ZrO2 thin-film-based sapphire fiber temperature sensor

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• High-temperature environments require robust sensors.
• Sapphire fibers offer excellent thermal stability.
• Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) exhibits desirable properties for high-temperature applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize a submicrometer-thick ZrO2 thin-film temperature sensor on a sapphire fiber.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance at extended temperature ranges.
• To assess the material compatibility between ZrO2 and sapphire at high temperatures.

Main Methods:

• Deposition of a submicrometer-thick ZrO2 film onto a C-plane sapphire fiber tip.
• Characterization of ZrO2 thin films on sapphire substrates using X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy.
• Testing and calibration of the fabricated sensor using low-coherence optical interferometry up to 1200 °C.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of a ZrO2 thin-film-based sapphire fiber temperature sensor.
• ZrO2 exhibits good thermal expansion compatibility and chemical inertness with sapphire up to 1800 °C.
• The sensor achieved a temperature resolution of 5.8 °C at 1200 °C when coupled with a USB4000 spectrometer.

Conclusions:

• The developed ZrO2 thin-film sapphire fiber sensor is suitable for high-temperature measurements.
• The sensor's performance is reliable within the tested temperature range (200 °C to 1000 °C calibration, 1200 °C testing).
• This technology offers a promising avenue for advanced temperature sensing in extreme environments.