Simple fabrication method for point temperature sensor probes using erbium ytterbium coated optical fibres

We report on the development of a point temperature sensor, based on coating tellurite onto the tips of optical fibres. By doping the tellurite glass with rare earth ions such as erbium the tip of the fibre can act as a localized temperature sensor by monitoring the upconversion emission from the ions. This sensing geometry allows the temperature to be measured with good spatial resolution, while the strong response of the rare earth ions to changing temperature provides a temperature precision of 0.1-0.3 degreesC over the measured range.Erik P. Schartner and Tanya M. Monr