Operation of Yb:YAG fiber-optic temperature sensor up to 1600 °C

Fiber-optic temperature sensors based on fluorescence decay in Yb doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Yb:YAG) and Yb,Tb:YAG have been tested. The sensitivity of the sensor is found to be better than 1%/°C for Yb:YAG between 1400 and 1600 °C and for Yb,Tb:YAG between 1250 and 1450 °C. The maximum temperature of 1600 °C reached by the Yb:YAG sensor exceeds the previous record for this type of temperature sensor by more than 200 °C. These sensors are potentially operable up to 1900 °C.