Optofluidic sensor engineering towards plutonium concentration measurements
Résumé
Research in nuclear safety and fuel reprocessing has led to a surging need for novel chemical analysis tools with reduced analyte and effluent volumes. Recent technological advances for the elaboration and packaging of glass optofluidic co - integrated sensors have opened up the way for said analysis in harsh environments. We discuss a sensor engineering approach for the construction of an integrated absorption spectrometer with an ion-exchange core. Pu(VI) oxidation state exhibits a major absorption peak at a wavelength of 831 nm with a molar absorption coefficient of 545 L.mol-1.cm-1. An evanescent waveguiding sensing structure that allows guided fluid/light interaction is investigated in order to provide absorption spectroscopy measurements. The work presented consists of optical simulations as well as experimental measurements. Waveguide engineering with respects to modal transmission, field/fluid interaction coefficient Γ and device losses is presented. The simulations are carried out by computing ion-exchanged waveguide refractive index distribution and using it in mode solver software. Device optical characterization and bench tests are carried out to verify approach viability. First device measurements of a neodymium absorption peak in nuclear manipulation conditions are displayed.
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