Miniature fiber optic pressure sensor for medical applications

Presents a theoretical description, fabrication and experimental investigation of miniature optical fiber pressure sensor for invasive measurement of blood pressure. Sensor measures only 125 /spl mu/m in diameter. The essential element is thin polymer diaphragm that is positioned inside a hollow end of the optical fiber. The cavity at the fiber end is made by wet etching in diluted HF acid. Thus the Fabry-Perot interferometer is formed between the inner fiber-cavity interface and the diaphragm. Deflection of the diaphragm and so pressure magnitude is determined by reading the reflectance spectrum of the sensing Fabry-Perot interferometer using broadband illumination. The configuration of Fabry-Perot interferometer at the optical fiber end makes sensor immune from bending of optical fiber and optical power fluctuations of light source. We deployed sensor prototype from 125 /spl mu/m-diameter optical fiber. It is optimized for human blood pressure range, namely from 0 to 40 kPa (0 to 300 mmHg) with 1 mmHg resolution. Our fabrication technique offers simple and low-cost disposable medical pressure sensor production.