Sensors hang life on a fibre
15 Jan 2000
Sensors based on fibre-optic technology could help keep workers safe in polluted environments, according to researchers at Sheffield Hallam University.
The sensors combine the light-carrying properties of optical fibres with those of a new polymer which coats the head of the sensor. When exposed to a toxic substance, the polymer shifts the phase of the light waves travelling down the fibre. The degree of phase shift indicates the concentration of the pollutant.
