How Tapered Fiber Sensors are Being Used for Environmental and Biological Monitoring

by Nancy Jemes Blogger

As optical fibers are gaining grounds as a key element in different processes and applications, its modified and structural versions are also constantly being used for multiple types of research and applications.

Researchers are continually working upon developing tools and elements as efficient sensors that can be used for monitoring vital environmental parameters.On this platform, tapered optical fibers have risen as a reliable and affordable environmental sensing platform that can help sensing research and objectives efficiently.

With tapered fiber sensors, chemical sensing can be facilitated effectively, while the reduced tapered section of the optical fiber is efficient to measure physical parameters such as temperature and strain. This is the reason why tapered optical fibers have been developed and utilized for basic sensing platforms applicable as chemical, physical and bio-sensors.

Need for Sensing Platform and Applications – How Tapered Fiber Sensors Are Solving This Objective

Right from indoor and outdoor environment quality and well-being to understanding and ensuring efficient processes related with human activities, there is a specific need for understanding the environment. And this can be only achieved through proper monitor and control of environmental parameters that includes physical aspects like pressure, temperature; and chemical factors like bio-hazards and contaminants.

Optical fibers provide a highly convenient and efficient method of developing sensors that can be used across different areas for environmental monitoring, at present being highly focused upon measurement of critical environment factors. Optical fiber sensors are highly capable of directing light to and collecting light from the measurement region, detect changes in optical parameters including reflectance, absorbance and fluorescence that rely upon physical-chemical environmental factors. Tapered fiber sensors, as biosensors, are highly sensitive, affordable and fast and efficient in label-free detection of biomolecules.

Advantages of Fiber Optic Sensors over Conventional Sensors

As because of the basic characteristics and properties of optical fibers, optic fiber sensors can withstand harsh environmental conditions, are capable of being used in high-temperature conditions, and are not vulnerable to any electromagnetic interference. Being readily multiplexed and biocompatible, fiber optic sensors can efficiently provide results monitoring a numerous range of environmental measurements. Their property of low attenuation pertaining to light propagation allows them to be effectively used for remote monitoring as well.

The properties and qualities of tapered fiber sensors, a highly befitting characteristic over traditional sensor technologies, make these suitable for use in various chemical and biological sensing applications, medical diagnosis and much more. With variety of designs and modification possibilities, tapered fibers can be used for creating highly sensitive and specific sensors for a wide array of sensing applications.