Nanostructured optical fibre sensors for breathing airflow monitoring

A nanostructured optical fibre-based thin film sensor was designed for non-invasive, fast and reliable monitoring of respiratory airflow. Molecular-level self-assembly processing method was used to form multi-layered inorganic nanocluster and polymer thin films on the distal ends of optical fibres to form such sensors. In order to optimize the sensing performance, an analytical model based on the condensation of exhaled water vapour on the coating surface was established for the breathing analysis. By varying thin film chemistry the physically small sensors offer high sensitivity to breathing air in terms of variations in the reflected optical power. Moreover, the sensor performances in comparison with a medical nasal thermistor suggest such a thin film sensor is an excellent device for advanced breathing airflow monitoring.