3D-printed temperature sensors based on Fiber Bragg Gratings

Abstract: Fiber Bragg Gratings is a type of optical sensor used to measure temperature in many different fields. They have many advantages in relation to standard electric thermometers. The optical fiber and grating is cheap, these optical fiber sensor systems are expensive mainly due to the spectrum analyzer, so it is preferable to minimize the cost while keeping the accuracy as high as possible. By increasing the thermal response of the fiber it is possible to reduce the overall cost of the sensor system. The thermal response can be increased if a material with greater thermal expansion than the fiber is used as coating. Plastic is a coating material with potential due to its availability, low cost and high coefficient of thermal expansion. With 3Dprinting it is possible to choose from a large range of materials available and customize the functionality of the sensor. In this degree project we examined the functionality of a PLA coated Fiber Bragg Grating sensor where the coating was applied using a 3D-printer. Our findings shows that these type of sensors could meet the requirements if used within a specific temperature range.