Exposure and characterization of nano-structured hole arrays in tapered photonic crystal fibers using a combined FIB/SEM technique

Abstract

This paper presents a technique to expose and characterize nano-structured hole arrays in tapered photonic crystal fibers. Hole array structures are examined with taper outer diameters ranging from 12.9 microm to 1.6 microm. A combined focused ion beam milling and scanning electron microscope system was used to expose and characterize the arrayed air-silica structures. Results from this combined technique are presented which resolve hole-to-hole pitch sizes and hole diameters in the order of 120 nm and 60 nm, respectively.

Note: Optical fiber milled by focused ion beam and its application for Fabry-Pérot refractive index sensor

“…13 In this paper, we describe an alternative approach based on ion beam micromachining. Focused ion beam (FIB) has been used in a number of fiber-based applications, including fabrication of long period gratings, 14 micromachining of fiber tips, 15 and milling of side access holes in structured optical fibers. 16 As a consequence of its applications in semiconductor technology, the FIB technique is mature and much more flexible than the femtosecond laser processing, and dualbeam instruments combining a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and FIB are commercially available nowadays.…”

Theoretical investigation of a dispersion compensating photonic crystal fiber with ultra-high dispersion coefficient and extremely low confinement loss

“…Therefore, by an appropriate design, a Ge-doped silica rod with a higher index of n c = 1.4850 and a diameter of D = 2.000 m is inserted into the inner core of Type 3. Gibson et al, had manufactured a photonic crystal fiber with hole-pitch (Λ) of about 120 nm, and a hole-diameter of about 60 nm [9]. Therefore, we believe that the proposed design can be experimentally realized.…”

Structured Optical Fibres and the Application of Their Linear and Non-Linear Properties

“…As these phenomena dominate, a new world of timescales comes into play, not only because of the shorter interaction lengths and the very large surface to volume ratios, but because the phenomena themselves have different temporal characteristics -these are genuinely new regimes which will demand a resurgent emphasis on novel, and often faster, instrumentation to characterise them. The need for characterisation is well recognised as hole dimensions in structured fibre tapers approach 10nm [Gibson et al 2005;Rollinson et al 2008;Gibson et al 2009] commensurate in size with existing nanocavities within silica. The impact in other areas of research also becomes tangible -parallel developments of attosecond laser systems, for example, will undoubtedly make their way into such instruments providing a justification for basic research in creating and manipulating shorter and shorter cycles of light.…”