C-type Fiber Research Articles

Femtosecond laser etching C-type fiber optic vernier sensor for seawater temperature and salinity measurements

In this work, we demonstrate a dual C-type fiber optic vernier sensor based on femtosecond laser etching for measuring seawater temperature and salinity. The C-type fibers are etched using femtosecond laser microfabrication technology on hollow-core fibers (HCF), including temperature and salinity cavities. The seawater can fully flow into the salinity cavity as a sensing medium, and the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is filled into the temperature cavity as a sensitizing medium. Combined with the vernier effect, dual parameter high sensitivity simultaneous measurement is achieved. Through simulation and experimental testing, the sensor can achieve high sensitivity measurement of seawater salinity and temperature, with sensitivities of −2.69 nm/‰ and −4.54 nm/℃, respectively. In the stability tests of salinity and temperature, the maximum interference wavelength shifts are 0.52 nm and 0.64 nm, respectively. In the repeated measurement experiment, the maximum deviation of sensitivity for salinity cavity and temperature cavity measurements are 0.03 nm/‰ and 0.18 nm/℃, respectively, indicating that the structure has good measurement stability and repeatability. This sensor has the advantages of strong stability, good repeatability, and low cost, which can be used as a new type of sensor to achieve high-sensitivity detection of seawater parameters.

Plug-in label-free optical fiber DNA hybridization sensor based on C-type fiber Vernier effect

A reflective Fabry-Perot interference (FPI) label-free biosensor based on Vernier effect is designed and implemented for in situ real-time DNA hybridization detection. The sensor is made by splicing single-mode fiber (SMF), a segment of C-type fiber and SMF. The Vernier effect occurs between the solid cavity FPI and the air cavity FPI. In our experiment, a high sensitivity of 10791.12 nm/RIU is obtained in the refractive index (RI) range of 1.3311–1.3450. On this basis, we immobilized probe DNA (pDNA) on the surface of SMF to detect the complementary DNA (cDNA), demonstrating use for label-free sensing of DNA hybridization. The experimental results show that the sensor can detect 1 µM cDNA with high specificity. The paper demonstrates the first research of optical fiber DNA biosensor based on the open microcavity FPI Vernier effect. In addition, the sensor has the advantages of high sensitivity, strong stability, simple structure and simple fabrication. It can also be applied to other biomolecule detection based on probe-target biological binding events, which has great application potential in medical diagnostics, food science, genetic engineering and other biological fields.

Extraction of Evoked Compound Nerve Action Potentials from Vagus Nerve Recordings.

Cervical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a neuromodulation therapy for the treatment of several chronic disorders. The effects of VNS are mediated by activation of nerve fibers of different types. In order to maximize the desired and minimize the undesired effects of VNS, assessing activation of vagal fiber types by VNS is essential. Evoked compound nerve action potentials (CNAPs) are commonly used as a method to estimate vagal fiber activation in the context of neurostimulation. However, vagal CNAPs are frequently contaminated by signals from non-neural sources, like electrocardiography (ECG), stimulus artifacts and evoked electromyographic (EMG) activity. In this study, we present a systematic methodology for suppressing non-neural signals in CNAP recordings from the rat vagus. The methodology involves intravenous infusion of vecuronium under ventilation, for suppressing EMG, and digital and analog signal processing, for suppressing ECG and stimulus artifacts, respectively. We compiled A-, B- and C-type fiber activation profiles with and without this methodology and found that our method significantly increased the reliability of CNAPs. We found that the A-component is obscured by the stimulus artifact, whereas the B- and C-components are frequently contaminated by evoked EMG. We extracted CNAPs evoked by square pulses of different polarities and amplitudes and documented effects consistent with well-established biophysical attributes of VNS.

Theoretical analysis of high-sensitive seawater temperature and salinity measurement based on C-type micro-structured fiber

A new sensing method for simultaneous measurement of seawater temperature and salinity by C-type micro-structured fiber was proposed. The C-type fiber structure formed by removing the outer wall of one pore from a six holes micro-structured fiber, which would bring in birefringence and broke original pattern of degeneracy. By optimizing the parameters of this fiber structure, X polarization and Y polarization of fundamental mode were separate. Therefore, it could be used for double parameter measurement. Besides, gold film coated on the surface of structure to enhance sensing sensitivity by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) principle. In this study, finite element analysis method was used to analyze the spectral transmission characteristics of C-type micro-structured optical fiber. The surface of wedge-shaped defect was contacted with seawater directly to feel salinity; meanwhile, thermo-optic material filled into pores to detect the temperature of seawater. Through model analysis, it was proved that the proposed filling structure could produce two SPR loss valleys, which had different responses to temperature and salinity. Under optimized structure, maximum salinity sensitivity of 1.402 nm/‰ was obtained for X-polarization and maximum temperature sensitivity of −7.609 nm/ °C was obtained for Y polarization, which demonstrated that the designed scheme could not only solve the cross sensitivity problem of two parameters but also achieve high sensitivity. In addition, C-type micro-structured fiber is non-cascade integrated, strong stability, and flexibility in design, which has great potential for sensing applications.

Fast response in-line gas sensor using C-type fiber and Ge-doped ring defect photonic crystal fiber

An in-line chemical gas sensor was proposed and experimentally demonstrated using a new C-type fiber and a Ge-doped ring defect photonic crystal fiber (PCF). The C-type fiber segment served as a compact gas inlet/outlet directly spliced to PCF, which overcame previous limitations in packaging and dynamic responses. C-type fiber was prepared by optimizing drawing process for a silica tube with an open slot. Splicing conditions for SMF/C-type fiber and PCF/C-type fiber were experimentally established to provide an all-fiber sensor unit. To enhance the sensitivity and light coupling efficiency we used a special PCF with Ge-doped ring defect to further enhance the sensitivity and gas flow rate. Sensing capability of the proposed sensor was investigated experimentally by detecting acetylene absorption lines.

The β2-agonist Salbutamol Inhibits Bronchoconstriction and Leukotriene D4Synthesis After Dry Gas Hyperpnea in the Guinea-pig

Isocapnic dry gas hyperpnea-induced bronchoconstriction (HIB) in the guinea-pig is mediated by both tachykinin release from airway sensory nerve C-type fiber terminals and secondary synthesis of cysteinyl-leukotrienes, in particular LTD4. Beta (β)2-agonists are potent bronchodilators but potentially could also inhibit the airway response to hyperpnea challenge via effects on the release of LTD4from airway cells in vivo. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that β2agonists attenuate HIB in guinea-pigs, in part, by reduction in LTD4release in vivo. Twenty-six guinea-pigs (400–550 g) were anesthetized with xylazine (7 mg/kg) and pentobarbital (65 mg/kg), tracheotomized and mechanically ventilated with a small animal ventilator using a tidal volume of 3 ml and a breathing frequency of 60 breaths/min. Dry gas (95%O2/5%CO2) with a 4 ml tidal volume and a breathing frequency of 150/min was used for hyperpnea challenge. Challenge with isocapnic dry gas triggered a significant increase in pulmonary resistance (0.3 ± 0.02 vs. 0.57 ± 0.06 cmH2O/ml per s; P=0.017; n=13) and excretion of LTD4in the bile (baseline: 2.43 vs. HIB: 4.66 pmol/h; P=0.04). Salbutamol pretreatment completely blocked the airway response to the challenge (0.3±0.02 vs. 0.3±0.05 cmH2O/ml per s; n=13) and reduced the biliary excretion of LTD4(baseline: 2.42 pmol/h; vs. HIB: 2.40 pmol/h). We conclude that salbutamol inhibited the airway responses to dry gas hyperpnea challenge and LTD4synthesis by the airway cells.