Multi-point detection of hydrogen using the hetero-core structured optical fiber hydrogen tip sensors and Pseudorandom Noise code correlation reflectometry

In this paper, the multi-point hydrogen detection system based on the combination of the hetero-core optical fiber SPR hydrogen tip sensor and interrogator by pseudorandom noise (PN) code correlation reflectometry has been developed. In a light intensity-based experiment with an LED operating at 850 nm, it has been presented that a transmitted loss change of 0.32dB was induced with a response time of 25 s for 4% $H_2$ in $N_2$ in the case of the 25-nm Au, 60-nm $Ta_2O_5$, and 5-nm Pd multi-layers film. The proposed sensor characteristic shows excellent reproducibility in terms of loss level and time response for the in- and out- $H_2$ action. In addition, in the experiment for multi-point hydrogen detection, all sensors show the real-time response for 4% hydrogen adding with reproducible working. As a result, the real-time multi-point hydrogen detection could be realized by means of the combination of interrogating system and hetero-core optical fiber SPR hydrogen tip sensors.