Ultrasensitive temperature fiber sensor based on Fabry-Pérot interferometer assisted with iron V-groove.

A fiber extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) assisted with iron V-groove for temperature measurement is proposed and investigated by means of both numerical simulation and experiment for the first time to our best knowledge. The main temperature sensing component is acted by the iron V-groove whose coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) is much higher than that of the silica glass. Two fibers are stuck to the V-groove with two glued points, respectively. Maximum sensitivity of 260.7 nm/degrees C, which is the highest value for a fiber interferometric sensor up to now, has been achieved experimentally. It is worth noting that the temperature sensitivity of this sensor can be improved limitlessly via implementing a smaller gap size of the EFPI, longer distance between the two glued points or material with higher CLTE of the V-groove, theoretically. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America