High-sensitivity and directional-identification fiber magnetic field sensor via polarimetric fiber ring laser with a fiber Faraday rotator

A highly sensitive fiber magnetic field sensor with directional identification utilizing multi-longitudinal-mode fiber ring laser (FRL) based on polarization-mode beat frequency (PMBF) is experimentally demonstrated. A bismuth-doped iron garnet (BIG), as a kind of fiber Faraday rotator, is embedded in the FRL and serves as a fiber magnetic field probe, whose birefringence shows strong dependence on the external magnetic field due to magneto-optical Faraday effect, leading to the frequency drift of PMBF. Thus, the external magnetic field can be characterized by monitoring the change in a certain PMBF. Additionally, the drift direction of the tracked PMBF is closely related to the applied magnetic field direction, which is attributed to the non-reciprocity of Faraday magneto-optical rotation. Therefore, it shows the good ability to distinguish the applied forward (positive) and reverse (negative) magnetic field. The experimental results reveal that the tracked PMBF signal near 100 MHz has opposite frequency drift signs in the forward (positive) range of 0–20 mT and reverse (negative) range of 0 - −20 mT, which can be used to identify the axial orientation of the applied magnetic field. Additionally, it shows the maximum magnetic field sensitivities of −100.76 and −105.73 kHz/mT in the positive and negative magnetic field ranges, respectively. The designed device makes full use of the advantages of the fiber laser that rapidly demodulates the magnetic field with the help of high-speed digital processing technology, as well as fast response, high integration and low cost of fiber Faraday rotator, offering potentials in high-sensitivity magnetic field measurement in a confined space.