C.J. Wang

Fiber in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on an inner air-cavity for high-pressure sensing.

We demonstrate a fiber in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on an inner air-cavity with open micro-channel for high-pressure sensing applications. The inner air-cavity is fabricated by combining femtosecond laser micromachining and the fusion splicing technique. The micro-channel is drilled on the top of the inner air-cavity to allow the high-pressure gas to flow in. The fiber in-line device is miniature, robust, and stable in operation and exhibits a high pressure sensitivity of ∼8,239  pm/MPa.

Tunable comb filters and refractive index sensors based on fiber loop mirror with inline high birefringence microfiber

Highly birefringent (Hi-Bi) microfiber-based fiber loop mirrors (FLMs) were studied for tunable comb filters and refractive index (RI) sensors. The use of two cascaded Hi-Bi microfibers instead of a single microfiber allows more flexibility in controlling the transmission/reflection characteristics of the FLM. The length of Hi-Bi microfibers is of the order of centimeters, one or even more than two orders of magnitude shorter than the conventional Hi-Bi fiber-based FLM devices. The transmission/reflection spectra are sensitive to the RI surrounding the microfibers, and RI sensitivity of 20,745 nm/RIU was experimentally demonstrated.

Robust microfiber photonic microcells for sensor and device applications

We report the fabrication of in-line photonic microcells (PMCs) by encapsulating tapered microfibers (MFs) inside glass tubes. The encapsulation isolates MFs from external environment and makes them more suitable for real-world applications. Based on PMCs with encapsulated highly birefringent (Hi-Bi) MFs, we demonstrated pressure, temperature and refractive index (RI) sensors as well as long period grating devices. A fiber Sagnac loop interferometer incorporating a Hi-Bi microfiber PMC demonstrated RI sensitivity of 2024 nm per RI unit (nm/RIU) in gaseous environment and 21231 nm/RIU in water.

Fluid jet-array parallel machining of optical microstructure array surfaces

Optical microstructure array surfaces such as micro-lens array surface, micro-groove array surface etc., are being used in more and more optical products, depending on its ability to produce a unique or particular performance. The geometrical complexity of the optical microstructures array surfaces makes them difficult to be fabricated. In this paper, a novel method named fluid jet-array parallel machining (FJAPM) is proposed to provide a new way to generate the microstructure array surfaces with high productivity. In this process, an array of abrasive water jets is pumped out of a nozzle, and each fluid jet simultaneously impinges the target surface to implement material removal independently. The jet-array nozzle was optimally designed firstly to diminish the effect of jet interference based on the experimental investigation on the 2-Jet nozzles with different jet intervals. The material removal and surface generation models were built and validated through the comparison of simulation and experimental results of the generation of several kinds of microstructure array surfaces. Following that, the effect of some factors in the process was discussed, including the fluid pressure, nozzle geometry, tool path, and dwell time. The experimental results and analysis prove that FJAPM process is an effective way to fabricate the optical microstructure array surface together with high productivity.

Fluid jet-array parallel machining of optical microstructure array surfaces: publisher’s note

This publishers note amends the funding section of [Opt. Express 25, 22710 (2017)].

High-pressure sensor based on fiber in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer

A fiber in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on an inner air-cavity is presented for high-pressure measurement. The inner air-cavity is fabricated by use of femtosecond laser micromachining together with fusion splicing technique. A micro-channel is created on the top of the inner air-cavity to allow the high pressure gas to flow in. The fiber in-line device is featured with miniature size, good robustness and excellent operation stability while exhibiting a high pressure sensitivity of 8,239 pm/MPa.