Gamma-radiation enhancement of sensing properties of FBGs in a few-mode polymer CYTOP fiber

Abstract

We investigate the effect of γ-radiation on temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) sensitivities of polymer perfluorinated fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). To this aim, different γ-radiation doses (80, 120, 160, and 520 kGy) were applied to a set of FBGs. We show that irradiated FBGs demonstrate an RH sensitivity rise with the received dose: from 13.3 pm/%RH for a pristine FBG up to 56.8 pm/%RH for a 520-kGy dose at 30℃. In contrast, T sensitivity decreases with radiation dose with a subsequent change of sign from positive to negative. Therefore, by experimental interpolation, T sensitivity can be eliminated at around a 160-kGy dose. This opens the possibility of designing an RH sensor with enhanced sensitivity, which at the same time is insensitive to T.