In Line Plastic-Optical-Fiber Temperature Sensor

Abstract

In this paper, we present an in line plastic-optical-fiber (POF) temperature sensor based on intensity modulation. The in line POF temperature sensor is composed of a POF, including an in-fiber micro hole filled with reversible thermochromic material, the transmittance of which depends on temperature. The reversible thermochromic material was cobalt chloride/polyvinyl butyral gel. A cobalt chloride solution of concentration 30.8 mM was formulated using 10% water/90% ethanol (v/v) solution, and gelled by dissolving polyvinyl butyral in this solution. Four types of in line POF sensors, with in line micro holes of four different diameters, were fabricated to measure temperature in the range of 25 to 75 °C. The output optical power of all of these in line POF temperature sensors was inversely proportional to the temperature; the relation between output power and temperature was approximately linear, and the sensitivity was proportional to the diameter of the in-fiber micro hole. The experimental results indicate that an in line POF sensor can be used effectively for measuring moderate temperatures.