An Optical Fiber Fabry–Perot Pressure Sensor with Optimized Thin Microbubble Film Shaping for Sensitivity Enhancement

Abstract

A pressure-assisted arc discharge method of preparing silicon microbubbles with a glass tube was utilized for decreasing the bubble film’s thickness and improving the bubble’s uniformity. By controlling the arc discharge intensity, discharge time and the position of the fiber carefully, the thickness of the microbubble film was reduced to the micrometer scale. Later, the thin film of the microbubble was transferred to the end the single-mode-fiber/glass-tube structure, for forming the FP (Fabry–Perot) interference cavity. As the thin film is sensitive to the outer pressure, such a configuration could be used for a high-sensitive-pressure measurement. Experimental results show that the sensitivity of this FP (Fabry–Perot) cavity was 6790 pm/MPa when the outer pressure ranges from 100 to 1600 kPa, and the relationship between the structural parameters of the thin film and the outer pressure was theoretically analyzed. Moreover, this special structure made of the end silicon film microbubble is more suitable for high-sensitivity applications.