Intrinsic fiber optical gas sensor based on surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy

摘要

A miniaturized fiber optical sensor based on surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy is investigated in view of the detection of organic solvent vapors, particularly tetrachloroethene. Surface plasmons are excited on a silver coated multimode fiber by polychromatic light, and the resonant excitation is detected as a resonant absorption band in the measured output spectrum. When the analyte is absorbed in a thin gas-sensitive polysiloxane film deposited on the silver layer the polymer film changes its thickness and its refractive index. These changes result in a wavelength shift of the resonant curve depending on the analyte gas concentration. Theoretical considerations about the sensing effect are made and resonance curves were computer-simulated. Based on this simulation the layout of all sensor parameters was optimized. The sensor shows an excellent response to tetrachloroethene with a response time of two seconds and high reporducibility. Using self-assembling monolayers on the silver surface a long-term stability of more than three months is obtained. The sensor shows low cross sensitivities less than 1% to other solvent vapors like aceton and ethanol, furthermore, the influence of humidity is very low. This miniaturized fiber optical sensor in combination with an easy-to-handle and non-sophisticated measuring and evaluation unit is excellently suitable for the remote sensing of special organic solvent vapors.