Humidity Sensing Using a Multimode Fiber Ring Laser with Thermal Compensation

Abstract

We propose a multimode fiber laser sensor utilizing PI-SMF (polyimide-coated single mode fiber) for low-error relative humidity (RH) measurement, which is temperature compensated based on FBG. The PI-SMF in the laser cavity is used as a sensing element, and its length varies with humidity and temperature by volume-variation induced strain, which leads to frequency shift of the longitudinal mode beat frequency signal (BFS). When the 2000 MHz BFS is selected as the sensing signal, a RH sensitivity of −2.68 kHz/%RH and a temperature sensitivity of −14.05 kHz/°C are achieved. The peak shift of the FBG-based laser emission spectrum is only sensitive to temperature rather than RH with a temperature sensitivity of 9.95 pm/°C, which is used as the temperature compensation for RH measurements. By monitoring the response of the BFS and the laser wavelength, the cross-sensitivity effect of RH and temperature is overcome, and low-error RH measurement in the temperature range of 20 to 65 °C is realized with errors within ±0.67 %RH (25 to 85 %RH). The scheme does not require the design and production of complex structures and hygroscopic material coating processes, owning the advantages of simple structure, easy operation and high accuracy, and is expected to be practically applied in food safety and environmental monitoring.