"Lab-on-Fiber" technology is an emerging field envisioning a novel class of advanced, multifunctional photonic devices and components arising from the integration onto optical fibers of different materials at micro and nano-scale with suitable physical, chemical and biological properties. This new fascinating and intriguing research field thus proposes a new technological platform where functionalized materials, devices and components are constructed, embedded all together in a single optical fiber providing the necessary physical connections and light matter interaction, exploitable in both communication and sensing applications. This technological innovation would open the way for the creation of a novel technological world completely integrated in a single optical fiber conferring unique and unprecedented performances and functionality degree. Although, the benefits provided by such a technology can be easily understood, many research efforts are, however, required to translate the vision in a technological reality. Indeed, the main issue to address concerns the identification and definition of viable fabrication methodologies, routes and strategies enabling the integration of a large set of functional materials at sub wavelength scale onto non conventional substrates as the case of optical fibers. On this line, in this work we first provide a brief review of the main achievements in the Lab-on-Fiber roadmap, including the first demonstrations of fabrication processes which have led to novel highly functionalized optical nanoprobes of particular impact on the sensing field. Successively with reference to an optical device recently proposed by our group and full expression of the Lab-on-Fiber concept, we carry out an exhaustive numerical analysis aimed at demonstrating the extreme versatility of this device; we show how it is possible to exploit all the degrees of freedom it offers, in order to achieve the complete control on the number and the field distribution of the resonant modes (and the consequent spectral features) that determine the device performances for a specific application. Overall, our study highlights the enormous potentialities and achievements of the Lab-on-Fiber technology that are leading it to be one of the hottest topics in photonics community.
Lab-on-Fiber devices as an all around platform for sensing
Ricciardi A;Consales M;Quero G;Crescitelli A;Esposito E;Cusano A.
2013-01-01
Abstract
"Lab-on-Fiber" technology is an emerging field envisioning a novel class of advanced, multifunctional photonic devices and components arising from the integration onto optical fibers of different materials at micro and nano-scale with suitable physical, chemical and biological properties. This new fascinating and intriguing research field thus proposes a new technological platform where functionalized materials, devices and components are constructed, embedded all together in a single optical fiber providing the necessary physical connections and light matter interaction, exploitable in both communication and sensing applications. This technological innovation would open the way for the creation of a novel technological world completely integrated in a single optical fiber conferring unique and unprecedented performances and functionality degree. Although, the benefits provided by such a technology can be easily understood, many research efforts are, however, required to translate the vision in a technological reality. Indeed, the main issue to address concerns the identification and definition of viable fabrication methodologies, routes and strategies enabling the integration of a large set of functional materials at sub wavelength scale onto non conventional substrates as the case of optical fibers. On this line, in this work we first provide a brief review of the main achievements in the Lab-on-Fiber roadmap, including the first demonstrations of fabrication processes which have led to novel highly functionalized optical nanoprobes of particular impact on the sensing field. Successively with reference to an optical device recently proposed by our group and full expression of the Lab-on-Fiber concept, we carry out an exhaustive numerical analysis aimed at demonstrating the extreme versatility of this device; we show how it is possible to exploit all the degrees of freedom it offers, in order to achieve the complete control on the number and the field distribution of the resonant modes (and the consequent spectral features) that determine the device performances for a specific application. Overall, our study highlights the enormous potentialities and achievements of the Lab-on-Fiber technology that are leading it to be one of the hottest topics in photonics community.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
