A Sensor With Coating Pt/WO3 Powder With an Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier to Detect the Hydrogen Concentration

A highly sensitive hydrogen sensor (HS) coated with Pt/WO3 powder with an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The sensing head is constructed by splicing a short section of tapered small-diameter coreless fiber (TSDCF diameter of 62.5 mu m and tapered to 14.5 mu m) between two single-mode fibers (SMFs). The Pt/WO3 powder adheres to the surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film coated on the TSDCF structure, which is sensitive to hydrogen. An EDFA is introduced into the sensor system to improve the quality factor (Q factor) of the output spectrum and thus improve the sensor's resolution. As the hydrogen concentration varies from 0% to 1.44%, the measured maximum light intensity variation and the sensor's sensitivity are -32.41 dB and -21.25 dB/%, respectively. The sensor demonstrates good stability with the light intensity fluctuation of <1.26 dB over a 30-min duration.

Automated summary

This study proposes and experimentally demonstrates a highly sensitive hydrogen sensor coated with Pt/WO3 powder and erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The sensor is constructed by splicing a tapered small-diameter coreless fiber (TSDCF) between two single-mode fibers (SMFs). The Pt/WO3 powder on the surface of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film coated on the TSDCF structure serves as the hydrogen-sensitive material. An EDFA is introduced to improve the Q factor and resolution of the sensor's output spectrum. The sensor exhibits good stability with a light intensity fluctuation of less than 1.26 dB over a 30-minute duration, and a maximum light intensity variation and sensitivity of -32.41 dB and -21.25 dB/%, respectively, when the hydrogen concentration varies from 0% to 1.44%.