Fiber optic sensors advance chemical analysis from afar

Practical fiber optic sensors, ready and able to measure such common variables as pressure, temperature, strain, and torque, now focus on a largely overlooked area: chemical applications. After a comparatively slow start towards commercialization, these sensors already tackle such tasks as measuring pH levels, and various other chemical changes. Compared with other sensor families, the advantages of fiber optic types are of course well known: immunity to EMI/RFI, high bandwidth, and the ability to work at high-temperatures. Fiber optic sensors will offer yet another major advantage for more demanding chemical applications: isolation from both electrical sources and from human contact/contamination with the sample under measurement. Indeed, the chief advantage of fiber optic sensors in chemical applications is their remote sensing capabilities for examining complex mixtures like blood serum, chemical process streams, and various natural waters. Other advantages include continuous monitoring of the analyte, and the ability to perform measurements in rugged field conditions. Moreover, the wide availability of fiber optics and related optoelectronic components have opened the door to sensors that are economically viable.<>