Recent Advances in Optical Fiber Enabled Radiation Sensors

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics and Sensor Technology
• Materials Science
• Radiation Physics

Background:

• Optical fibers are increasingly used as radiation sensors and dosimeters.
• Advancements in fiber manufacturing and material engineering enhance detection accuracy and application scope.
• Functional structures and materials are key to developing sophisticated fiber-based radiation sensing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the current development of optical fiber-based radiation sensors.
• To analyze sensing principles including radiation-induced attenuation (RIA), radiation-induced luminescence (RIL), and fiber grating wavelength shifting (RI-GWS).
• To categorize advanced fiber materials, structures, fabrication methods, and applicable scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of sensing principles for extrinsic and intrinsic optical fiber radiation sensors.
• Categorization of advanced fiber materials (silica glass, doped glasses, polymers) and functional materials (fluorescent, scintillator).
• Review of fabrication methods for intrinsic all-fiber sensors and discussion of application scenarios.

Main Results:

• Detailed analysis of RIA, RIL, and RI-GWS sensing mechanisms.
• Summary of material properties and suitability for different radiation sensing applications.
• Overview of sensor fabrication techniques and diverse application areas, from medical dosimetry to industrial monitoring.

Conclusions:

• Optical fiber radiation sensors offer versatile solutions for dosimetry and monitoring.
• Continued material and structural innovation promises enhanced performance and expanded applications.
• Addressing current challenges is crucial for the future development of fiber-shaped radiation dosimeters.