High-sensitivity fiber liquid crystals temperature sensor with tiny size and simple tapered structure

This Letter presents a new type of optical fiber probe used to detect temperature, whose structure is very simple. The optical fiber probe is filled with cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) whose reflected light varies with temperature. The experimental results show that the proposed sensor can achieve a temperature sensitivity of 5.64 nm/°C in the temperature range of 18–40°C. The sensor has the advantages of simple structure, low cost, and easy mass manufacture. Its size is very tiny (the tapered structure, 125 μm in maximum diameter and <300 μm in length) and it is easy to integrate and measure. Meantime, the tapered structure of the probe is also ideal for measuring small samples such as cells and microfluidic channels, which will be a promising candidate for monitoring temperature fluctuations in small spaces.