Kevin Chen, PhD
pec9@pitt.edu
The Fiber Optics and Sensor Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, under the direction of Kevin Chen, PhD, engages in interdisciplinary research in fiber optics and sensor applications for structural health monitoring, energy, and bio-medical research. In FOSL, research and development works are often carried out collaboratively with leading scientists and engineers across the globe and across industries. Our research partners include Naval Research Laboratory (US), University of Sydney (Australia), Institute of Photonics Technology (Jena, Germany), University of Toronto (Canada), Corning Inc. (US), Siemens North America, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Lakeshore Cryogenics Inc., etc. In FOSL, both passive fiber Bragg grating sensors and distributed feedback fiber lasers are produced in houses using a 248-nm KrF excimer laser using the phase mask technique. Sophisticate fiber sensor interrogation techniques have been developed for both point and distributed sensing from DC to 300-kHz acoustic frequency for structural health monitoring, power generation system managements, biomedical sensing, and etc. FOSL possess unique capabilities on high-temperature fiber sensors rated for above 800 o C operation. Working with our collaborators, FOSL researchers have wide access of air-hole microstructural fibers for sensing applications. FOSL is equipped with multiple optical spectrum analyzer, fusion splicers, high-resolution tunable lasers, broadband sources (to cover from 980 nm to 2000 nm). FOSL has board capabilities and expertise in fiber grating sensors and distributed fiber sensing using both Rayleigh and Brillioun scattering schemes. Working with industrial partners, our sensing expertise includes fiber sensing at both cryogenic and high temperature environments for space, energy, and environmental monitoring.