Abstract

In this paper, we report on a simple process of fabrication of micrometer-sized polymer elements (microtips) at the extremities of different type optical fibers, including: standard single mode (SMF-28E+, SM-450), photonic crystal (LMA-10), and polymer (GIPOF-62) ones. The method of microtips manufacturing is based on the phenomenon of photopolymerization which is successfully used for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, to manufacture microtips at photonic crystal and polymer fibers. We discuss the influence of the initial process parameters on the final microtip characteristics (i.e., length, diameter, and profile). The potential applications of such polymer microtips are near-field scanning optical microscopy, coupling light sources with fibers, and sensing.

© 2014 IEEE

Modeling the growth of a polymer microtip on an optical fiber end

Malik Hocine, Nicolas Fressengeas, Godefroy Kugel, Christiane Carré, Daniel Joseph Lougnot, Renaud Bachelot, and Pascal Royer
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 23(4) 611-620 (2006)

Bessel-like beams generated via fiber-based polymer microtips

Jingyu Tan, Ruowei Yu, and Limin Xiao
Opt. Lett. 44(4) 1007-1010 (2019)

Photopolymer microtips for efficient light coupling between single-mode fibers and photonic crystal fibers

Limin Xiao, Wei Jin, M. S. Demokan, Hoi L. Ho, Hwa-yaw Tam, Jian Ju, and Jianming Yu
Opt. Lett. 31(12) 1791-1793 (2006)

Integration of micrometer-sized polymer elements at the end of optical fibers by free-radical photopolymerization

Renaud Bachelot, Carole Ecoffet, Denis Deloeil, Pascal Royer, and Daniel-Joseph Lougnot
Appl. Opt. 40(32) 5860-5871 (2001)

Fabrication of polymer waveguides between two optical fibers using spatially controlled light-induced polymerization

Safi Jradi, Olivier Soppera, and Daniel J. Lougnot
Appl. Opt. 47(22) 3987-3993 (2008)