High-sensitivity refractive index sensor based on ultrafine conical no-core optical fiber

IF 2.6 3区计算机科学 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC Optical Fiber Technology Pub Date : 2025-02-21 DOI:10.1016/j.yofte.2025.104175

Yuxuan Qi , Hailong Liu , Ying Chen , Jiacheng Lv , Yubo Liu , Yanjie Zhao , Jiasheng Ni

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

A high-sensitivity refractive index (RI) sensor based on a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) configuration utilizing ultrafine tapered no-core fiber (Tapered No-Core Fiber, TNCF) is proposed and fabricated. The sensor consists of a single-mode fiber (SMF) – no-core fiber (NCF) – single-mode fiber (SMF) structure, with a tapered configuration formed in the no-core fiber region via the fusion tapering process. Multi-mode interference (MMI) and the excitation of higher-order modes within the tapered region significantly enhance the evanescent field effect of the light beam, thereby improving the sensor’s sensitivity to refractive index variations. Three sensors with tapered waist diameters of 60.1 μm, 41.2 μm, and 22.1 μm were fabricated. Experimental results show that, within refractive index ranges of 1.338–1.358 and 1.347–1.405, the refractive index sensitivity of the sensor increases significantly as the waist diameter of the tapered region decreases. When the tapered waist diameter is 22.1 μm, the refractive index sensitivity reaches 617.60 nm/RIU and 643.36 nm/RIU, with linearity coefficients of R² = 0.9835 and R² = 0.9994, demonstrating excellent sensitivity and linear performance. The proposed sensor not only exhibits high sensitivity, structural stability, and a wide measurement range, but also demonstrates suitability for high-precision refractive index measurements in the fields of medicine, biological sensing, and energy.

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来源期刊

Optical Fiber Technology 工程技术-电信学

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

11.10%

发文量

327

审稿时长

63 days

期刊介绍： Innovations in optical fiber technology are revolutionizing world communications. Newly developed fiber amplifiers allow for direct transmission of high-speed signals over transcontinental distances without the need for electronic regeneration. Optical fibers find new applications in data processing. The impact of fiber materials, devices, and systems on communications in the coming decades will create an abundance of primary literature and the need for up-to-date reviews. Optical Fiber Technology: Materials, Devices, and Systems is a new cutting-edge journal designed to fill a need in this rapidly evolving field for speedy publication of regular length papers. Both theoretical and experimental papers on fiber materials, devices, and system performance evaluation and measurements are eligible, with emphasis on practical applications.