Development and preliminary data of integrated temperature-Insensitive lateral force sensor based on linear chirp Fiber Bragg Grating

Lateral force measurement using a cantilever ruler-beam (CRB) sensor based on linear chirp fiber Bragg grating (LCFBG) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The lateral force is determined by altering the reflection optical power of LCFBG of which an axial-strain gradient along its sensing is induced. The reflection spectrum intensity responds linearly and monotonically with lateral force increasing from 0 to approximate to 0.6 N. Experimental results demonstrate that the CRB force sensor can successfully achieve lateral forces prediction with less than 0.0015 N resolution using simply Thorlabs PM100USB optical power meter. And can accomplish an adequate accuracy with RMS error < 0.04N of full scale (0-0.749N). The CRB is chosen in one way or another to resemble steerable catheter flexibility as our intention is to developing catheter force sensor based on temperature-insensitive contact force measurement.