Highlights from the 12th China Fiber Optic Sensing Conference

Highlights from the 12th China Fiber Optic Sensing Conference

From September 20 to 22, 2024, the 12th China Fiber Optic Sensing Conference was grandly held at the Chongqing Mountain City International Conference Center. As an important event in the field of fiber optic sensing, the conference attracted numerous industry experts, scholars, and representatives from companies to discuss the latest developments and future trends in fiber optic sensing technology. Yangtze Optical Electronic Co., Ltd. (referred to as “YOEC,” stock code: 688143) attended the conference as a co-organizer, focusing on sharing the company’s ongoing research and active insights into the technology of polarization-maintaining fibers for gyroscopes.

On September 21, Mr. Pi, Chairman and President of the company, and Dr. Lian Zhenggang, Technical Director, were invited as guests to attend the conference opening ceremony. The ceremony was hosted by Zhu Tao, Dean of the School of Optoelectronic Engineering at Chongqing University, with opening reports presented by Academician Jiang Desheng from Wuhan University of Technology and Professor Yuan Libo from Guilin University of Electronic Technology.

On September 22, at the sub-session seven of the conference on “Fiber Optic Gyroscope Technology,” Dr. Lian Zhenggang delivered an impressive report titled “Some Thoughts on the Technology of Polarization-Maintaining Fibers for Gyroscopes.” Dr. Lian emphasized that polarization-maintaining fibers, due to their polarization retention characteristics, are widely used in the fiber optic gyroscope industry. As the demand for high precision, miniaturization, low cost, and domestic production in fiber optic gyroscopes continues to grow, polarization-maintaining fibers are also undergoing continuous technological iterations.

The report primarily focused on the current development trends of fiber optic gyroscopes, discussing various aspects such as fiber design, raw materials, and manufacturing processes. The aim was to enhance the phase difference generated by the Sagnac effect, suppress parasitic noise and non-reciprocal errors, and improve the signal-to-noise ratio and angular velocity detection accuracy at both the device and system levels. From the perspective of the overall application of fibers and fiber coils, a comprehensive comparison of various fiber waveguide structures was made, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of different end-face structures, while focusing on the temperature characteristics of various materials and their impact on gyroscope performance.

Dr. Lian also shared with industry experts and scholars the company’s progressive advancements in supporting technologies for fiber optic gyroscopes. The company has developed fully domesticated second-generation low thermal expansion coefficient polymer materials, ultra-thin polarization-maintaining fibers (40/80 and 50/80), and 60/100 thin-core photonic crystal fibers, as well as intelligent winding and automated bonding technologies for fiber coils. Notably, the 930-meter 60/100 thin-core photonic crystal fiber coil wound using the sixth-generation automatic winding machine developed in-house has achieved a compensation full-temperature accuracy of 0.008°/h, providing strong technical support for the high-performance, low-cost, and miniaturization needs of fiber optic gyroscopes.

YOEC continues to make significant strides in the field of fiber optic sensing. Through the iterative advancement of specialty fiber technologies, sensor system solutions, and the construction of industrial chains and platforms, the company aims to further improve the performance indicators and batch consistency of various fibers used in sensing applications, represented typically by polarization-maintaining fibers, while reducing production costs. This will promote the upgrade and industrial application of fiber optic sensing technology across various sectors in China, including marine, land, air, electric power, petrochemicals, construction, rail transportation, medical, and environmental protection, contributing significantly to the innovative development and continuous progress of the fiber optic sensing industry.

Looking ahead, YOEC is filled with confidence. With the continuous development of fiber optic sensing technology and the expansion of application fields, various specialty fibers represented by polarization-maintaining fibers, as key core devices in fiber optic sensing applications, are expected to have a broader market prospect. The company will continue to increase R&D investment, innovate and optimize various specialty fiber technologies, enhance product performance and quality, and strengthen cooperation with domestic and international research institutions and enterprises, striving tirelessly to promote the innovation and application of fiber optic sensing technology in China.