Matej Njegovec

Dr. Matej Njegovec

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Koroška Cesta 46, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

7Years (2020-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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2 July 2020 in Sensors
Verified
Journal Article
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Matej NjegovecMatej Njegovec
Matej Njegovec
DDDenis Donlagic
Denis Donlagic
This paper presents a method for gas concentration determination based on the measurement of the refractive index dispersion of a gas near the gas resonance in the near-infrared region (NIR). The gas refractive index dispersion line shape is reconstructed from the variation in the spectral interference fringes’ periods, which are generated by a low-finesse Fabry-Perot interferometer during the DFB diode’s linear-over-time optical frequency sweep around the gas resonance frequency. The entire sensing system was modeled and then verified experimentally, for an example of a low concentration methane-air mixture. We demonstrate experimentally a refractive index dispersion measurement resolution of 2 × 10−9 refractive index units (RIU), which corresponds to a change in methane concentration in air of 0.04 vol% at the resonant frequency of 181.285 THz (1653.7 nm). The experimental and modeling results show an excellent agreement. The presented system utilizes a very simple optical design and has good potential for the realization of cost-efficient gas sensors that can be operated remotely through standard telecom optical fibers.

2 September 2022 in IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
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Journal Article
Open access
Matej NjegovecMatej Njegovec
Matej Njegovec
VBVedran Budinski
Vedran Budinski
BMBoris Macuh
Boris Macuh
DDDenis Donlagic
Denis Donlagic
Corrosion-induced optical fiber microbending is demonstrated within this article as an efficient method for the design of sensors for the detection and localization of corrosion events on monitored metal surfaces. The proposed sensors were demonstrated in a single point and fully distributed configurations while applied successfully on bare metal surfaces and underneath corrosion-protective coatings. The intrinsic simplicity in the design and manufacturing of the proposed sensors, reliable corrosion detection, and corrosion localization are the main attributes of the proposed microbend corrosion sensing concept.

8 February 2023 in Sensors
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Journal Article
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SPSimon Pevec
Simon Pevec
JKJanez Kunavar
Janez Kunavar
VBVedran Budinski
Vedran Budinski
Matej NjegovecMatej Njegovec
Matej Njegovec
DDDenis Donlagic
Denis Donlagic
This paper describes a Fabry–Pérot sensor-based measuring system for measuring fluid composition in demanding industrial applications. The design of the sensor is based on a two-parametric sensor, which enables the simultaneous measurement of temperature and refractive index (RI). The system was tested under real industrial conditions, and enables temperature-compensated online measurement of emulsion concentration with a high resolution of 0.03 Brix. The measuring system was equipped with filtering of the emulsion and automatic cleaning of the sensor, which proved to be essential for successful implementation of a fiber optic RI sensor in machining emulsion monitoring applications.

20 December 2024 in IEEE Sensors Journal
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Journal Article
Open access
NSNermin Sinanović
Nermin Sinanović
SPSimon Pevec
Simon Pevec
Matej NjegovecMatej Njegovec
Matej Njegovec
VBVedran Budinski
Vedran Budinski
DDDenis Donlagic
Denis Donlagic
This paper presents an all-silica microwire optical sensor designed for both fast response time and high-resolution temperature detection. The sensor consists of a thin optical microwire created at the tip of an optical fiber, configured as a temperature sensitive Fabry-Perot interferometer. For the purposes of achieving rapid response times, the sensing section of the sensor has a diameter of 11 μm. Experimental bench tests were set up to evaluate the sensor’s static and dynamic performance. The results indicate a sensor system resolution of about 5 mK and demonstrate a bandwidth of 38 Hz that corresponds to a response time of 4ms in still air. The sensor’s functionality is shown through a basic periodic gas compression method detecting small temperature fluctuations. In addition, the sensor was demonstrated for operation up to 600 degrees Celsius.

3 October 2025 in IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
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Journal Article
Open access
TGTomaž Gregorec
Tomaž Gregorec
VBVedran Budinski
Vedran Budinski
SPSimon Pevec
Simon Pevec
Matej NjegovecMatej Njegovec
Matej Njegovec
DLDarja Lisjak
Darja Lisjak
DDDenis Donlagic
Denis Donlagic
This work presents a compact fiber-integrated sensor designed for high-resolution measurement of electric currents and magnetic fields using a magneto-optic liquid microcell. The primary goal is to develop a miniature, customizable sensor capable of operating in challenging environments where electrical isolation, spatial constraints, and resistance to ambient electromagnetic noise are critical. The sensing element is based on barium hexaferrite nanoplatelets suspended in n-butanol, whose birefringent properties vary in response to external magnetic fields. Microchannels inscribed into standard optical fibers enable precise filling of the microcell with minimal liquid volume, facilitating scalable sensor fabrication. The device measures both direct and alternating currents by detecting the surrounding magnetic field generated by a current-carrying wire. A ferrite toroid core and tunable bias magnetic field improve sensitivity and define three distinct sensor configurations. Theoretical models for each configuration were experimentally validated, demonstrating resolution down to 40 μA in the highest sensitivity setup and an AC measurement bandwidth of 2100 Hz. Temperature stability tests from 25 °C to 50 °C revealed a drift of about –0.004% of the total unambiguous measuring range per °C. These results highlight the sensor’s potential for integration into systems requiring miniature, interference-immune, and adaptable current sensing solutions.

26 July 2023 in Structural Control and Health Monitoring
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Journal Article
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VBVedran Budinski
Vedran Budinski
Matej NjegovecMatej Njegovec
Matej Njegovec
SPSimon Pevec
Simon Pevec
BMBoris Macuh
Boris Macuh
DDDenis Donlagic
Denis Donlagic
This paper presents a fiber optic sensor for the detection of corrosion processes that occur on metal surfaces. In the proposed sensor design, a sensing fiber with an inscribed high-order Bragg grating is attached to the observed metal surface. A broadening of high-order Bragg grating spectral characteristics is observed and used to detect small and highly localized longitudinal strain variations that occur along the fiber as a result of corrosive rust flakes’ formations beneath the sensing fiber. The proposed approach provides a straightforward fabrication method, the possibility for unobtrusive mounting, including mounting of the sensor beneath the corrosion-protective layers, and consistent corrosion detection yields.