Abstract

We present a sensing architecture consisting of a two-core chirped microstructured optical fiber (MOF) for refractive index sensing of fluids. We show that by introducing a chirp in the hole size, the MOF can be a structure with decoupled cores, forming a Mach–Zehnder interferometer in which the analyte directly modulates the device transmittance by its differential influence on the effective refractive index of each core mode. We show that by filling all fiber holes with analyte, the sensing structure achieves high sensitivity (transmittance changes of 300 per RIU at 1.42) and has the potential for use over a wide range of analyte refractive index.

© 2014 Optical Society of America

Microstructured optical fiber refractive index sensor

Graham E. Town, Wu Yuan, Ravi McCosker, and Ole Bang
Opt. Lett. 35(6) 856-858 (2010)

Microstructured-core photonic-crystal fiber for ultra-sensitive refractive index sensing

Bing Sun, Ming-Yang Chen, Yong-Kang Zhang, Ji-chang Yang, Jian-quan Yao, and Hai-Xia Cui
Opt. Express 19(5) 4091-4100 (2011)

Exposed core microstructured optical fiber Bragg gratings: refractive index sensing

Stephen C. Warren-Smith and Tanya M. Monro
Opt. Express 22(2) 1480-1489 (2014)

Ultrasensitive photonic crystal fiber refractive index sensor

Darran K. C. Wu, Boris T. Kuhlmey, and Benjamin J. Eggleton
Opt. Lett. 34(3) 322-324 (2009)

Refractive index sensor based on a polymer fiber directional coupler for low index sensing

Kwang Jo Lee, Xiaoqi Liu, Nelly Vuillemin, Richard Lwin, Sergio G. Leon-Saval, Alexander Argyros, and Boris T. Kuhlmey
Opt. Express 22(14) 17497-17507 (2014)