Researchers in Sweden and the UK develop a new optical fiber design that could improve sensing in batteries, aircraft, infrastructure and energy systems
Stockholm, Sweden, 14 August 2026 – A new type of optical fiber developed by researchers at Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology and the University of Southampton could change how glass is used to measure pressure, temperature and other physical changes.
The research team has created a flat, ribbon-shaped optical fiber that acts as a highly sensitive sensor. In laboratory tests, the new design showed pressure sensitivity up to 1,000 times higher than conventional circular optical fibers.
Optical fibers are best known for carrying light and data across long distances. However, researchers are increasingly exploring their potential as sensors. These fibers can detect changes in their surroundings and are especially useful in environments where traditional electronic sensors may face limitations.
The newly developed fiber takes a different approach to conventional designs. Instead of making a standard round optical fiber and flattening it later, the researchers designed the fiber with its flat shape from the beginning. This allowed them to carefully control its internal structure and make the glass more responsive to changes in the surrounding environment.
Using laser-based glass processing, the team added tiny internal features, including air channels and metal-filled sections. These structures help the fiber respond more strongly to physical changes such as pressure and temperature.
The researchers also demonstrated a version of the fiber with improved temperature sensing capabilities by filling part of its internal structure with a tin-based alloy. The work shows that the shape and internal design of an optical fiber can play a major role in determining what it can detect.
The technology could have applications across several industries. In aerospace, flat optical fibers could be embedded into aircraft components, drones and composite materials to monitor strain and pressure inside structures. This could help engineers identify changes before they develop into more serious problems.
The same sensing capability could also support smarter battery systems. Pressure and temperature changes inside a battery can provide early signs of abnormal behavior. A highly sensitive optical sensor could potentially help monitor these changes more closely and improve the safety and performance of advanced energy storage systems.
Infrastructure is another area where the technology could prove useful. Bridges and other critical structures could potentially use embedded optical fibers to monitor internal stress and physical changes over time. This could provide engineers with more detailed information about the condition of important assets.
Unlike electronic sensors, optical fibers are not affected by electromagnetic interference. They are also lightweight, compact, and capable of operating in demanding environments. These characteristics make them suitable for applications in aerospace, energy, biomedical technology, and advanced manufacturing.
The new design also remains compatible with existing optical systems, which could make it easier to explore its use in future sensing applications. The researchers believe the technology opens up a new direction for optical fiber development, where the fiber itself is designed not just to transmit light but also to actively sense and respond to the physical world.
The next step will be to move the technology beyond laboratory demonstrations and explore its use in real-world systems. Potential applications include intelligent drones, advanced composite materials and safer energy technologies.
As industries look for more accurate ways to monitor equipment, infrastructure and energy systems, highly sensitive optical sensing technologies could play an increasingly important role. This latest research shows how redesigning something as familiar as a glass fiber may open new possibilities for smarter and more responsive technologies.
