Review of Research on Optical Fiber Fluorescence Temperature Probes

Temperature is a common physical quantity that significantly affects agricultural production, industrial manufacturing, scientific research, and human life. Therefore, accurate temperature detection is crucial. Conventional temperature sensors are widely used; however, they are easily affected by environmental factors, particularly conditions of high voltage and strong electric and magnetic fields, which can cause problems such as reduced accuracy and high error. By contrast, optical fiber sensing technology enables sensing in harsh environments and can address the limitations of conventional temperature sensors. Optical fiber fluorescence temperature sensing technology combines optical fiber and fluorescent sensing technologies. It uses optical fibers for light transmission and the temperature-sensitive characteristics of fluorescent material to achieve temperature sensing capability. Moreover, it enables temperature detection in various conditions, including harsh environments, and offers advantages such as strong anti-interference, rapid response, good repeatability, and high sensitivity. This paper reviews optical-fiber probe preparation methods such as doping, coating and deposition, encapsulation, and special optical-fiber splicing methods. In addition, temperature-measurement signal processing methods such as fluorescence intensity, fluorescence intensity ratio, fluorescence lifetime, and fluorescence emission peak wavelength shift methods are discussed. Finally, we list and analyze the advancements in optical fiber temperature probes and present an outlook for future development.