Acoustic Sensitivity Analysis of a Ring-type Probe Based on a Fiber-optic Sagnac Interferometric Sensor

To measure underwater acoustics using a fiber-optic Sagnac interferometric sensor, the sensitivities of ring-type probes are investigated by theoretical and experimental studies. A ring-type probe was fabricated by packaging a single-mode fiber wound around an acrylate cylinder of diameter 5 cm with epoxy bond. The probes were prepared as A-type, which was packaged with 46.84 m of sensing optical fiber, and B-type, which was packaged with 112.22 m of sensing fiber. The underwater acoustic test was performed at frequencies of 50, 70, and 90 kHz, and over a range of acoustic pressure of 20-100 Pa, to study the sensitivity. A commercial acoustic generator was located 1 m from the acoustic sensor, such as the ring-type probe or a commercial acoustic sensor. From the experimental test, the acoustic sensitivity of the ring-type probe had different values due to acoustic frequencies, unlike the theoretical prediction. Therefore, the experimental sensitivities were averaged for comparison to the theoretical values. These averaged sensitivities are 25.48 x 10(-5) rad/Pa for the A-type probe and 60.79 x 10(-5) rad/Pa for the B-type probe. The correction coefficient of Young's modulus e was determined to be 0.35.