Recent Advances of the Polymer Micro/Nanofiber Fluorescence Waveguide

Abstract

Subwavelength optical micro/nanofibers have several advantages, such as compact optical wave field and large specific surface area, which make them widely used as basic building blocks in the field of micro-nano optical waveguide and photonic devices. Among them, polymer micro/nanofibers are among the first choices for constructing micro-nano photonic components and miniaturized integrated optical paths, as they have good mechanical properties and tunable photonic properties. At the same time, the structures of polymer chains, aggregated structures, and artificial microstructures all have unique effects on photons. These waveguided micro/nanofibers can be made up of not only luminescent conjugated polymers, but also nonluminous matrix polymers doped with luminescent dyes (organic and inorganic luminescent particles, etc.) due to the outstanding compatibility of polymers. This paper summarizes the recent progress of the light-propagated mechanism, novel design, controllable fabrication, optical modulation, high performance, and wide applications of the polymer micro/nanofiber fluorescence waveguide. The focus is on the methods for simplifying the preparation process and modulating the waveguided photon parameters. In addition, developing new polymer materials for optical transmission and improving transmission efficiency is discussed in detail. It is proposed that the multifunctional heterojunctions based on the arrangement and combination of polymer-waveguided micro/nanofibers would be an important trend toward the construction of more novel and complex photonic devices. It is of great significance to study and optimize the optical waveguide and photonic components of polymer micro/nanofibers for the development of intelligent optical chips and miniaturized integrated optical circuits.

Long‐Range Fluorescence Propagation in Amyloidogenic β‐Sheet Films and Fibers

“…[ 37 ] Micro‐ and nanofibers, composed of self‐assembled luminescent dyes (thiacyanine), [ 38 ] and nonluminous host polymer matrices, doped by luminescent dyes such as rhodamine, perylene, and fluorescein, [ 39 ] opened a path for a new type of FL waveguiding mechanism toward innovative photonic components and optical circuits. [ 40 ] Such long‐range FL [ 41,42 ] was ascribed to the propagation of Frenkel exciton‐polaritons (EPs), which are quasiparticles generated by the strong coupling between FL photons and excitons.…”

Light waveguiding in bioinspired peptide nanostructures

“…The effect was ascribed to the propagation of exciton‐polaritons (EPs) that are strongly coupled quasiparticles created between the laser‐excited FL and the excitons . Microfibers/nanofibers fabricated of self‐luminous conjugated polymers as well as microfibers/nanofibers composed of nonluminous matrix polymers and doped luminescent dyes such as thiacyanine, rhodamine, perylene, and fluorescein opened the avenue for a new type of active fluorescent waveguiding towards nanoscale innovative photonic components and optical circuits …”

“…Optical waveguides are developed and designed in accordance with a few general requirements. The first condition is the optical confinement or light trapping inside the waveguide which is provided by total internal reflection phenomenon.…”

“…It is also higher than those of other biocompatible counterpart optical waveguiding biomaterials such as silk fibers, polymers, hydrogels, and more. The second condition requires optical transparency of waveguiding materials in a spectral region of their specific applications to minimize the optical losses in the waveguide core. Most of integrated bio‐optical devices use optical spectrum of biological transmission window in the visible NIR range (0.4‐2.0 μm). The third condition requires specific functional waveguiding properties when the light guiding is combined with electro‐optical modulation (electro‐optical effect) of the propagating electromagnetic wave and/or nonlinear optical conversion. The fourth requirement is related to optimal geometrical dimensions of the waveguides defining the minimum thickness of the waveguiding layer, d w , in order to allow light propagation inside its core only and design single mode waveguides. The considered optical waveguiding requirements take into account the conventional approach related to classical optical waveguiding based on diffraction, reflection, and refraction. Such a classical mode is characterized by light wave propagation through optical transmission window and known as passive waveguiding.…”

Laser Systems and Networks with Organic Nanowires and Nanofibers

“…The shape of NWs and NFs, combined with a refractive index ( n ) larger than the surrounding environment (air, water, etc. ), allows for transporting efficiently the generated light along their length, with limited propagation losses . Overall, these systems are excellent building blocks for realizing complex photonic networks made of highly interconnected, coherent light sources.…”