Fiber Bragg gratings inscribed in nanobore fibers.

Abstract

The nanobore fiber (NBF) is a promising nanoscale optofluidic platform due to its long nanochannel and unique optical properties. However, so far, the applications of NBF have been based only on its original fiber geometry without any extra functionalities, in contrast with various telecom fiber devices, which may limit its wide applications. Here, we provide the first, to the best of our knowledge, demonstration of NBF-based fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) introduced by either the femtosecond (fs) laser direct writing technique or the ultraviolet (UV) laser phase mask technique. Moreover, the FBG fabricated via the UV laser was optimized, achieving a high reflectivity of 96.89% and simultaneously preserving the open nanochannel. The NBF-based FBGs were characterized in terms of temperature variation and the infiltration of different liquids, and they showed high potential for nanofluidic applications.