Constructing an optical fiber sensor network for natural environment remote monitoring

This study aim to design and construct a sensor network for natural environment remote monitoring with heterocore spliced optical fibers sensor. The system is able to establish both data communications and sensing function on the same line simultaneously based on introducing a hetero-core spliced fiber optic SPR sensor which can measure the refractive index of dielectrics into an optical path. Moreover, adoption of a wavelength 1310nm could make the data transmitted over longer distance than that of conventional wavelength (850nm) in order to monitor a wide area. To promote the SPR sensing in 1310nm band, a new sensor covered with Tantalum Pentoxide (Ta2O5) was contrived and examined the data communications property of it. Finally, a new monitoring system was placed in an actual farm and succeeded in gathering environmental information.