Abstract
A fiber sensor based on a Fabry-Perot cavity is reported for measuring mixtures of water and glycerin. The sensor is fabricated by producing an air bubble near the end face of a multimode fiber section, and reshaping the tip in order to produce a thin silica diaphragm. It is observed that there is dependence between diaphragm dimensions and the structure sensitivity. The sensor with a 20 mu m thick diaphragm presents a sensitivity of 7.81 pm/wt.% regarding the variation of water mass fraction in glycerin. With this sensing head, an experimental resolution of 2.5 wt.% is estimated. By converting the mass fraction into refractive index variations, a maximum sensitivity of 5.49 nm/RIU is obtained. Moreover, given the low-temperature sensitivity (1.6 pm/degrees C), the proposed cavity should be adequate to perform temperature independent measurements. The purity degree of glycerin is one of the most important parameters to be determined in applications such as in pharmaceutical or cosmetic area. The proposed sensor can be an alternative to the previously developed ones.

Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in the world and its occurrence is closely related to arterial stiffness. Arterial stiffness is commonly evaluated by analysing the arterial pulse waveform and velocity, with electromechanical pressure transducers, in superficial arteries such as carotid, radial and femoral. In order to ease the acquisition procedure and increase the patients comfort during the measurements, new optical fibre techniques have been explored to be used in the reliable detection of arterial pulse waves, due to their small size, high sensitivity, electrical isolation and immunity to electromagnetic interference. More specifically, fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) are refractive index modulated structures engraved in the core of an optical fibre, which have a well-defined resonance wavelength that varies with the strain conditions of the medium, known as Bragg wavelength. In this work, FBGs were embedded in a commercial resin, producing films that were used to assess the arterial pulse in superficial locations such as carotid, radial and foot dorsum. The technique proved to be a promising, comfortable and trustworthy way to assess the arterial pulses, with all the optical fibre use advantages, in a non-intrusive biomedical sensing procedure. Examples of possible applications of the developed structures are smart skin structures to monitor arterial cardiovascular parameters, in a stable and reliable way, throughout daily activities or even during exams with high electromagnetic fields, such as magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract
Long period fiber gratings (LPFGs) were used to monitor the characteristics of copper (Cu) thin films when annealed in air atmosphere up to similar to 680 degrees C. The wavelength and the optical power shift of the resonant bands of the LPFGs when coated with the Cu thin films, were measured as a function of the annealing temperature, and were found to exhibit a different evolution comparing to a bare LPFGs. Thin films of Cu deposited on quartz (SiO2) substrates were annealed and analyzed by XRD, SEM/EDS and Raman spectroscopy, allowing to identify the formation of two distinct oxide phases at different temperatures, cuprous (Cu2O-cuprite) and cupric (CuO-tenorite) oxides, respectively. The observed features of the resonant bands of the LPFGs were found to be associated with the Cu oxide phase transitions, indicating the possibility of using LPFGs to monitor, in real time, the oxidation states of Cu thin films by following specific characteristics of the attenuation bands. In addition, LPFGs over coated with the two distinct oxidation phases of Cu were characterized for refractive index sensing in the range between 1.300 to 1.600, leading to the conclusion that the sensitivity to the refractive index of the surrounding medium of Cu coated LPFGs sensing systems can be temperature tuned.

Abstract
A study of long period fiber gratings (LPFG) over coated with iron (Fe) and subjected to oxidation in water with different sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations is presented. The formation of iron oxides and hydroxides was monitored in real time by following the features of the LPFG attenuation band. Preliminary results show that Fe coated LPFGs can be used as sensors for early warning of corrosion in offshore and in coastal projects where metal structures made of iron alloys are in contact with sea or brackish water.

Abstract
In this work an investigation of long period fiber gratings (LPFGs) over coated with iron (Fe) thin layers with different thicknesses and subjected to oxidation in air atmosphere under controlled temperature is presented. The formation of iron oxides was monitored in real time by following the optical features of the LPFG attenuation band. The morphology of the oxide layer was further analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Preliminary results show that iron coated LPFGs can be used as sensors for early warning of corrosion in projects where metal structures made of iron alloys are in contact with atmospheric air.

Abstract
This work reports the theoretical investigation of optical fiber surface plasmon resonance sensors incorporating bimetallic layer combinations. Different metals like silver, gold, copper, and aluminum are considered to investigate the refractometric sensing properties of tapered and tip optrode phase-interrogated optical fiber plasmonic sensor structures. It is shown that the gold-silver combination, coupled to a tip optrode layout, is capable of maximizing the resolution and operation range of these sensing structures for environmental refractive index measurement.