Abstract

A dual-core fiber in which one of the cores is doped with germanium and the other with phosphorus is used as an in-line Mach-Zehnder dispersive interferometer. By ensuring an equal length but with different dispersion dependencies in the interferometer arms (the two cores), high-sensitivity strain and temperature sensing are achieved. Opposite sensitivities for high and low wavelength peaks were also demonstrated when strain and temperature was applied. To our knowledge this is the first time that such behavior is demonstrated using this type of in-line interferometer based on a dual-core fiber. A sensitivity of (0.102 +/- 0.0020 nm/mu epsilon, between 0 and 800 mu epsilon) and (-4.2 +/- 0.2 nm/degrees C between 47 degrees C and 62 degrees C) is demonstrated. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America