Fabricación Local de Sensores de Fibra Óptica Aplicables al Sensado de Magnitudes Relevantes en Ingeniería Civil

This article reports the results obtained in the local manufacture of an optical structure known as a long period grating, in a standard optical fiber used for telecommunications. It was achieved through the use of a technique in which a periodic sequence of reductions in fiber diameter (μ-tapers) is generated by means of the attack with an electric arc of controlled characteristics. Mentioned optical structure is known as LPG and can be used as a transduction element in sensing systems of various physicochemical magnitudes. The manufacturing process was carried out through an experimental arrangement that was recently implemented at CIOp. The manufactured LPGs constitute one of the basic elements in the study and development of optical techniques applicable in the characterization of cement-based materials in the context of a joint work project between LEMIT and CIOp. In the present work, characteristics describing the optical behavior of the generated LPGs are reported and they are compared with commercial devices of the same nature manufactured abroad.