A novel approach to use of elastomer for monitoring of pressure using plastic optical fiber

Elastomer has become a material of much interest for use as a deformation element in pressure and force monitoring devices. In the present work, we fabricated and characterized a pressure sensor that uses the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer and the plastic optical fiber (POF). The POF is used to guide light through the 10 mm thick PDMS block and collect the transmitted light and deliver it to the detector. In the force sensor, an applied pressure deforms the PDMS block, increasing the transmissivity of the device. The fabricated pressure sensor shows satisfactory response up to 478 kPa with excellent sensitivity and repeatability. The present pressure sensor is simple to fabricate and can be used for a wide range industrial and automobile applications.