Core Offset Optical Fiber Sensor Coated with Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide for Temperature Measurement

Abstract

The design of a temperature sensor employing the Mach–Zehnder configuration with an offset in the fiber core represents a novel methodology that leverages the distinctive attributes of optical fibers to attain enhanced sensitivity and precision in temperature measurement. Ambient temperature measurement is enabled by aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films deposited via sputtering onto optical fiber structures for sensing applications in the 1540–1555 nm wavelength range. This work explores the potential of this interferometer to measure the effective temperature variation within the core offset of an optical fiber in a cost-effective manner.