ZnO Composite Graphene Coating Micro-Fiber Interferometer for Ultraviolet Detection

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Optical Sensing

Background:

• Developing highly sensitive and reliable ultraviolet (UV) sensors is crucial for various applications.
• Optical fiber sensors offer advantages like remote sensing, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and miniaturization.
• Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials possess unique optical and electronic properties suitable for sensing applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a simple, reliable, and highly sensitive UV sensing method.
• To fabricate and investigate optical fiber sensors coated with different ZnO nanostructures.
• To evaluate the sensitivity of ZnO-based sensors for UV detection.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis was employed to prepare ZnO and ZnO composite graphene.
• An optical fiber sensor was fabricated by coating a single-mode-taper multimode-single-mode (STMS) fiber with ZnO nanostructures.
• The sensitivity of the fabricated sensors to UV light was systematically investigated.

Main Results:

• The sensor coated with ZnO nanosheets demonstrated a high UV sensitivity of 357.85 pm/nW·cm^-2 in the range of 0-4 nW/cm².
• The STMS sensor coated with flake ZnO composite graphene exhibited an even higher sensitivity of 427.76 pm/nW·cm^-2.
• The results highlight the superior performance of ZnO composite graphene for UV sensing.

Conclusions:

• The combination of ZnO nanomaterials and optical fiber sensing technology provides a novel and convenient platform for UV detection.
• ZnO nanosheets and ZnO composite graphene show significant potential for developing advanced UV sensors.
• This approach offers a promising pathway for enhanced UV sensing capabilities.