Collectable optical power of various specially shaped multimode optical fiber probes for contact sensing

Abstract

A theoretical analysis is presented, evaluating the total collectable optical power of an arbitrarily shaped multi-mode optical fiber probe for contact sensing where the signal from the analyte is emitted or scattered on the outside surface of the fiber tip. Calculation results and optimization parameters are given for spherical fiber probes. Based on surface enhanced Raman sensors, validating experiment results for spherical fiber probes are presented and discussed. This analysis can be used to guide the design and optimization of various fiber sensors, including fluorescence, surface plasmon resonance, and surface enhanced Raman sensors.