. Y. Fu, H. Y. Tam, L.-Y. Shao, X. Dong, P. K. A. Wai, C. Lu, and S. K. Khijwania, “Pressure sensor realized with polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber-based Sagnac interferometer,” Appl. Opt.47(15), 2835–2839 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• C. D. Perciante and J. A. Ferrari, “Cancellation of bending-induced birefringence in single-mode fibers: application to faraday sensors,” Appl. Opt.45(9), 1951–1956 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. Bertholds and R. Dändliker, “High-resolution photoelastic pressure sensor using low-birefringence fiber,” Appl. Opt.25(3), 340–343 (1986). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Electron. Lett.

• T. Sørensen, J. Broeng, A. Bjarklev, E. Knudsen, and S. E. Barkou Libori, “Macro-bending loss properties of photonic crystal fibre,” Electron. Lett.37(5), 287–289 (2001). [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.

• O. Frazão, C. Jesus, J. M. Baptista, J. L. Santos, and P. Roy, “Fiber-optic interferometric torsion sensor based on a two-LP-mode operation in birefringent fiber,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.21(17), 1277–1279 (2009). [CrossRef]
• T. P. Hansen, J. Broeng, S. E. B. Libori, E. Knudsen, A. Bjarklev, J. R. Jensen, and H. Simonsen, “Highly birefringent index guiding photonic crystal fibers,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.13(6), 588–590 (2001). [CrossRef]

IEEE Sens. J.

• O. Frazão, J. M. Baptista, and J. L. Santos, “Temperature-independent strain sensor based on a Hi-Bi photonic crystal fiber loop mirror,” IEEE Sens. J.7(10), 1453–1455 (2007). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• J. Noda, K. Okamoto, and Y. Sasaki, “Polarization-maintaining fibers and their applications,” J. Lightwave Technol.4(8), 1071–1089 (1986). [CrossRef]
• P. St. J. Russell, “Photonic-Crystal Fibers,” J. Lightwave Technol.24(12), 4729–4749 (2006). [CrossRef]
• K. Bohnert, P. Gabus, J. Nehring, and H. Brandle, “Temperature and Vibration Insensitive Fiber-Optic Current Sensor,” J. Lightwave Technol.20(2), 267–276 (2002). [CrossRef]
• D. Tang, A. H. Rose, G. W. Day, and S. M. Etzel, “Annealing of linear birefringence in single-mode fiber coils: Applications to optical fiber current sensors,” J. Lightwave Technol.9(8), 1031–1037 (1991). [CrossRef]

Opt. Appl.

• H. Zhang, B. Liu, Z. Wang, J. Luo, S. Wang, C. Jia, and X. Ma, “Temperature-insensitive displacement sensor based on high-birefringence photonic crystal fiber loop mirror,” Opt. Appl.40(1), 209–217 (2010).

Opt. Express

• M. Nielsen, N. Mortensen, M. Albertsen, J. Folkenberg, A. Bjarklev, and D. Bonacinni, “Predicting macrobending loss for large-mode area photonic crystal fibers,” Opt. Express12(8), 1775–1779 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Sumetsky, “Optical microfiber coil delay line,” Opt. Express17(9), 7196–7205 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• F. Xu, P. Horak, and G. Brambilla, “Optical microfiber coil resonator refractometric sensor,” Opt. Express15(12), 7888–7893 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lasers Eng.

• M. Sumetsky, Y. Dulashko, and S. Ghalmi, “Fabrication of miniature optical fiber and microfiber coils,” Opt. Lasers Eng.48(3), 272–275 (2010). [CrossRef]

Opt. Lett.

• J. Scheuer, “Fiber microcoil optical gyroscope,” Opt. Lett.34(11), 1630–1632 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. Ortigosa-Blanch, J. C. Knight, W. J. Wadsworth, J. Arriaga, B. J. Mangan, T. A. Birks, and P. St. J. Russell, “Highly birefringent photonic crystal fibers,” Opt. Lett.25(18), 1325–1327 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. Kumar and R. K. Varshney, “Propagation characteristics of dual-mode elliptical-core optical fibers,” Opt. Lett.14(15), 817–819 (1989). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• R. Ulrich, S. C. Rashleigh, and W. Eickhoff, “Bending-induced birefringence in single-mode fibers,” Opt. Lett.5(6), 273–275 (1980). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. C. Rashleigh and R. Ulrich, “High birefringence in tension-coiled single-mode fibers,” Opt. Lett.5(8), 354–356 (1980). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• W. Eickhoff, “Temperature sensing by mode-mode interference in birefringent optical fibers,” Opt. Lett.6(4), 204–206 (1981). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Sensors (Basel Switzerland)

• F. C. Fávero, S. M. M. Quintero, C. Martelli, A. M. B. Braga, V. V. Silva, I. C. S. Carvalho, R. W. A. Llerena, and L. C. G. Valente, “Hydrostatic pressure sensing with high birefringence photonic crystal fibers,” Sensors (Basel Switzerland)10(11), 9698–9711 (2010). [CrossRef]

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