Corrosion Sensor Using Metallic Double Layer in Optical Fiber

Abstract

In this paper, a new optical fiber corrosion sensor based on metallic bilayers is described. The detection region is located at a fiber end facet and we present simulations as well as experimental results in controlled lab conditions for Ti(10 nm)/Al(10 nm) and Ni(5 nm)/Al(5 nm) bilayers. We perform the characterization of the device by numerical simulations using the COMSOL Multiphysics software, and with an analytical model, which makes use of the Fresnel equations. According to the simulations, the change in the reflected optical signal over time is related to variations in the thickness of the metallic films by the corrosive process and, consequently, the corrosion rate in each metal of the bilayer can be obtained. Upon the simulation results, sensor devices were fabricated by depositing thin metallic films on the cleaved facet of the optical fiber using the sputtering method. We show that the use of a metallic bilayer as a transducer, instead of a monolayer, improves the sensor measuring interval (20 ± 1 nm) and provides information about the corrosion rate along the corrosion process.