title: Measurement of organic chemical refractive indexes using an optical time-domain reflectometer.
abstract: In this investigation, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a method for measuring the refractive index (RI) of liquid organic chemicals. The scheme is based on a single-mode fiber (SMF) sensor and an optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR). Here, due to the different reflectance (R) between the SMF and organic liquid chemicals, the reflected power level of the backscattering light (BSL) measured by the OTDR would be different. Therefore, we can measure the RI of chemical under test via the measured BSL level. The proposed RI sensor is simple and easy to manipulate, with stable detected signals, and has the potential to be a valuable tool for use in biological and chemical applications.
authors.affiliation: Information and Communications Research Laboratories (ICL), Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Hsinchu 31040, Taiwan. yeh1974@gmail.com
authors.forename: Chien-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Chi-Wai
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Jiun-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Ping-Chun
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wha-Tzong
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Whang
authors.forename: Fan-Gang
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Tseng
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008027:Light; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals