Feature issue introduction: Multimaterial and Multifunctional Optical Fibers

Fabien Sorin,Lei Wei,Daniel Milanese,Xiaoting Jia,John Ballato

doi:10.1364/ome.7.001906

Abstract

The development of multimaterial and multifunctional optical fibers is opening exciting opportunities in photonic and optoelectronic devices, optical probes, diagnosis and surgical tools, as well as advanced fibers and textiles. It also constitutes a rich platform for the fundamental study of novel materials science and processing concepts, as well as in optics and photonics. This Feature Issue is a collection of thirteen peer-reviewed articles that present original work in areas at the frontier of this emerging scientific and technological field. These contributions highlight the maturity of the techniques employed to date, their potential to further develop and the prospects for a new generation of optical fiber based devices. (C) 2017 Optical Society of America

Highlights

Optical fibers have shown their great potential for use in wide-ranging applications including telecom to high power lasers, from lighting to structural health monitoring
For decades optical fibers have largely been fabricated from a single class of materials, either inorganic glass or polymer, and a second material used to be included within the fabrication process but most of the times for protection purposes
The impulse towards integrating different materials into a single optical fiber initially came from the need to mitigate the current limitations of conventional optical fibers; at longer wavelengths

Summary

Introduction

Optical fibers have shown their great potential for use in wide-ranging applications including telecom to high power lasers, from lighting to structural health monitoring. Feature issue introduction: Multimaterial and Multifunctional Optical Fibers Original Feature issue introduction: Multimaterial and Multifunctional Optical Fibers / Sorin, Fabien; Ballato, John; Wei, Lei; Jia, Xiaoting; Milanese, Daniel.

Results

Conclusion