DEVELOPING FLUID LEVEL SENSOR BASED ON NON-BEND SHAPED POLYMER OPTICAL FIBER (POF)

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effect of the height of the fluid sensing length , the effect of coating on
the cladding of the optical power output , and to determine the best sensitivity and linearity in the fluid level
sensor .
Optical fiber used was Polymer Optical Fiber ( POF ) Type SH - 4001-1.3 . Polymer Optical Fiber core
has a refractive index of 1.49 and the cladding refractive index of 1,41. Treatment stripping the protective
jacket with a length of 1.5 cm , 3 cm , 4 cm , and coated with aluminum or copper cladding affects the optical
power output. Optical power output optical power of POF detected using Optical Power Meter ( OPM ) . The
light source used was helium neon laser with a wavelength of 632.8 nm and output power of 5 mW .
The results showed that the long sensing POF affects optical power output when the height of the fluid
be changed even though the changes are very small . Coating cladding using aluminum or copper can cause
weakening of POF optical power , but when coated with copper cladding has a lower attenuation than
aluminum. Best sensitivity values contained in the coated copper sensing with sensing width of 1.5 cm . Best
linearity is sensing sensing coated aluminum with 2 cm length .
Keywords : Polymer Optical Fiber ( POF ) , optical fiber sensors , fluid height