A High-Sensitivity Low-Temperature Sensor Based on Michelson Interferometer in Seven-Core Fiber

An in-fiber Michelson interferometer (MI) formed by seven-core fiber (SCF) for low-temperature sensing is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The sensor head is constructed by a section of seven-core fiber splicing a single-mode fiber (SMF) with a taper. When the external temperature changes, the interference spectrum of the MI will shift due to thermal expansion and thermo-optic effects. By measuring the wavelength variations of the interference dip, the external temperature can be determined. Experimental results proves that the sensor exhibits a maximum linear temperature sensitivity of −0.0775 nm/°C in the temperature range of −60 °C to 15 °C, and the standard deviation is 5% in stability test. The sensor possesses high sensitivity and easy fabrication, which makes it could be a good candidate in low-temperature sensing application.