Fiber coupled waveguide grating structures

Abstract

Fabrication and characterization of the miniature device of waveguide grating-structures (WGS) on the end facet of an optical fiber are demonstrated. A layer of ZnO between the fiber and the grating structures serves as the waveguide. The fiber is used to direct the excitation light to the WGS and to carry the signal response back to the detection system. The narrow-band waveguide resonance mode tunable in the visible spectrum can be measured through the fiber in both the transmission and reflection. This nanodevice may be suitable as long-range sensors for the detection of refractive-index changes in nontransparent or toxic liquids. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.