Multicore fibers for sensing applications

Abstract

Multicore fibers (MCFs) are optical fibers which have several cores integrated into a common cladding. As one type of space-division multiplexing, MCFs have been widely investigated in optical communication to improve the data capacity limit. Due to the intrinsic advantages such as small size, well-defined core separation, improved isothermal behaviour, light weight, immunity to electromagnetic interference, MCFs have also attracted extensive interests for optical sensing applications. This thesis focuses on investigating and fabricating MCF-based sensors with high performances by post-processing techniques such as inscribing gratings or introducing helical structures into the MCFs.