A high-sensitive and broad-bandwidth phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating based ultrasonic detection system with proportional-integral-derivative feedback controller was proposed to evaluate the ultrasonic nonlinearity induced by the matrix crack in carbon fiber reinforced plastic. After the optical fiber sensing system detected the ultrasonic Lamb wave propagating in a composite laminate
the second harmonic components with a frequency of 2.0MHz was extracted from Lamb wave signals by data processing. The result show that the relative nonlinear parameter grew linearly with the increase of crack numbers. In comparison with conventional lead zirconate titanate sensor
the relative nonlinear parameter detected by the phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating sensor shows a higher growth rate. Thus
the proposed fiber optic-ultrasonic detection system with high reliability can be applied to the evaluation of matrix cracks damage of composite materials.