Miniature fiber acoustic sensors using a photonic-crystal membrane

This paper discusses recent developments in fiber acoustic sensors utilizing a miniature Fabry-Perot (FP) interferometer fabricated at the tip of a fiber. The FP is made of a high-reflectivity photonic-crystal membrane placed ∼30 μm from the reflective end of a single-mode fiber. When exposed to an acoustic wave the compliant membrane vibrates, and this vibration is detected as a modulation of the optical power reflected by the FP. The interferometer is enclosed in a sensor head designed, with the assistance of an electro-mechanical model, to minimize squeezed-film damping of the thin air gap between the reflectors and obtain a good acoustic response. The sensor head is fabricated out of silica elements and assembled with silicate bonding to minimize thermal expansion and ensure thermal stability. In the first sensor of this type the reflector at the fiber tip is a gold coating. It exhibits an average minimum detectable pressure (MDP) of 33 μPa/√Hz (1-30 kHz), a high thermal stability, and a weak polarization dependence. The second sensor incorporates several improvements, including a larger membrane for increased vibration amplitude, and higher reflectivity mirrors (PC and fiber tip) for increased displacement sensitivity. Its measured response is flat between ∼600 Hz and 20 kHz, with a normalized sensitivity as high as ∼0.17 Pa−1. Between 1 kHz and 30 kHz its average MDP is ∼2.6 μPa/√Hz, the lowest reported value for a fiber acoustic sensor this small. These results demonstrate the promising potential of this class of stable and compact optical sensors for highly sensitive detection in the audible range.