Temperature sensing up to 1300°C using suspended-core microstructured optical fibers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• High-temperature sensing is crucial for various industrial applications.
• Existing sensors often face limitations in extreme temperature environments.
• Microstructured optical fibers offer unique properties for sensor development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a new approach for high-temperature sensing.
• To utilize femtosecond laser ablation for creating gratings in silica optical fibers.
• To evaluate the performance of these sensors at extreme temperatures.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of gratings within silica suspended-core microstructured optical fibers using femtosecond laser ablation.
• Testing of sensor performance at temperatures up to 1300°C.
• Demonstration of wavelength division multiplexing for multiple sensors on a single fiber.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of gratings via direct laser processing through the fiber cladding.
• Demonstrated high-temperature sensing capability up to 1300°C using pure silica glass.
• Achieved wavelength division multiplexing with three sensors integrated into one fiber.

Conclusions:

• Femtosecond laser ablation in silica suspended-core fibers provides a robust method for high-temperature sensing.
• The developed sensor is suitable for extreme environments and compatible with conventional fiber splicing.
• The sensor's multiplexing capability enhances its practical applicability.