Preparation and Testing of Fiber Tapers for Repeatable Detection of Selected Hydrocarbons

Tapered optical fibers were prepared by heating of a section of the single-mode optical fiber using the tapering apparatus equipped by hydrogen-oxygen flame. Prepared samples of taper waist diameter of 6.1 µm and 3.4 µm were characterized and used as sensors working on refractometric principle of detection at a wavelength of 1550 nm. The repeatability of sensitivity measurement for selected liquids (hydrocarbons) was successfully tested with maximum of deviation of 0.1 dB from the mean value. The samples returned to baseline after purifying very well. Maximum of deviation of 0.05 dB from the mean value was calculated from measured data.