Fiber-optic temperature sensor based on interaction of temperature-dependent refractive index and absorption of germanium film.
The interaction of a large temperature-dependent refractive index and a temperature-dependent absorption of semiconductor materials at 1550 nm can be used to build a very sensitive, film coated fiber-optic temperature probe. We developed a sensor model for the optical fiber-germanium film sensor. A temperature sensitivity of reflectivity change of 0.0012/°C, corresponding to 0.1°C considering a moderate signal processing system, over 100°C within the temperature regime of -20°C to 120°C, has been demonstrated by experimental tests of the novel sensor. The potential sensitivity and further applications of the sensor are discussed.