Fabrication and characterization of a fiber-optic pH sensor for the pH range 2 to 13

Fabrication and characterization of a fiber-optic pH sensor based on evanescent field absorption and immobilization of ethyl violet dye on the unclad core of the fiber using sol-gel technique have been reported. The probe has been demonstrated to operate in the pH range 2 to 13. The operating range is the largest among those reported in the literature by using a single pH-sensitive dye. The sensitivity of the sensor increases with the increase in the length of the probe. The response of the probe depends on the ionic strength and the temperature of the fluid. This suggests that the pH sensor developed by us is likely to perform best under well-defined sample conditions.