We reported a simple, robust, and highly sensitive temperature sensor using intrinsic Mach-Zehnder interferometer formed by means of bending a tapered microfiber, embedded in polydimethylsiloxane. The outer temperature perturbations modulate the refractive index of the polymer through thermo-optic and thermal expansion effects of the polymer. This leads to a phase difference between interfering guided modes through the bent-microfiber, which ultimately results prominent wavelength shift in the transmission spectrum. The sensor exhibits a linear temperature response with a sensitivity as high as -6.25nm/°C over the temperature range from 24° to 40 °C. The sensitivity of the sensor increases as wavelength increases.

Date Published: 23 April 2017
PDF: 4 pages
Proc. SPIE 10323, 25th International Conference on Optical Fiber Sensors, 103234P (23 April 2017); doi: 10.1117/12.2265817

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10323:
25th International Conference on Optical Fiber Sensors
Youngjoo Chung; Wei Jin; Byoungho Lee; John Canning; Kentaro Nakamura; Libo Yuan, Editor(s)