title: Uniformly thinned optical fibers produced via HF etching with spectral and microscopic verification.
abstract: A method for producing uniformly thinned (etched) optical fibers is described, which can also be employed to etch optical fibers containing a Bragg grating (FBG) uniformly for evanescent-field-based sensing and other applications. Through a simple modification of this method, the fabrication of phase-shifted FBGs based on uneven etching is also shown. The critical role of how a fiber is secured is shown, and the success of the method is illustrated, by differential interference contrast microscopy images of uniformly etched FBGs. An etched FBG sensor for the monitoring of the refractive index of different glycerin solutions is demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Optical Technology Research Laboratory, School of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia.
authors.forename: Harpreet K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Bal
authors.forename: Zourab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Brodzeli
authors.forename: Nicoleta M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Dragomir
authors.forename: Stephen F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Fotios
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sidiroglou
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000032:analysis; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D055100:Optical Fibers; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012996:Solutions; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D005990:Glycerol; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid