A facile optical sensor: Plastic optical fiber voids as a liquid level presence sensor

Abstract

Optical sensors use light to detect or monitor different phenomena. Plastic optical fibers (POFs) have larger core diameters and are more flexible and easier to handle than glass optical fibers, making them perfect for many sensing applications. This paper introduces a facile POF sensor to monitor the liquid level and the liquid/gas presence in a specific container by introducing a void in the POF's path. Multiple readings were gathered over two days to verify the sensor's consistent performance. The findings demonstrated that, when exposed to air, the sensor exhibited an average reading of 2.15 V, while its average reading increased to 2.56 V when submerged in water. Such a sensing system can be beneficial in dangerous and explosive environments where electrical sensors or signals are risk factors.