Open AccessX-ray tomography for structural analysis of microstructured and multimaterial optical fibers and preforms
Author(s) -
Seyed Reza Sandoghchi,
Gregory T. Jasion,
Natalie V. Wheeler,
Saurabh Jain,
Lian Zhang,
J. P. Wooler,
Richard Boardman,
N. K. Baddela,
Y. Chen,
J. R. Hayes,
Eric Numkam Fokoua,
Tom Bradley,
D. R. Gray,
Seyed Mostafa Mousavi,
M. N. Petrovich,
Francesco Poletti,
David J. Richardson
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.22.026181
Subject(s) - materials science , optical fiber , photonic crystal fiber , fabrication , optics , microstructured optical fiber , core (optical fiber) , fiber , characterization (materials science) , hard clad silica optical fiber , plastic optical fiber , composite material , nanotechnology , fiber optic sensor , medicine , physics , alternative medicine , pathology
Specialty optical fibers, in particular microstructured and multi-material optical fibers, have complex geometry in terms of structure and/or material composition. Their fabrication, although rapidly developing, is still at a very early stage of development compared with conventional optical fibers. Structural characterization of these fibers during every step of their multi-stage fabrication process is paramount to optimize the fiber-drawing process. The complexity of these fibers restricts the use of conventional refractometry and microscopy techniques to determine their structural and material composition. Here we present, to the best of our knowledge, the first nondestructive structural and material investigation of specialty optical fibers using X-ray computed tomography (CT) methods, not achievable using other techniques. Recent advances in X-ray CT techniques allow the examination of optical fibers and their preforms with sub-micron resolution while preserving the specimen for onward processing and use. In this work, we study some of the most challenging specialty optical fibers and their preforms. We analyze a hollow core photonic band gap fiber and its preforms, and bond quality at the joint between two fusion-spliced hollow core fibers. Additionally, we studied a multi-element optical fiber and a metal incorporated dual suspended-core optical fiber. The application of X-ray CT can be extended to almost all optical fiber types, preforms and devices.