Straightforward nano patterning on optical fiber for sensors development.

A simple method to prepare a nano pattern along the surface of an optical fiber is applied in this Letter to develop a pH sensor. The template is made of a block copolymer that defines specific locations where gold nano particles are adsorbed on forming clusters. The average diameter of the resulting agglomerates is 121 nm, and the mean distance between the centers is 182 nm. The morphology of the gold cluster array produces localized surface plasmon resonance. The absorbance spectrum is affected by pH variations, and the ratio between the absorption at two different wavelengths is used to characterize the response, which is repetitive and reversible. This Letter highlights the potentiality of this type of chemical nano patterning for the development of optical fiber sensors.

Accuracy of Solid-State Residential Water Meters under Intermittent Flow Conditions.

Accurate water consumption measurement of customers is a crucial component of water utility sustainability. During the last decade, sophisticated measuring technologies without moving components, known as solid-state water meters or static meters, have emerged. Solid-state water meters promise an improved accuracy with more processing and transmission capabilities in comparison with traditional mechanical meters. A compromise needs to be reached between energy consumption and battery life as all these new features are extremely demanding on electric energy. The usual approach adopted by the manufacturer is to reduce the frequency with which static meters take measurements of the circulating flow. This reduction in signal sampling frequency can have a significant effect on the accuracy of the instruments when measuring water consumption events of 30 s or less, these events being common in residential customers. The research presented analyses of the metrological performance of 28 commercially available solid-state water meters from six different manufacturers in the presence of intermittent flows of various durations. The results show that the magnitude and dispersion of the error under intermittent flows is significantly larger in comparison to steady state flow conditions. The ultrasonic meters examined were more influenced by the intermittency than the electromagnetic meters.

Development of an Aptamer Based Luminescent Optical Fiber Sensor for the Continuous Monitoring of Hg2+ in Aqueous Media.

A fluorescent optical fiber sensor for the detection of mercury (Hg2+) ions in aqueous solutions is presented in this work. The sensor was based on a fluorophore-labeled thymine (T)-rich oligodeoxyribonucleotide (ON) sequence that was directly immobilized onto the tip of a tapered optical fiber. In the presence of mercury ions, the formation of T-Hg2+-T mismatches quenches the fluorescence emission by the labeled fluorophore, which enables the measurement of Hg2+ ions in aqueous solutions. Thus, in contrast to commonly designed sensors, neither a fluorescence quencher nor a complementary ON sequence is required. The sensor presented a response time of 24.8 seconds toward 5 × 10-12 M Hg2+. It also showed both good reversibility (higher than the 95.8%) and selectivity: the I0/I variation was 10 times higher for Hg2+ ions than for Mn2+ ions. Other contaminants examined (Co2+, Ag+, Cd2+, Ni2+, Ca2+, Pb2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+) presented an even lower interference. The limit of detection of the sensor was 4.73 × 10-13 M Hg2+ in buffer solution and 9.03 × 10-13 M Hg2+ in ultrapure water, and was also able to detect 5 × 10-12 M Hg2+ in tap water.

Optical Fiber Sensors Based on Microstructured Optical Fibers to Detect Gases and Volatile Organic Compounds-A Review.

Since the first publications related to microstructured optical fibers (MOFs), the development of optical fiber sensors (OFS) based on them has attracted the interest of many research groups because of the market niches that can take advantage of their specific features. Due to their unique structure based on a certain distribution of air holes, MOFs are especially useful for sensing applications: on one hand, the increased coupling of guided modes into the cladding or the holes enhances significantly the interaction with sensing films deposited there; on the other hand, MOF air holes enhance the direct interaction between the light and the analytes that get into in these cavities. Consequently, the sensitivity when detecting liquids, gasses or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is significantly improved. This paper is focused on the reported sensors that have been developed with MOFs which are applied to detection of gases and VOCs, highlighting the advantages that this type of fiber offers.

A Comprehensive Review: Materials for the Fabrication of Optical Fiber Refractometers Based on Lossy Mode Resonance.

Lossy mode resonance based sensors have been extensively studied in recent years. The versatility of the lossy mode resonance phenomenon has led to the development of sensors based on different configurations that make use of a wide range of materials. The coating material is one of the key elements in the performance of a refractometer. This review paper intends to provide a global view of the wide range of coating materials available for the development of lossy mode resonance based refractometers.

Fluorescent Sensors for the Detection of Heavy Metal Ions in Aqueous Media.

Due to the risks that water contamination implies for human health and environmental protection, monitoring the quality of water is a major concern of the present era. Therefore, in recent years several efforts have been dedicated to the development of fast, sensitive, and selective sensors for the detection of heavy metal ions. In particular, fluorescent sensors have gained in popularity due to their interesting features, such as high specificity, sensitivity, and reversibility. Thus, this review is devoted to the recent advances in fluorescent sensors for the monitoring of these contaminants, and special focus is placed on those devices based on fluorescent aptasensors, quantum dots, and organic dyes.

Layer-by-Layer Nano-assembly: A Powerful Tool for Optical Fiber Sensing Applications.

The ability to tune the composition of nanostructured thin films is a hot topic for the design of functional coatings with advanced properties for sensing applications. The control of the structure at the nanoscale level enables an improvement of intrinsic properties (optical, chemical or physical) in comparison with the traditional bulk materials. In this sense, among all the known nanofabrication techniques, the layer-by-layer (LbL) nano-assembly method is a flexible, easily-scalable and versatile approach which makes possible precise control of the coating thickness, composition and structure. The development of sensitive nanocoatings has shown an exceptional growth in optical fiber sensing applications due to their self-assembling ability with oppositely charged components in order to obtain a multilayer structure. This nanoassembly technique is a powerful tool for the incorporation of a wide variety of species (polyelectrolytes, metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, hybrid particles, luminescent materials, dyes or biomolecules) in the resultant multilayer structure for the design of high-performance optical fiber sensors. In this work we present a review of applications related to optical fiber sensors based on advanced LbL coatings in two related research areas of great interest for the scientific community, namely chemical sensing (pH, gases and volatile organic compounds detection) as well as biological/biochemical sensing (proteins, immunoglobulins, antibodies or DNA detection).

Self-Referenced Optical Fiber Sensor for Hydrogen Peroxide Detection based on LSPR of Metallic Nanoparticles in Layer-by-Layer Films.

Intensity-based optical fiber sensors are one of the most studied sensor approaches thanks to their simplicity and low cost. Nevertheless, their main issue is their lack of robustness since any light source fluctuation, or unexpected optical setup variation is directly transferred to the output signal, which, significantly reduces their reliability. In this work, a simple and robust hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) optical fiber sensor is proposed based on the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) sensitivity of silver and gold metallic nanoparticles. The precise and robust detection of H2O2 concentrations in the ppm range is very interesting for the scientific community, as it is a pathological precursor in a wide variety of damage mechanisms where its presence can be used to diagnose important diseases such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes, asthma, or even Alzheimer's disease). In this work, the sensing principle is based the oxidation of the silver nanoparticles due the action of the hydrogen peroxide, and consequently the reduction of the efficiency of the plasmonic coupling. At the same time, gold nanoparticles show a high chemical stability, and therefore provide a stable LSPR absorption band. This provides a stable real-time reference that can be extracted from the spectral response of the optical fiber sensor, giving a reliable reading of the hydrogen peroxide concentration.

Hg2+ Optical Fiber Sensor Based on LSPR Generated by Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in LBL Nano-Assembled Coatings.

Mercury is an important contaminant since it is accumulated in the body of living beings, and very small concentrations are very dangerous in the long term. This paper reports the fabrication of a highly sensitive fiber optic sensor using the layer-by-layer nano-assembly technique with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The gold nanoparticles were obtained via a water-based synthesis route that use poly acrylic acid (PAA) as stabilizing agent, in the presence of a borane dimethylamine complex (DMAB) as reducing agent, giving PAA-capped AuNPs. The sensing mechanism is based on the alteration of the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonances (LSPR) generated by AuNPs thanks to the strong chemical affinity of metallic mercury towards gold, which lead to amalgam alloys.

Comparison between Different Structures of Suspended-Core Microstructured Optical Fibers for Volatiles Sensing.

In this paper, different core structures of microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) for low-finesse Fabry⁻Pérot (FP) sensors are experimentally compared to get the highest sensitivity. These devices are designed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) measurements. Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were deposited by sputtering on the MOFs and different optical fast Fourier transform (FFT) phase responses from the FP were measured for saturated atmospheres of ethanol. It has been demonstrated that the sensitivities of the developed sensors depend strongly on the geometry and the dimensions of the MOF-cores. The sensors show recovery times shorter than 100 s and the baselines are fully recovered after every exposure to ethanol vapors.

Optimization in nanocoated D-shaped optical fiber sensors.

Nanocoated D-shaped optical fibers have been proven as effective sensors. Here, we show that the full width at half minimum (FWHM) of lossy mode resonance can be reduced by optimizing the nanocoating width, thickness and refractive index. As a counterpart, several resonances are observed in the optical spectrum for specific conditions. These resonances are caused by multiple modes guided in the nanocoating. By optimizing the width of the coating and the imaginary part of its refractive index, it is possible to isolate one of these resonances, which allows one to reduce the full width at half minimum of the device and, hence, to increase the figure of merit. Moreover, it is even possible to avoid the need of a polarizer by designing a device where the resonance bands for TE and TM polarization are centered at the same wavelength. This is interesting for the development of optical filters and sensors with a high figure of merit.

Humidity Sensor Based on Bragg Gratings Developed on the End Facet of an Optical Fiber by Sputtering of One Single Material.

The refractive index of sputtered indium oxide nanocoatings has been altered just by changing the sputtering parameters, such as pressure. These induced changes have been exploited for the generation of a grating on the end facet of an optical fiber towards the development of wavelength-modulated optical fiber humidity sensors. A theoretical analysis has also been performed in order to study the different parameters involved in the fabrication of this optical structure and how they would affect the sensitivity of these devices. Experimental and theoretical results are in good agreement. A sensitivity of 150 pm/%RH was obtained for relative humidity changes from 20% to 60%. This kind of humidity sensors shows a maximum hysteresis of 1.3% relative humidity.

Recent Developments in Fiber Optics Humidity Sensors.

A wide range of applications such as health, human comfort, agriculture, food processing and storage, and electronic manufacturing, among others, require fast and accurate measurement of humidity. Sensors based on optical fibers present several advantages over electronic sensors and great research efforts have been made in recent years in this field. The present paper reports the current trends of optical fiber humidity sensors. The evolution of optical structures developed towards humidity sensing, as well as the novel materials used for this purpose, will be analyzed. Well-known optical structures, such as long-period fiber gratings or fiber Bragg gratings, are still being studied towards an enhancement of their sensitivity. Sensors based on lossy mode resonances constitute a platform that combines high sensitivity with low complexity, both in terms of their fabrication process and the equipment required. Novel structures, such as resonators, are being studied in order to improve the resolution of humidity sensors. Moreover, recent research on polymer optical fibers suggests that the sensitivity of this kind of sensor has not yet reached its limit. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in terms of sensitivity and resolution.

Optical Fibre Sensors Using Graphene-Based Materials: A Review.

Graphene and its derivatives have become the most explored materials since Novoselov and Geim (Nobel Prize winners for Physics in 2010) achieved its isolation in 2004. The exceptional properties of graphene have attracted the attention of the scientific community from different research fields, generating high impact not only in scientific journals, but also in general-interest newspapers. Optical fibre sensing is one of the many fields that can benefit from the use of these new materials, combining the amazing morphological, chemical, optical and electrical features of graphene with the advantages that optical fibre offers over other sensing strategies. In this document, a review of the current state of the art for optical fibre sensors based on graphene materials is presented.

Analysis of lossy mode resonances on thin-film coated cladding removed plastic fiber.

In this work, the modal transition induced by lossy mode resonances has been analyzed as a function of wavelength for thin-film coated cladding removed fibers. The wavelength dependence of the modal structure allows us to explain the resonance phenomenon. The numerical data obtained were calculated with a method based on the exact calculation of core modes. Theoretical simulations have been compared with experimental results showing good agreement.

Improved multifrequency phase-modulation method that uses rectangular-wave signals to increase accuracy in luminescence spectroscopy.

We propose a novel multifrequency phase-modulation method for luminescence spectroscopy that uses a rectangular-wave modulated excitation source with a short duty cycle. It is used for obtaining more detailed information about the luminescence system: the information provided by different harmonics allows estimating a model for describing the global frequency response of the luminescent system for a wide range of analyte concentration and frequencies. Additionally, the proposed method improves the accuracy in determination of the analyte concentration. This improvement is based on a simple algorithm that combines multifrequency information provided by the different harmonics of the rectangular-wave signal, which can be easily implemented in existing photoluminescence instruments by replacing the excitation light source (short duty cycle rectangular signal instead of sinusoidal signal) and performing appropriate digital signal processing after the transducer (implemented in software). These claims have been demonstrated by using a well-known oxygen-sensing film coated at the end of an optical fiber [a Pt(II) porphyrin immobilized in polystyrene]. These experimental results show that use of the proposed multifrequency phase-modulation method (1) provides adequate modeling of the global response of the luminescent system (R(2) > 0.9996) and (2) decreases the root-mean-square error in analytical determination (from 0.1627 to 0.0128 kPa at 0.5 kPa O2 and from 0.9393 to 0.1532 kPa at 20 kPa O2) in comparison with a conventional phase-modulation method based on a sinusoidally modulated excitation source (under equal luminous power conditions).

Refractometric sensors based on multimode interference in a thin-film coated single-mode-multimode-single-mode structure with reflection configuration.

Thin-film coated single-mode-multimode-single-mode (SMS) structures have been analyzed both theoretically and experimentally with the aim of detecting different refractive indices. By adequate selection of the thickness of the thin film and of the diameter of the multimode segment in the SMS structure, a seven-fold improvement can be obtained in the sensitivity of the device to the surrounding medium refractive index, achieving a maximum sensitivity of 1199.18 nm/refractive index unit for the range of refractive indices from 1.321 to 1.382. Using layer-by-layer self-assembly for deposition, both on the cladding and on the tip of the multimode segment, allows the reflected power to increase, which avoids the application of a mirror on the tip of the multimode segment.

A fiber optic ammonia sensor using a universal pH indicator.

A universal pH indicator is used to fabricate a fiber optic ammonia sensor. The advantage of this pH indicator is that it exhibits sensitivity to ammonia over a broad wavelength range. This provides a differential response, with a valley around 500 nm and a peak around 650 nm, which allows us to perform ratiometric measurements. The ratiometric measurements provide not only an enhanced signal, but can also eliminate any external disturbance due to humidity or temperature fluctuations. In addition, the indicator is embedded in a hydrophobic and gas permeable polyurethane film named Tecoflex®. The film provides additional advantages to the sensor, such as operation in dry environments, efficient transport of the element to be measured to the sensitive area of the sensor, and prevent leakage or detachment of the indicator. The combination of the universal pH indicator and Tecoflex® film provides a reliable and robust fiber optic ammonia sensor.

Tunable electro-optic wavelength filter based on lossy-guided mode resonances.

In this work an optical fiber tunable filter based on lossy guided-mode resonances (LGMR) is proposed. It consists of a multilayer structure deposited onto the surface of a plastic cladding removed multimode fiber. The first layer is used to generate the LGMR and to work as the first electrode as well; the second one to tune the filter and the outer layer forms the other electrode. The fabricated filter has demonstrated a good sensitivity to the applied voltage showing a change of the LGMR wavelength of 0.4 nm/V. Among other applications, this filter is intended to be used as electro-optic wavelength filter or modulator.

Mode transition in complex refractive index coated single-mode-multimode-single-mode structure.

By coating a single-mode-multimode-single-mode (SMS) structure with a high refractive index thin-film it is possible to obtain a transition of modes for specific combinations of thin-film thickness, thin-film refractive index and surrounding medium refractive index, which permits to develop devices with a high sensitivity to specific parameters. In order to gain a better knowledge of the phenomenon the experimental results are corroborated numerically with the Transfer-Matrix-Method. The influence of losses in the thin-film has also been studied. The results obtained prove that a thin-film coated SMS structure is a simple and cost-effective platform for development of sensors and optical filters.