Influence of UV Radiation on Mechanical Properties of Polymer Optical Fibers.

This paper presents an analysis of the mechanical properties of different polymer optical fibers (POFs) at ultraviolet (UV) radiation conditions. Cyclic transparent optical polymer (CYTOP) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) optical fibers are used in these analyses. In this case, the fiber samples are irradiated at the same wavelength, pulse time and energy conditions for different times, namely, 10 s, 1 min, 2 min and 3 min. The samples are tested in tensile tests and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) to infer the variation in the static and dynamic properties of such fibers as a function of the UV radiation condition. Furthermore, reference samples of each fiber (without UV radiation) are tested for comparison purposes. The results show a lower UV resistance of PMMA fibers, i.e., higher variation in the material features in static conditions (Young's modulus variation of 0.65 GPa). In addition, CYTOP fiber (material known for its high UV resistance related to its optical properties) also presented Young's modulus variation of around 0.38 GPa. The reason for this reduction in the moduli is related to possible localized annealing due to thermal effects when the fibers are subjected to UV radiation. The dynamic results also indicated a higher variation in the PMMA fibers storage modulus, which is around 30% higher than the variations in the CYTOP fibers when different radiation conditions are analyzed. However, CYTOP fibers show a smaller operational temperature range and higher variation in the storage modulus as a function of the temperature when compared with PMMA fibers. In contrast, PMMA fibers show higher variations in their material properties when subjected to oscillatory loads at different frequency conditions. Thus, the results obtained in this work can be used as guidelines for the influence of UV radiation in POFs not only for the material choice, but also on the limitations of UV radiation in the fabrication of the grating as well as in sensor applications at UV radiation conditions.

Label-free plasmonic immunosensor for cortisol detection in a D-shaped optical fiber.

Measuring cortisol levels as a stress biomarker is essential in many medical conditions associated with a high risk of metabolic syndromes such as anxiety and cardiovascular diseases, among others. One technology that has a growing interest in recent years is fiber optic biosensors that enable ultrasensitive cortisol detection. Such interest is allied with progress being achieved in basic interrogation, accuracy improvements, and novel applications. The development of improved cortisol monitoring, with a simplified manufacturing process, high reproducibility, and low cost, are challenges that these sensing mechanisms still face, and for which solutions are still needed. In this paper, a comprehensive characterization of a D-shaped fiber optic immunosensor for cortisol detection based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) enabled by gold coating is reported. Specifically, the sensor instrumentation and fabrication processes are discussed in detail, and a simulation with its complete mathematical formalism is also presented. Moreover, experimental cortisol detection tests were performed for a detection range of 0.01 to 100 ng/mL, attaining a logarithmic sensitivity of 0.65 ± 0.02 nm/log(ng/mL) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.46 ng/mL. Additionally, an investigation of signal processing is also discussed, with the main issues addressed in order to highlight the best way to extract the sensing information from the spectra measured with a D-shaped sensor.

Prediction of fish mortality based on a probabilistic anomaly detection approach for recirculating aquaculture system facilities.

Aquaculture is a fundamental sector of the food industry nowadays. However, to become a sustainable and more profitable industry, it is necessary to monitor several associated parameters, such as temperature, salinity, ammonia, potential of hydrogen, nitrogen dioxide, bromine, among others. Their regular and simultaneous monitoring is expected to predict and avoid catastrophes, such as abnormal fish mortality rates. In this paper, we propose a novel anomaly detection approach for the early prediction of high fish mortality based on a multivariate Gaussian probability model. The goal of this approach is to determine the correlation between the number of daily registered physicochemical parameters of the fish tank water and the fish mortality. The proposed machine learning model was fitted with data from the weaning and pre-fattening phases of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) collected over 2018, 2019, and 2020. This approach is suitable for real-time tracking and successful prediction of up to 80% of the high fish mortality rates. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed anomaly detection approach is the first time studied and applied in the framework of the aquaculture industry.

Emergy evaluation for decision-making in complex multifunctional farming systems.

In a montado farm, commonly found in the South Portugal, human activities benefit from important fluxes of renewable resources. In this study, traditional economic and emergy evaluations are compared to determine their potential contributions to understanding this complex system and applied to a case study of a farm. This allows us to determine how each method values local natural resources and purchased factors of production and services in an empirical context. Results show that the montado farm has a renewable component evaluated at 27% of the total social costs of the system and that the work of natural resources is undervalued in economic budget accounting. Economic evaluation's relative value of purchased factors and services is three and half times higher than their emergy share. We propose that complementing economic budget accounting with emergy accounting provides a benchmark to evaluate the environmental contribution to agricultural and farming systems. In this way, factors external to markets can be evaluated for farming systems, bringing to economic analysis a full evaluation of resources, including the bio-geophysical system's contributions to wealth, enlarging total economic value of resources with a donor perspective enabling a better informed and comprehensive accounting to attain sustainable economic decisions and public policies.

Fast Bragg Grating Inscription in PMMA Polymer Optical Fibres: Impact of Thermal Pre-Treatment of Preforms.

In this work, fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) were inscribed in two different undoped poly- (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer optical fibres (POFs) using different types of UV lasers and their inscription times, temperature and strain sensitivities are investigated. The POF Bragg gratings (POFBGs) were inscribed using two UV lasers: a continuous UV HeCd @325 nm laser and a pulsed UV KrF @248 nm laser. Two PMMA POFs are used in which the primary and secondary preforms (during the two-step drawing process) have a different thermal treatment. The PMMA POFs drawn in which the primary or secondary preform is not specifically pre-treated need longer inscription time than the fibres drawn where both preforms have been pre-annealed at 80 °C for 2 weeks. Using both UV lasers, for the latter fibre much less inscription time is needed compared to another homemade POF. The properties of a POF fabricated with both preforms thermally well annealed are different from those in which just one preform step process is thermally treated, with the first POFs being much less sensitive to thermal treatment. The influence of annealing on the strain and temperature sensitivities of the fibres prior to FBG inscription is also discussed, where it is observed that the fibre produced from a two-step drawing process with well-defined pre-annealing of both preforms did not produce any significant difference in sensitivity. The results indicate the impact of preform thermal pre-treatment before the PMMA POFs drawing, which can be an essential characteristic in the view of developing POF sensors technology.

Thermal effects on the photoelastic coefficient of polymer optical fibers.

We measure the radial profile of the photoelastic coefficient C(r) in single-mode polymer optical fibers (POFs), and we determine the evolution of C(r) after annealing the fibers at temperatures from 40°C to 80°C. We demonstrate that C(r) in the fibers drawn from a preform without specific thermal pre-treatment changes and converges to values between 1.2 and 1.6×10-12 Pa-1 following annealing at 80°C. The annealed fibers display a smoothened radial profile of C(r) and a lowered residual birefringence. In contrast, the mean value of C(r) of the fiber drawn from a preform that has been pre-annealed remains constant after our annealing process and is significantly higher, i.e., 4×10-12 Pa-1. The annealing process decreases the residual birefringence to a lower extent as well. These measurements indicate the impact of annealing on the thermal stability of the photoelastic coefficient of POFs, which is an essential characteristic in view of developing POF-based thermo-mechanical sensors.

Highly sensitive liquid level monitoring system utilizing polymer fiber Bragg gratings.

A novel and highly sensitive liquid level sensor based on a polymer optical fiber Bragg grating (POFBG) is experimentally demonstrated. Two different configurations are studied and both configurations show the potential to interrogate liquid level by measuring the strain induced in a POFBG embedded in a silicone rubber diaphragm, which deforms due to hydrostatic pressure variations. The sensor exhibits a highly linear response over the sensing range and a good repeatability. For comparison, a similar sensor using a FBG inscribed in silica fiber is fabricated, which displays a sensitivity that is a factor of 5 smaller than the POFBG. The temperature sensitivity is studied and a novel multi-sensor arrangement proposed which has the potential to provide level readings independent of temperature and the liquid density.

Production of optical notch filters with fine parameter control using regenerated fiber Bragg gratings.

A new method to create a controlled notch filter for attenuation of signals based on regenerated fiber Bragg gratings is experimentally demonstrated. A fine adjustment of the notch depth is achieved by controlling the time of regeneration phenomenon in strongly saturated Bragg gratings written in standard ITU G.652 single-mode fiber. This method can used to produce tailored notch filters for several photonic applications, such as optical RF filtering, subcarrier processing or radio over fiber systems.