title: Design and optimization of broadband tapered optical fibers with a nanofiber waist.
abstract: The control over the transmission properties of tapered optical fibers (TOFs) is an important requirement for a whole range of applications. Using a carefully designed flame pulling process that allows us to realize preset fiber radius profiles, we fabricate TOFs with a nanofiber waist. We study the spectral transmission properties of these TOFs as a function of the taper profile and the waist length and show how the transmission band of the TOF can be tuned via different fiber profile parameters. Based on these results, we have designed a nanofiber-waist TOF with broadband transmission for surface spectroscopy of organic molecules. Moreover, our method allows us to analyze the loss mechanisms of optical nanofibers.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stiebeiner
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garcia-Fernandez
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rauschenbeutel