The development of a large-area chemical sensor: A new platform for selective coatings

A new chemical sensor is described which applies multiple phenomena to identify and measure the concentration of selectively sorbed molecules in an optical fiber cladding. In addition, the sensor can be manufactured at the rate of several thousand meters per hour. Only a few meters are needed for calibrations and testing, leaving thousands of meters of calibrated sensor for use. The method employs absorption or raman spectroscopy for verification and quantification. Incorporating various selective materials into the cladding enables the sensor to be used for a variety of chemicals such as various pollutants or chemicals from chemical weapons. Organic phosphates and iodine have been identified as two important classes of compounds related to nuclear weapons proliferation issues