Photonic Microcells for Sensing Applications

Abstract

This chapter presents hollow-core and suspended-core photonic microcells (PMCs) made from commercial photonic crystal fibers and single mode fibers (SMFs). These PMCs are in-fiber platforms for strong light-matter interaction and can be connected into standard SMF systems with low loss. The fabrication process and basic properties of the PMCs are introduced. The use of the PMC as gas sensors, liquid-filled temperature sensors, in-fiber micro-cantilever accelerometers, and grating-based sensors is presented. In combination with novel functional materials, the PMCs exhibit great potentials for lab-in/on-fiber and tunable photonic devices.