Fiber optic humidity sensor based on self-assembled polyelectrolyte multilayers

Polyelectrolyte multilayers were self-assembled onto planar glass substrates and multimode optic fibers. The multilayer thin films deposited on glass substrates were characterized by using UV-vis spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The multilayer thin films containing hydrophilic side-groups possessed are affinity for water molecules. The adsorption and desorption of free water vapor gave rise to the changes in the refractive index and in the reflectance of the thin films. A multilayer thin film based fiber optic humidity sensor with an LED light source of 0.85 μm was designed. Under certain conditions, the reflected light intensity of the thin film sensor was a function of the humidity of air. About 30 bilayers was optimal for the multilayer thin film sensor working at watelength of 0.85 μm. This sensor can work over almost the whole relative humidity range with very good sensitivity.