Fluorinated Nanocomposite Cladding for Low-Loss Fiber Temperature Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical temperature measurement methods using quantum dots are limited by the unsuitability of PMMA as a cladding material for multimode quartz glass fibers, leading to high attenuation and inability to propagate light, and previous methods lack detailed explanation of nanocomposites and functionalization for wavelength conversion.
Innovation Solution
A multimode quartz glass fiber with a nanocomposite cladding made of UV-curable fluorinated acrylates and quantum dots, allowing for low-loss waveguides and efficient temperature measurement by exciting quantum dots in the cladding, with the option to form the nanocomposite as a cladding layer or on the fiber surface, enabling beam transport and conversion between wavelengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If PMMA is used as cladding material for quantum dot-coated fiber sections, then quantum dots can be applied to fiber without cladding, but the refractive index is too high (above 1.49) to allow light propagation and cannot be cured with UV lamps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the refractive index parameter of the cladding material from PMMA (n>1.49) to fluorinated polymers (n<1.47), making it lower than the quartz core (n≈1.47) to enable total internal reflection and light propagation. This parameter change also enables UV curability while maintaining quantum dot compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials combining fluorinated polymers with quantum dots in a nanocomposite structure. This composite allows simultaneous achievement of low refractive index for light guidance, UV curability, and quantum dot functionality for temperature sensing.
2Measurement precision
If quantum dots are embedded in planar waveguides with PMMA cladding, then temperature measurement can be performed, but the structure does not support multimode quartz glass fiber applications and has high attenuation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cladding material parameter from PMMA to fluorinated polymers with refractive index below 1.47, enabling low-loss light propagation in multimode quartz glass fibers while maintaining quantum dot temperature sensing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the planar waveguide structure with optical fibers, substituting a mechanical/structural approach with an optical transmission approach that enables long-distance, low-loss temperature measurement while maintaining quantum dot functionality.
3Productivity
If UV-curable polymers are used in the nanocomposite cladding, then cost-effective and efficient curing is achieved, but the refractive index must be precisely controlled to enable waveguide formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects fluorinated polymers with inherently low refractive indices (n<1.47) that are lower than quartz glass (n≈1.47), enabling waveguide formation. The UV curability provides rapid processing while the material's optical properties ensure proper light guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluorinated polymer acts as an intermediary material between the quantum dots and the external environment, providing both structural support for waveguide formation and a matrix for quantum dot embedding, while its UV curability enables efficient processing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables cost-effective, high-power laser transmission and temperature measurement over long distances with low loss, using low-cost light sources and allowing for selective interaction with quantum dots, thus overcoming previous limitations in wavelength transmission and mechanical stability.
Implementation Method 1
Based on temperature-dependent emission of quantum dots on the surface of optical fibers
Implementation Method 2
Bueno et al. found a negligible change of the central wavelength for CdSe QDs depending on the ambient temperature (25-50° C.)
Implementation Method 3
The refractive index of the medium is lower than that of the fiber core... condition for total reflection is not given
Implementation Method 4
produce low-loss waveguides... allowing for low-loss waveguides and efficient temperature measurement
Implementation Method 5
The materials cannot be cured with UV lamps (Hg vapor lamps, LEDs)... The cladding can consist of polymers, in particular UV-cured polymers
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and device for fiber optic temperature measurement. The invention also relates to a multimode quartz glass fiber with nanocomposite (NK) containing a polymer and quantum dots (QDs) and its manufacture. These are based on temperature-dependent emission of quantum dots on the surface of optical fibers.