Self-repairing polymer optical fiber sensor

Abstract

This article presents experimental demonstrations of a self-repairing strain sensor waveguide created by self-writing in a photopolymerizable resin system. The sensor fabricates between two multi-mode optical fibers via lightwaves in the ultraviolet (UV) wavelength range and operates as a sensor through interrogation of the power transmitted through the waveguide in the infrared (IR) wavelength range. After failure of the sensor occurs due to loading, the waveguide rebridges the gap between the two optical fibers through the UV resin. The response of the original sensor and the selfrepaired sensor to strain are measured and show similar behaviors.