Sensitivity Improvement of a Humidity Sensor Based on Silica Nanospheres on a Long-Period Fiber Grating

摘要

This work addresses a new configuration that improves the sensitivity of a humidity sensor based on a long-period fiber grating coated with a SiO2-nanospheres film. An intermediate higher refractive index overlay, deposited through Electrostatic Self-Assembly, is placed between the fiber cladding and the humidity sensitive film in order to increase the total effective refractive index of the coating. With this intermediate design, a three-fold improvement in the sensitivity was obtained. Wavelength shifts up to 15 nm against 5 nm were achieved in a humidity range from 20% to 80%.