Influence of temperature on the refractive index sensitivities of fiber Bragg gratings refractometers

Abstract Effect of cross-sensitivity between temperature and refractive index (RI) was studied using an optical sensor based on Bragg grating inscribed in an etched multi-mode fiber (MMF). RI sensitivities of different modes were used to obtain a linear response and temperature dependence in water:glycerin solutions. Results pointed out that the absolute average RI sensibility reduces from 0.97 ± 0.05 nm/RIU to 0.76 ± 0.07 nm/RIU while the temperature increases from 15 °C up to 35 °C, respectively. Effect of temperature on the RI sensitivity is related with the increasing difference between the fiber and surrounding RI, which results in lower evanescent field and, consequently, reduced surrounding RI sensitivity. Therefore, in order to improve the precision during the RI measures, the effect of temperature must be considered in the calibration curves, principally in MMF fiber grating sensors that show low RI sensitivity values.