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An optical fiber relative humidity (RH) sensor based on tapered no-core fiber (TNCF) coated with Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene is proposed. The fluoride etching method is used to prepare Ti 3 C 2 T x , which is used as the humidity sensitive material with a multi-layer structure, large specific surface area and rich hydrophilic groups, and optical deposition method is used to integrate Ti 3 C 2 T x with TNCF. The diameter of TNCF between two sections of SMF is reduced to 11.6 μ m to enhance RH sensitivity. The refractive index (RI) of Ti 3 C 2 T x changes as a result of variations in RH, and this ultimately causes a shift in the transmission spectrum. The sensitivity of the device is −77 pm/%RH in the range of 33 %RH to 75 %RH. In the region of 75 %RH to 91 %RH, the sensitivity increases to 685 pm/%RH, the linear correlation coefficients of the two regions are 0.9521 and 0.9940, respectively. On average, the response time is approximately 3.5 s and the recovery time is about 12.7 s. The sensor may be utilized in possible domains, including biological, chemical, and food processing. Its benefits include a simple construction, cheap cost, high reversibility, and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optical–chemical sensor based on two modified plastic optical fibers (POFs) and a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) is realized and tested for the detection of 2-furaldehyde (2-FAL). The 2-FAL measurement is a scientific topic of great interest in different application fields, such as human health and life status monitoring in power transformers. The proposed sensor is realized by using two POFs as segmented waveguides (SW) coupled through a micro-trench milled between the fibers and then filled with a specific MIP for the 2-FAL detection. The experimental results show that the developed intensity-based sensor system is highly selective and sensitive to 2-FAL detection in aqueous solutions, with a limit of detection of about 0.04 mg L−1. The proposed sensing approach is simple and low-cost, and it shows performance comparable to that of plasmonic MIP-based sensors present in the literature for 2-FAL detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we proposed and numerically investigated a D-shaped dual-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) refractive index (RI) sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and a plasma material indium tin oxide (ITO) is deposited on the polished surface of a D-shaped PCF to produce the SPR effect. The proposed PCF sensor incorporates a dual-core structure and innovatively introduces an elliptical air hole, which increases the coupling of the SPR effect, resulting in a notable improvement in sensor performance. This enhancement enables the sensor to efficiently detect variations in the RI of the analyte. Utilizing the finite element method (FEM), we analyzed the influencing characteristics of sensor performance, meticulously investigating and optimizing various structural parameters. In the RI sensing range spanning from 1.18 to 1.33, the designed PCF sensor exhibits an outstanding maximum wavelength sensitivity of 29,300 nm/RIU, along with the highest achievable amplitude sensitivity of 261.01 RIU−1. Upon analyzing the light signal modulated by the sensor, the findings unequivocally demonstrate that the proposed sensor displays outstanding sensitivity to changes in the analyte's RI via the SPR effect. This responsiveness enables effective and precise real-time detection. The proposed sensor is characterized by exceptional sensing performance, strong economic feasibility, and low manufacturing intricacy. Consequently, the proposed sensor can be used to detect medical oxygen, anesthetics, methane gas, glucose, fluorine-containing organics, etc., and it holds a diverse array of promising applications spanning industrial detection, biochemical analysis, and medical diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose and numerically characterize the optical characteristics of a dual eccentric-core D-shaped photonic crystal fiber (PCF) surface plasmon resonance (SPR) refractive index (RI) sensor. The dual eccentric-core structure can leak more power to plasma film to excite SPR phenomenon than conventional structures. We investigate the influences induce by diameter of air holes, distance between air holes and thickness of gold film. The results show that our sensor has the wavelength sensitivities (WS) of 44,000 nm/RIU for odd mode and 39,000 nm/RIU for even mode. Moreover, the sensor has the detection range of RI from 1.00 to 1.37, the maximum figure-of-merit (FOM) of 325/RIU, maximum resolution of 2.27 × 10−6 RIU for analyte RI change of 0.1 nm, and the minimum full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 56 nm. The sensor has wide application prospects in methane, blood plasma, and methanol detecting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrahigh sensitivity surface plasmon resonance sensor based on double-side polished photonic crystal fiber is designed, and the gold film with a zigzag cross section is used as the plasmonic material. We study the refractive index sensing characteristics of the proposed sensor by numerical simulation. The results show that compared with the flat gold film structure, the zigzag gold film structure effectively improves the sensing performance, and the sensitivity and resolution of the sensor are significantly enhanced. The maximum wavelength sensitivity and resolution of the proposed sensor can reach 20,000 nm/RIU and 5.00 × 10−6 RIU, respectively. The working wavelength range of the sensor is between 590 and 1200 nm, and the refractive index range that can be used for detection is 1.350 RIU-1.400 RIU. This can be applied to precise detection of extracellular vesicles, breast cancer cell, and red blood cells. The proposed sensor has significant advantages such as stable structure, ultrahigh sensitivity, fast response, small size, and saving noble metal. It has great application potential in biomedical testing and medical equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To measure vibration signals, a low-frequency fiber Bragg grating (FBG) acceleration sensor featuring a flexible hinge with a spring support and symmetric compensation structure has been designed. Based on the mechanical model of the sensor's structure, the expressions for sensitivity and resonant frequency of the sensor are derived. The structural parameters of the sensor are optimized, and a simulation analysis is conducted using ANSYS 19.2 software. According to the results of simulation analysis and size optimization, the sensor prototype is constructed. Subsequently, its amplitude-frequency response, sensitivity, and temperature characteristics are investigated through vibration experiments. The experimental results show that the resonant frequency of the sensor is 73 Hz, the operating frequency range is 0~60 Hz, and the sensitivity measures 24.24 pm/g. This design meets the requirements for measuring vibration signals at low frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sensor for refractive index detection based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is presented in this research, as well as designs for single-channel and dual-channel structures for this PDMS-PCF sensor. The proposed structures can be used to develop sensors with biocompatible polymers. The performance of the single-channel PDMS-PCF sensor was studied, and it was found that adjusting parameters such as pore diameter, lattice constant, distance between the D-shaped structure and the fiber core, and the radius of gold nanoparticles can optimize the sensor's performance. The findings indicate that the detection range of the single-channel photonic crystal is 1.21–1.27. The maximum wavelength sensitivity is 10,000 nm/RIU with a resolution of 1 × 10 − 5 RIU, which is gained when the refractive index is set to 1.27. Based on the results of the single-channel PCF, a dual-channel PDMS-PCF sensor is designed. The refractive index detection range of the proposed sensor is 1.2–1.28. The proposed sensor has a maximum wavelength sensitivity of 13,000 nm/RIU and a maximum resolution of 7.69 × 10 − 6 RIU at a refractive index of 1.28. The designed PDMS-PCF holds tremendous potential for applications in the analysis and detection of substances in the human body in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the no-core fiber (NCF)–seven-core fiber (SCF) interference structure, two curvature sensors of Michelson interference type and Mach–Zehnder interference (MZI) type are proposed, respectively. The curvature sensor based on Michelson interference shows wavelength-modulation characteristics, the sensitivity is about −22.76 nm/m−1 with a linearity of 0.9823, the temperature sensitivity is only 0.054 nm/°C, and the effect of temperature on curvature can be negligible. The MZI sensor based on an enlarged taper-embedded cascaded structure is an intensity-modulated sensor. The sensitivities are −63.6271 dB m/m−1 and 93.3293 dBm/m−1 for the forward and reverse curvature, respectively, and the linearities are 0.9987 and 0.9930, respectively. But the strain sensitivity (8.357 × 10−4 dBm/με) of the MZI sensor is so tiny, which can avoid the strain cross effect. The two sensors can be used in the detection of the curvature at different (temperature/strain) conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Simultaneous positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners and inserts are valuable tools for accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring due to their complementary information. However, the integration of a PET system into an MRI scanner presents technical challenges for a distortion‐free operation. Purpose: We aim to develop a PET insert dedicated to breast imaging in combination with the 3T PET/MRI scanner Biograph mMR (Siemens Healthineers) as well as a brain PET insert for the 7T MRI scanner MAGNETOM Terra (Siemens Healthineers). For this development, we selected as a basis the C13500 series PET modules (Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.) as they offer an all‐in‐one solution with a scalable, modular design for compact integration with state‐of‐the‐art performance. The original PET modules were not designed to be operated with an MRI scanner, therefore we implemented several modifications such as signal transmission via plastic optical fiber, radio frequency (RF) shielding of the front‐end electronics, and filter for the power supply lines. In this work, we evaluated the mutual MRI compatibility between the modified PET modules and the 3T and 7T MRI scanner. Methods: We used a proof‐of‐concept setup with two detectors to comprehensively evaluate a potential distortion of the performance of the modified PET modules whilst exposing them to a variety of MR sequences up to the peak operation conditions of the Biograph mMR. A method using the periodicity of the sequences to identify distortions of the PET events in the phase of RF pulse transmission was introduced. Vice versa, the potential distortion of the Biograph mMR was evaluated by vendor proprietary MRI compatibility test sequences. Afterwards, these studies were extended to the MAGNETOM Terra. Results: No distortions were introduced by gradient field switching (field strength up to 20 mT/m at a slew rate of 66.0 T/ms−1). However, RF pulse transmission induced a reduction of the single event rate from 33.0 kcounts/s to 32.0 kcounts/s and a degradation of the coincidence resolution time from 251 to 299 ps. Further, the proposed method revealed artifacts in the energy and timing histograms. Finally, by using the front‐end filters it was possible to prevent any RF pulse induced distortion of event rate, energy, or time stamps even for a 700° flip angle (45.5 μT) sequence. The evaluations to assess potential distortions of the MRI scanner showed that carefully designed RF shielding boxes for the PET modules were required to prevent distortion of the RF spectra. The increase in B0 field inhomogeneity of 0.254 ppm and local changes of the B1 field of 12.5% introduced by the PET modules did not qualitatively affect the MR imaging with a spin echo and MPRAGE sequence for the Biograph mMR and the MAGNETOM Terra, respectively. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using a modified version of the PET modules in combination with 3T and 7T MRI scanners. Building upon the encouraging MRI compatibility results from our proof‐of‐concept detectors, we will proceed to develop PET inserts for breast and brain imaging using these modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares the performance of U and coil-shaped fiber optic sensors for the detection of fluoride in water. Low-cost and simple-to-use U-shape and coil-shape evanescent wave fiber optic sensors have been designed and developed for in-situ detection of fluoride in water. The sensitivities of coil and U-shaped sensors are found to be 0.1418 O.D./ppm and 0.1409 O.D./ppm, respectively, with linear regression coefficients (R2) of 98.25% and 98.20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we improved the performance characteristics of surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based optical sensors by using new two-dimensional materials in the structure of these sensors. We studied three types of two-dimensional materials: graphene, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), and black phosphorus (BP). We also applied the angular interrogation method and employed numerical studies within MATLAB simulations. We investigated the characteristics of a simple configuration, including the type of prism, the thickness of the gold layer, and the number of layers of two-dimensional materials. We compared reflectance, sensitivity, detection accuracy (DA), and figure of merit (FoM) for various materials. We also studied the sensitivity of the sensor in relation to the refractive index of the sensing medium. We observed that the sensitivity reaches a peak at specific refractive index values. The best value for sensitivity is measured at 9778.9 RIU−1, with a detection accuracy of 32 deg−1 and FoM = 15,375 (deg·RIU)−1 for a black phosphorus-based structure. One distinctive feature of this study is investigating the effects of changing the resolution in simulations, which is considered one of the main factors in obtaining more accurate answers and achieving higher sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors are widely used in sensing applications in the fields of physics, chemistry and biology. This paper presents a numerical simulation of a D-shaped fiber optic SPR based refractive index sensor designed with a silver, gold, molybdenum disulfide, and graphene coated structure with and without gratings, for the first time. A FEM-based software is used to carry out the simulation studies. Aiming to obtain the highest performance, gold/silver layers are coated with MoS2 and graphene. Sensor parameters are computed and optimum values are discovered for these parameters; grating periods, gap size between gratings, residual cladding thickness, gratings numbers, and thickness of coating layers. 11,775 nm /RIU as the maximum sensitivity in the range of 1.33–1.4 RI is reached. Results demonstrate that the proposed multilayer and grated structure yields a 98.7% higher sensitivity value with reference to the simulation of a regular D-shaped Ag-coated fiber SPR sensor, which makes it promising for chemical, biochemical, and other applications of the future with the delicate sensing ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A surface plasmon resonance-based arc-shaped photonic crystal fiber high-sensitivity refractive index (RI) sensor is proposed. An open arc-shaped analyte channel is produced at the top of the fiber to facilitate RI detection of the analyte, and a gold film is coated inside the arc-shaped structure to stimulate mode coupling. The performance of the sensor is analyzed by using the finite element method (FEM). The results have demonstrated that the sensor can detect a sensing range of 1.35-1.42 with maximum RI sensitivity of 24900 nm/RIU and resolution of 4:01×10-6 RIU. Furthermore, the highest figure of merit (FOM) of 661.71 RIU-1 is obtained. Additionally, the effects of air hole size and air hole distance on sensitivity are investigated. Finally, the proposed sensor characterizes great potential in biomedical, chemical, and other fields due to its excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed an active differential intensity (DI) fiber coupled plasmon waveguide resonance (CPWR) sensor based on the mode competition effect in the C-band, aiming to enhance the sensitivity. The sensing head is a fiber probe with a sensing layer of ITO/Au/ITO/TiO2 film, enabling the excitation of CPWR in the C-band. The narrow CPWR spectrum allows DI interrogation by tracking the intensity of light at two wavelengths. The fiber probe is inserted into a dual-wavelength fiber laser to adjust the intra-cavity loss at the two lasing wavelengths. By using the differential modulation of the reflectivity from the refractive index variations, the mode competition effect is triggered. The powers at two lasing wavelengths change oppositely, enlarging the power difference and then resulting in enhanced sensitivity. The average sensitivity is up to 5702 dB/RIUs, which is 10 times higher than that of conventional DI interrogation. The sensitivity enhancement mechanism based on the mode competition effect provides a new technical approach for enhancing the sensitivity of DI SPR sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twist sensors have emerged as crucial tools in the field of structural health monitoring, playing a significant role in monitoring and ensuring the integrity of critical infrastructure such as dams, tunnels, bridges, pipelines, and buildings. We proposed and demonstrated an all-fiber in-line twist sensor which was based on a capillary fiber spliced between two single-mode fibers with a transverse offset. Through a series of experiments, the sensor's performance was evaluated and quantified. The results showcased remarkable twist sensitivities in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions. With a transverse offset of 8.0 µm, the sensor exhibited twist sensitivities of −0.077 dB/° and 0.043 dB/° in the clockwise and anticlockwise directions, respectively, in the measured twist range from 0 to 90°. Furthermore, it was also demonstrated that the sensor was temperature insensitive at the chosen wavelength of 1520 nm, which can assist in increasing measurement accuracy. Our sensor's low cost, simplicity of manufacture, and improved performance will push forward its adoption in future engineering applications such as structural health monitoring in dams, tunnels, and buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A structure for simultaneous measurement of refractive index (RI) and temperature (T) is proposed based on photonic crystal (PhC) beam structures. The sensor structure consists of three parallel 1D PhC cavities, in which the middle cavity 1 has a wide linewidth, and cavity 2 and cavity 3 on both sides have a narrow linewidth. By changing the RI of the analyte and the T of the ambient, we explored the linear relationship between the two parameters and resonant wavelengths, respectively. For cavity 2 with air mode, the RI and T sensitivities are 377.2 nm/RIU and 101 pm/K, respectively. For cavity 3 with dielectric mode, the RI and T sensitivities are 194 nm/RIU and 261 pm/K, respectively. In addition, we also discussed the crosstalk between two adjacent cavities at different RI and T, and all crosstalk values are lower than −7 dB and −6 dB for RI and T, respectively. Compared with previous sensor structures, the proposed sensor structure could be used in simultaneous RI and T sensing with higher sensitivity and lower crosstalk values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new approach using optical fiber sensor based on a single fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is proposed to overcome the cost and complexity limitations. The reflected frequency of the half-etched region is shifted by utilizing a half-etched uniform FBG as the sensing element. The proposed sensor is evaluated using the refractive index measurement technique, and its validity is demonstrated by subjecting it to temperature variations. A sensitivity of − 524.48 MHz/°C is exhibited by the proposed sensor over a dynamic range of about 25 °C to 70 °C. It is demonstrated that the proposed sensor is highly sensitive, cost-effective, and reduces the complexity of the manufacturing and measurement process. This novel approach has significant potential for applications in various fields, including biomedical sensing, environmental monitoring, and industrial process control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study fabricated an ultra-high refractive index (RI) sensor based on tapered no-core fiber (NCF) involving a simple inexpensive process. A splice section of NCF in the middle of single mode fiber was tapered to small diameters. The sensor was sensitive to the surrounding RI with a large measurement range of 1.3330–1.4437. The RI sensitivity differed with varying wavelengths, with a value of 41 916 nm/RIU at approximately 1550 nm, for the RI ranges of 1.4407–1.4437. It yielded a low temperature sensitivity of 8 pm °C−1, which indicates an ultra-low temperature cross-sensitivity. The proposed fiber optic RI sensor can be used in many fields such as medicine and biochemical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical biosensors based on grating-coupled surface plasmon resonance (GCSPR) technology are an important research topic in the field of bio-photonics. This paper presents a high-performance and high-sensitivity nanostructured bimetallic GCSPR sensor based on two-dimensional materials. When designing the sensor, the sensitivity, full width at half peak (FWHM) and dip strength of the absorption peak (DS) were considered comprehensively, and the comprehensive evaluation parameter FOM+ is defined by making improvements on the basis of figure of merit (FOM). The performance of the sensor can be judged more comprehensively. The performance of the sensor was further improved by optimizing the structure of the sensor. An ultra-thin gold layer was added on the surface of the silver-based GCSPR sensor, which solves the problem of the easy oxidation of silver metal. We tried to coat graphene oxide two-dimensional nanomaterials on the surface of the bimetallic sensor, and the sensitivity and FOM+ of the sensor reached 350 deg/RIU and 473.23, respectively. This is a great improvement compared with the GCSPR sensor in a previous study, and it can be improved at least 74.7%. This sensor can measure a variety of biological molecules and biological cells with high sensitivity and performance by detecting the change in the refractive index of the solution to be measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors can be used to realize simple, small-size, disposable, and low-cost biosensors for application in several fields, e.g., healthcare. The performance of SPR sensors based on optical waveguides can be changed by tuning several parameters, such as the dimensions and the shape of the waveguides, the refractive index of the core, and the metal nanofilms used to excite the SPR phenomenon. In this work, in order to develop, experimentally test, and compare several polymer-based plasmonic sensors, realized by using waveguides with different core refractive indices, optical adhesives and 3D printed blocks with a trench inside have been used. In particular, the sensors are realized by filling the blocks' trenches (with two plastic optical fibers located at the end of these) with different UV-cured optical adhesives and then covering them with the same bilayer to excite the SPR phenomenon. The developed SPR sensors have been characterized by numerical and experimental results. Finally, in order to propose photonic solutions for healthcare, a comparative analysis has been reported to choose the best sensor configuration useful for developing low-cost biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based sensors have attracted huge interest due to their ability to provide real-time sensing of a wide range of quantities, while still boasting high sensitivity, low cost, and electromagnetic immunity. Among various types of these sensors, waveguide-based sensors show great promise in terms of integrability into more complex circuits while still maintaining similar sensitivity and versatility as their stand-alone counterparts. This paper presents the results of investigation based on design and simulation of optimal parameters for multimode SPR-based waveguide sensor sensitive to any commonly used liquid analytes. The sensitivity for a wider range of analytes is achieved by utilisation of SiON material platform because refractive index adjustability of SiON offers a way to tailor sensor's sensitivity to exact applications and analytes. One of the research goals in this work was to show that multi-mode waveguides may be suitable for such sensors with comparable sensitivity and higher transmission rates as single-mode waveguides. To showcase design possibilities, two variations with the same design and material's refractive index adjustment only were investigated, and their optimal parameters have been found. Sensitivity for all commonly used liquid analytes was validated, with sensitivity rising to 1400 nm/RIU for label-free refractive index sensing, even without the use of any sensitivity-enhancing structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the MMn2O4 and MMn2O4/rGO (M = Ni, Co) samples were synthesized using co-precipitation and wet impregnation methods. XRD analysis showed the high purity and good crystallinity of the synthesized powders. FESEM analysis revealed the formation of pyramid-like structures and a good intimate mixture with rGO in the nanocomposite samples. Gas sensors were fabricated with pure and nanocomposite structures for the sensing of ammonia gas. The CoMn2O4/rGO nanocomposite sample achieved a higher sensitivity (S = 3.5) with shorter response/recovery (140 s/83 s) behavior in room temperature at 100 ppm of NH3. The stability and selectivity of the CoMn2O4/rGO nanocomposite gas sensor were examined. The preferable sensing mechanism of CoMn2O4/rGO nanocomposite towards the detection of NH3 was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a double-sided polished microstructured fiber based on the refractive index that simultaneously measures the refractive index and temperature. Two polished planes were introduced into the cladding. A gold film and polydimethylsiloxane are deposited on one side of the plane for temperature measurements, and graphene layers are coated on the surface of the silver film on the other side for refractive index measurements. The finite element method is used to characterize the sensing characteristics of the sensor. The results show that when the liquid refractive index is from 1.36 to 1.4 and the temperature from 70 °C to 110 °C, the maximum sensitivity of the sensor is 15,000 nm/RIU and 8.8 nm/°C, respectively. The double-sided polished structure facilitates the development of multi-parameter measurement sensors for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a low-cost, portable paper-fluidic vertical flow assay bacterium counter with high accuracy. We designed sensors with low fabrication costs based on e-beam evaporation and three-dimensional printing based on the impedance measurement principle. Interdigitated (IDT) electrodes were coated on the filter membrane by e-beam evaporation with a shadow mask. We could print wafer-scale frames with low melting temperature three-dimensional-printing materials for confining liquid bacterial samples within the IDT sensing region. This novel fabrication technique significantly reduced the chip's cost to less than 1% of that of silicon-based chips. Two equivalent circuit models were proposed for different concentration ranges to analyze the principle of paper-based impedance bacterial sensors. We proposed an improved model based on the Randles model for low concentrations by considering the leaky double-layer capacitor effect and spherical diffusion from the nano-structural electrodes of the gold-coated filter membrane. The phenomenon in which charge transfer resistance, Rct, declines at high concentration ranges was found and explained by the pearl chain effect. The pearl effect could cause a false-negative at high concentrations. We modeled the pearl chain effect as an R and C, connected parallel to the low-concentration model. When users properly applied both models for analyses, this sensor could quantitatively measure cell concentrations from 400 to 400 M per milliliter with superior linearity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a methodology for non-contact classification of five different plastic types using an inexpensive direct time-of-flight (ToF) sensor, the AMS TMF8801, designed for consumer electronics. The direct ToF sensor measures the time for a brief pulse of light to return from the material with the intensity change and spatial and temporal spread of the returned light conveying information on the optical properties of the material. We use measured ToF histogram data of all five plastics, captured at a range of sensor to material distances, to train a classifier that achieves 96% accuracy on a test dataset. To extend the generality and provide insight into the classification process, we fit the ToF histogram data to a physics-based model that differentiates between surface scattering and subsurface scattering. Three optical parameters of the ratio of direct to subsurface intensity, the object distance, and the time constant of the subsurface exponential decay are used as features for a classifier that achieves 88% accuracy. Additional measurements at a fixed distance of 22.5 cm showed perfect classification and revealed that Poisson noise is not the most significant source of variation when measurements are taken over a range of object distances. In total, this work proposes optical parameters for material classification that are robust over object distance and measurable by miniature direct time-of-flight sensors designed for installation in smartphones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an optical fiber Fabry–Pérot (FP) microfluidic sensor based on the capillary fiber (CF) and side illumination method is designed. The hybrid FP cavity (HFP) is naturally formed by the inner air hole and silica wall of CF which is side illuminated by another single mode fiber (SMF). The CF acts as a naturally microfluidic channel, which can be served as a potential microfluidic solution concentration sensor. Moreover, the FP cavity formed by silica wall is insensitive to ambient solution refractive index but sensitive to the temperature. Thus, the HFP sensor can simultaneously measure microfluidic refractive index (RI) and temperature by cross-sensitivity matrix method. Three sensors with different inner air hole diameters were selected to fabricate and characterize the sensing performance. The interference spectra corresponding to each cavity length can be separated from each amplitude peak in the FFT spectra with a proper bandpass filter. Experimental results indicate that the proposed sensor with excellent sensing performance of temperature compensation is low-cost and easy to build, which is suitable for in situ monitoring and high-precision sensing of drug concentration and the optical constants of micro-specimens in the biomedical and biochemical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fiber-optic torsion sensor based on a helical two-core fiber (HTCF) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for simultaneously measuring torsion angle and torsion direction. The sensor consists of a segment of HTCF and two single-mode fibers (SMFs) forming a Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI). The helical structure is implemented by pre-twisting a 1 cm long two-core fiber (TCF). The performance of the sensor with pre-twisted angles of 180°, 360°, and 540° is experimentally analyzed. The results show that the sensor can realize the angular measurement and effectively distinguish the torsion direction. It is worth noting that the sensor has maximum sensitivity when the pre-twist angle is 180 degrees. The obtained wavelength sensitivities of torsion and temperature are 0.242 nm/(rad/m) and 32 pm/°C, respectively. The sensor has the advantages of easy fabrication, low cost, compact structure, and high sensitivity, which is expected to yield potential applications in fields where both torsion angle and direction measurements are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the basic principles of optical waveguide refractive index sensing and the various design structures of refractive index sensors. These waveguides generate different optical resonances, which cause changes in the sensing refractive index and temperature and are subsequently used to detect the concentration in the analyses. First, the structural characteristics and performance indices of the microring sensor and interferometer are studied based on the refractive index of the optical waveguide. Second, the principle and sensing detection mechanism of the two types of refractive index sensing employed in these sensors are analyzed. Then, the two sensors are classified and discussed from the perspective of the waveguide materials and structures, as well as the substances to be measured. Simultaneously, performance indicators such as sensitivity and detection range are compared and summarized. The comparison results show that there is a compromise between the sensitivity and quality factor of the optical waveguide refractive index sensor. Finally, applications of refractive index sensing in the biochemical field for material detection are discussed, showing that the optical waveguide refractive index sensor has significant advantages over other types of biochemical optical sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the D-shaped photonic-crystal-fiber localized surface-plasmon-resonance (LSPR) sensor is a research hot spot, especially for liquid refractive-index sensors. In this paper, we propose a doublemeasurement-accuracy LSPR sensor. In numerical simulations, when the refractive index of the analyte changes from 1.33 to 1.4, we obtain the maximum sensitivity equal to 15,500 nm/RIU. At refractive index values of the analyte equal to 1.38 and 1.39, there are two resonance peaks, and the wavelength sensitivity of the second peak is 25,000 nm/RIU, which has a good prospect in specific liquid detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the hazardous gases which directly affect the vital organs of human beings. An accurate identification is essential for air quality assurance, environmental monitoring, automotive technology, and other industrial processes. Herein, we report nanostructured tungsten oxide (WO 3) thin-film grown on SiO 2 substrate under controlled oxidation conditions for NO sensing. The nanostructured-WO 3 film's monoclinic phase has an average crystallite size of 12.89 nm, a lattice strain of 20.56, and an optical band gap of 2.89 eV. The fabricated device demonstrates high selectivity, stability, and faster response/recovery time with a sensor response of 1.26 for 100 ppb NO concentration, which increases to an ultra-high response (>25) for 1 ppm at 250 °C with a detection limit of ∼4 ppb. Ultrahigh response of the sensors is due to high specific surface area and effective gas diffusion ability, which lead to potential applications in low concentration NO detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Side polished fiber (SPF) has a controllable average roughness and length of the side-polishing region, which becomes a versatile platform for integrating multiple materials to interact with the evanescent field to fabricate all-fiber devices and sensors. It has been widely used in couplers, filters, polarizers, optical attenuators, photodetectors, modulators, and sensors for temperature, humidity, strain, biological molecules, chemical gas, and vector magnetic monitoring. In this article, an overview of the development history, fabrication techniques, fiber types, transmission characteristics, and varied recent applications of SPFs are reviewed. Firstly, the fabrication techniques of SPFs are reviewed, including the V-groove assisted polishing technique and wheel polishing technique. Then, the different types of SPFs and their characteristics are discussed. Finally, various applications of SPFs are discussed and concluded theoretically and experimentally, including their principles and structures. When designing the device, the residual thickness and polishing lengths of the SPF need to be appropriately selected in order to obtain the best performance. Developing all-fiber devices and sensors is aimed at practical usability under harsh environments and allows to avoid the high coupling loss between optical fibers and on-chip integrated devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study proposes a photonic crystal fiber sensor based on a plasmon resonance. A thin gold metal layer was used as a plasmonic‐active material to produce the surface plasmons to detect changes in the refractive index (RI) around it. The performance of the proposed sensor is evaluated by the finite‐element method for various refractive indices. The sensitivity of this sensor ranges from 3740 to 51227 nm/RIU for the RI range of 1.36–1.42 in the wavelength range of 700–1900 nm. Within this range, we observed the highest resolution, the best FOM, and amplitude sensitivity with values of 1.95 × 10−6 RIU, 883.224 RIU−1, and 2328.59 RIU−1, respectively. This sensor has a simple structure and a better performance as compared with available sensors. The present study opens a new window to studies in the fields of biological materials, chemical materials, and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) multiparameter sensor for simultaneous determination of refractive index and temperature was manufactured through a novel and low-cost approach. Monitoring these parameters is useful when biosensors are developed by exploiting SPR phenomena. A polymer planar optical structure was realized via inkjet 3D printing, by using photo-curable resins having tailored refractive index for device's core and cladding, respectively. The multiparameter sensor was fully designed, manufactured, and experimentally tested to check the numerical analyses run on a preliminary phase. In such a way, a temperature resolution equal to about 0.5 °C and a refractive index resolution equal to about 2 × 10−4 RIU (refractive index unit) were obtained. Next, even a quality control analysis of the 3D printed surface was carried out by following a novel approach that relies on the profile monitoring technique, with the aim to evaluate the suitability of the design and the geometric accuracy control. In addition, thanks to the cost analysis performed through a properly model, it was proved that the multiparameter sensor designed, manufactured, and tested satisfies the low-cost requirements, being the estimated cost ~ 23 €, which is an absolutely competitive cost if compared with other traditional sensors. In the end, even the performance of the sensor in terms of bulk sensitivity (equal to about 900 nm/RIU) resulted to be higher than similar devices already presented in the state-of-the-art, thus proving the validity of the developed SPR multiparameter sensor both in economic and performance terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel refractive index (RI) sensor based on a D-shaped single-mode-graded-index multimode-single-mode fiber (D-SGIMS) structure is presented and investigated in detail. A CO2 laser was used to process the SGIMS structure, which produced a strong evanescent field. The structural parameters were determined via simulations, and the experimental results were consistent with those of the theoretical analysis. The transmission spectra and RI sensitivity of the fabricated sensors with different lengths were compared via experiments, the results of which indicated that the maximum RI sensitivity was 811.00 nm/RIU in the range 1.333–1.419. Therefore, the proposed D-SGIMS structure can provide high-precision measurement capabilities and can be applied in the field of biochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complex signal processing technique is usually required to process the data in most sensor design structures, and integration into real applications is also challenging. This work presents a dynamic rotational sensor using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) fiber for robot movement assessment. The sensor design structure is based on the coupling of light intensity, in which two PMMA fibers are twisted together. Both fibers are bent after twisting and attached on the linear translation stage, which is further attached to the robot. The variation in bending radius causes the bending loss, and that loss is coupled in the second fiber. The change in the macro-bend radius corresponds to the rotation of the robot. Experimental results indicate that the sensor can operate in full rotational cycle (i.e., 0°–360°) as well as for clock and anti-clockwise rotation. Moreover, different rotational speeds (2°/s, 3°/s, 5°/s, and 10°/s) were carried out. The hysteresis loss of the sensor was about 0.77% and the sensitivity was 8.69 nW/°. The presented dynamic rotational sensor is cost-effective and easily integrated into the robot structure to analyze the robot's circular motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, we demonstrate a miniature viscosity sensor based on GaN-on-sapphire optical device integrated with an inclined flow channel. The monolithic device, consisting of a pair of GaN diodes responsible for light emission and detection, can monitor droplet sliding. Without the need for external optical components, the proposed elegant design of a few centimeters in size is capable of distinguishing the liquid viscosities from 2 to 600 mPa $\cdot \text{s}$ in tens of seconds. The proposed optical sensor exhibits attractive features, such as compactness, low cost, ease of operation, and small liquid volume required, making it suitable for practical applications in liquid viscosity measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel sensing strategy is presented to monitor receptor-target pair interactions at ultra-low concentrations without functionalization processes. The biosensing is made by a sensitive chip and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) probe connected in series, both built up on multimode plastic optical fibers (POFs). The SPR probe is a conventional D-shaped POF platform, while the capture platform consists of three microholes, containing a few hundred nanoliters each, made in the core of a modified POF. The microholes are filled with a specific receptor solution, which selectively captures the target present in the samples dropped over the filled microholes. Any variation occurring in the microholes due to the molecule binding processes changes the mode profile of the propagated light in the POF's core, modifying the plasmonic effects proportionally to the phenomena under scrutiny. As a proof of concept, the interactions of two receptor-target pairs, estradiol and cortisol to the respective receptors, namely Estrogen Receptor alpha protein (ER) and Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR), were monitored over time in the attomolar range. The receptor-target pair interactions are observed at ultra-low concentrations (order of aM) by monitoring the resonance wavelength shift over time. The proposed sensing approach stands for a novel class of laboratory instrumentation with unprecedented capabilities in terms of compactness, ultra-high sensitivity and low-cost. • Receptor/target pair interactions are monitored without functionalization steps. • The receptor/target binding in the microcuvette is observed at aM level. • A POF-based microcuvette device is connected with an SPR-POF sensor. • The sensing approach stands for a novel class of laboratory instrumentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new concave shaped high refractive index plasmonic sensor with a micro-channel is proposed in this work, which comprises an analyte channel in the core hole. The sensor is elaborately designed to reduce the interference effect from the metal coating. Furthermore, the impact of the proposed structure on the sensitivity is also investigated by engineering the geometric parameters using the finite element method. We select gold as the plasmonic material in this theoretical study because it is widely used to fabricate plasmonic and metamaterial devices due to its chemical stability and compatibility. According to wavelength interrogation technique, simulations results show that this sensor can obtain maximal wavelength sensitivity of 10,050 nm/refractive index unit. In view of the excellent indicators of this device, it has important development potential in chemical and biological research fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, highly sensitive D-shaped photonic crystal fiber (PCF) sensor with plasmonic pyramid grating is introduced and analyzed. The sensing mechanism depends on the coupling between the fundamental core mode and the surface plasmon mode around the plasmonic pyramid grating. The resonance frequency depends on the analyte refractive index (RI) which can be employed to detect the analyte RI changes. The geometrical parameters of the proposed PCF and gold pyramid grating are studied to enhance the RI sensor sensitivity. The simulation results are obtained using full vectorial finite element method. The suggested sensor has higher sensitivity of 5200 nm/RIU than 3340 nm/RIU of the conventional grating design through the studied RI range from 1.355 to 1.385. Therefore, the reported RI sensor can be used for basal cancer cell detection with normal and cancerous cells' refractive indices of 1.36 and 1.38, respectively. Additionally, linear performance is achieved using the reported design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An article herein considers the development of a fiber-optic sensor system, based on fiber Bragg gratings. Presently, fiber-optic sensors has become world-widely known amongst sensor technologies, used for monitoring engineering and construction structures. The work is linked with developing the system from fiber-optic sensors on the basis of fiber optic gratings, its characteristics, deformation behavior and temperature, acting at fiber Bragg grating by means of computer modeling. The research is focused at the analysis of characteristics and deformation and temperature behavior of fiber-optic Bragg sensor. Fiber-optic Bragg sensor with tilted grating is used for measuring deformation of the object, the strength of which is changed, dependent on the applied force, as well, for measuring and detecting any temperature deviations, influencing at fiber Bragg grating, which might bring to fire and accidents. In the research, simulation modeling there was made in the MATLAB (Simulink) software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of tangential small slips at contact interfaces may occur in mechanical assemblies when subjected to cyclic loadings, and cause failure of parts. However, the slip is difficult to measure directly. In this paper, a self-powered displacement sensor based on triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is fabricated, which is used to measure the microslip of the specimen in the designed test bench. When the specimen slips under the cyclic tangential load with a frequency of 10 Hz, the resulted average slip displacement of the specimen under a single load cycle is 9.01 μm, which is measured by the Keithley DAQ 6510 multimeter (Tektronix, Shanghai, China). This value is close to that measured by the Keithley 6514 electrometer. In addition, adding a BaTiO 3 thin film with a thickness of 100 nm between the Kapton triboelectric layer and the Cu electrode, the output voltage of the sensor is increased by 51.5%. Thus, the sensitivity of the self-powered sensor is improved effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen peroxide is a useful molecule in biological and chemical reactions, but in excess harmful. Developing simple, low cost, and quick analytical method capable of detecting H2O2 is still critical. In this proposed work, our main objective was to synthesize nanocomposite of Musa paradisiaca L. peels (MPLP) by fine tuning its structure and properties with magnetite (Fe3O4). The characterization study, such as UV–Vis, FT-IR, SEM, EDX, XRD, VSM, Zeta potential, and BET were carried out effectively. The change in color from the initial grey to blue could be observed with naked eye (approximately 30 s) and the sensor established a colorimetric response in a relatively wide range of 0.01 μM to 0.9 mM with a lower detection limit (LOD) of 0.008 μM and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 0.02 μM. Interference tests (using cations and organic chemicals) and real samples application (Tap water and milk) were used to evaluate the sensor's selectivity with recovery values ranging from 96 to 99% close to the H2O2 detection endpoint. The MPLP nanocomposite reflected a strong peroxidase-like activity for 3, 3, 5, 5, tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) oxidation in the presence of H2O2, having enzyme mimicking properties. Our study established a sensitive and selective optical sensing platform based on the green plant material for H2O2 detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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