Zeolite thin film-coated fiber sensors based on Fabry-Perot interferometer for detection of chemical vapors

Abstract

A novel zeolite-coated fiber sensors for detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based on the Fabry-Perot interferometer was proposed and demonstrated. The sensor comprised a polycrystalline silicalite thin film grown up on the cleaved end face of a standard single-mode fiber. The inline Fabry-Perot cavity was composed by the end face of the single-mode fiber and the thin film. The sensor device operated by measuring the interference signal, which was a function of the amount of chemical vapor adsorption in its crystalline micro porous structure. Experimental results showed that the proposed VOC sensor worked well and the sensitivities were 2.78×10 −3 dB/ppm when the concentration ranged from 350 ppm to 2100 ppm and 1.23×10 −3 dB/ppm when the concentration ranged from 2100 ppm to 5250 ppm.