High temperature strain sensor based on a fiber Bragg grating and rhombus metal structure

In this paper, a novel high temperature strain sensor based on a polyimide-coated fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and a rhombus metal structure is presented and experimentally demonstrated. By heating low softening point glass via a micro torch, the polyimide-coated FBG could be fixed into the rhombus metal structure. Consequently, when the rhombus structure is stretched and compressed, respectively, then the FBG will be subjected to a reverse state. Moreover, the strain sensitivity is controllable and enhanced by adjusting the dimension of the rhombus metal structure appropriately. The experiment was then carried out by using an equi-intensity cantilever beam and high temperature chamber, and the result showed that the proposed high temperature strain sensor could be used at the high temperature of 300°C. A resolution of ∼10  μe has been experimentally achieved. The average wavelength strain sensitivity at 300°C is 1.821 and 1.814 pm/μe, for the compressed and stretched states, respectively.