Fiber optic Fabry–Perot sensor that can amplify ultrasonic wave for an enhanced partial discharge detection

Ultrasonic wave is a powerful tool for many applications, such as structural health monitoring, medical diagnosis and partial discharges (PDs) detection. The fiber optic extrinsic Fabry–Perot interferometric (EFPI) sensor has become an ideal candidate for detecting weak ultrasonic signals due to its inherent advantages, and each time with a performance enhancement, it can bring great application potential in broadened fields. Herein, an EFPI ultrasonic sensor for PDs detection is proposed. The sensing diaphragm uses a 5-μm-thickness and beam-supported structure to improve the responsive sensitivity of the sensor at the resonant frequency. Furthermore, the ability of the sensor to detect characteristic ultrasonic signal of PDs is further enhanced by assembling a Fresnel-zone-plate (FZP)-based ultrasonic lens with the sensing probe to amplify the ultrasonic wave before it excites the sensing diaphragm. The final testing results show that the originally developed sensor owns the sensitivity of − 19.8 dB re. 1 V/Pa at resonant frequency. While, when the FZP is assembled with the probe, the sensitivity reaches to − 12.4 dB re. 1 V/Pa, and leads to a narrower frequency band, which indicates that the proposed method has a great potential to enhance the detection ability of sensor to characteristic ultrasonic wave of PDs.