Optimization and characterization of femtosecond laser inscribed in-fiber microchannels for liquid sensing

Abstract

In-fiber microchannels were fabricated directly in standard single mode fiber using the femtosecond laser inscribe and etch technique. This method of creating in-fiber microchannels offers great versatility, since it allows complex three-dimensional structures to be inscribed and then preferentially etched with hydrofluoric acid. In addition, inscription does not require a photosensitive fiber; the modification is induced through nonlinear processes triggered by an ultrashort laser pulse. Four in-fiber microchannel designs were experimentally investigated using this technique - microhole, microslot channel along the core, microslot channel perpendicular to the core and helical channel around the core. Each device design was evaluated through monitoring the optical spectral change while inserting a range of index matching oils into each microchannel; an R.I. sensitivity up to 1.55 dB/RIU was achieved in these initial tests. Furthermore, an all femtosecond laser inscribed Fabry-Pérot-based refractometer with an R.I. sensitivity of 2.75 nm/RIU was also demonstrated. The Fabry-Pérot refractometer was formed by positioning a microchannel between two femtosecond laser inscribed point-by-point fiber Bragg gratings.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/JLT.2014.2366833
Divisions: College of Engineering & Physical Sciences > Aston Institute of Photonics Technology (AIPT)
Additional Information: © 2015 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.
Uncontrolled Keywords: etching,laser machining,liquids,optical device fabrication,optical fiber devices,Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Publication ISSN: 0733-8724
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2024 08:06
Date Deposited: 26 Aug 2015 20:37
Full Text Link: http://ieeexplo ... rnumber=6945244
Related URLs: http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL)
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2015-06-15
Published Online Date: 2014-11-03
Authors: Lee, Graham C.B. (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-9073-685X)
Mou, Chengbo
Zhou, Kaiming (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-6011-1912)
Sugden, Kate (ORCID Profile 0000-0001-6323-1082)

Download

[img]

Version: Accepted Version


Export / Share Citation


Statistics

Additional statistics for this record