Characterization of Encapsulating Materials for Fiber Bragg Grating-Based Temperature Sensors

Abstract

An experimental study has been carried out for the characterization of encapsulating materials for fiber Bragg grating-based temperature sensors to prevent the formation of micro-cracks and devitrification on the fiber surface at elevated temperatures by making use of a rigid probe. The developed sensor probe was configured by encapsulating a type 1 fiber Bragg grating with an aluminum nitride tube and is used to measure temperatures from 20°C to 500°C. The adapted encapsulation technique validated the sensor to achieve linearity of 99.979%, sensitivity of 14.03 ± 0.02 pm/°C, and good repeatability; its practical use in harsh environments is predicted.