High Sensitive Temperature Sensor Using a Liquid-core Optical Fiber with Small Refractive Index Difference Between Core and Cladding Materials

An intensive temperature sensor based on a liquid-core optical fiber has been demonstrated for the measuring the temperature of the environment. The core of fiber is filled with a mixture of toluene and chloroform in order to make the refractive index of the liquid-core and the cladding of the fiber close. The experiment shows that a temperature sensitivity of about 5 dB/K and a tunable temperature range (from 20 °C to 60 °C) can be achieved. Based on the dielectric-clad liquid core fiber model, a simulation was carried out and the calculated results were in good accord with the experimental measurement.