Whispering Gallery Modes in Standard Optical Fibres for Fibre Profiling Measurements and Sensing of Unlabelled Chemical Species

Whispering gallery mode resonances in liquid droplets and microspheres have attracted considerable attention due to their potential uses in a range of sensing and technological applications. We describe a whispering gallery mode sensor in which standard optical fibre is used as the whispering gallery mode resonator. The sensor is characterised in terms of the response of the whispering gallery mode spectrum to changes in resonator size, refractive index of the surrounding medium, and temperature, and its measurement capabilities are demonstrated through application to high-precision fibre geometry profiling and the detection of unlabelled biochemical species. The prototype sensor is capable of detecting unlabelled biomolecular species in attomole quantities

Predicting the whispering gallery mode spectra of microresonators

The whispering gallery modes (WGMs) of optical resonators have prompted intensive research efforts due to their usefulness in the field of biological sensing, and their employment in nonlinear optics. While much information is available in the literature on numerical modeling of WGMs in microspheres, it remains a challenging task to be able to predict the emitted spectra of spherical microresonators. Here, we establish a customizable Finite- Difference Time-Domain (FDTD)-based approach to investigate the WGM spectrum of microspheres. The simulations are carried out in the vicinity of a dipole source rather than a typical plane-wave beam excitation, thus providing an effective analogue of the fluorescent dye or nanoparticle coatings used in experiment. The analysis of a single dipole source at different positions on the surface or inside a microsphere, serves to assess the relative efficiency of nearby radiating TE and TM modes, characterizing the profile of the spectrum. By varying the number, positions and alignments of the dipole sources, different excitation scenarios can be compared to analytic models, and to experimental results. The energy flux is collected via a nearby disk-shaped region. The resultant spectral profile shows a dependence on the configuration of the dipole sources. The power outcoupling can then be optimized for specific modes and wavelength regions. The development of such a computational tool can aid the preparation of optical sensors prior to fabrication, by preselecting desired the optical properties of the resonator.Comment: Approved version for SPIE Photonics West, LASE, Laser Resonators, Microresonators and Beam Control XV

A Packaged Whispering Gallery Mode Strain Sensor Based on a Polymer-Wire Cylindrical Micro Resonator

We propose a whispering gallery mode (WGM) strain sensor formed by a polymer-wire cylindrical micro resonator for strain measurement applications. WGMs are generated by evanescently coupling light into the polymer-wire resonator from a silica fiber taper fabricated by the micro heater brushing technique. Accurate and repeatable measurements of strains up to one free spectral range shift of the WGMs (corresponding to 0.33% of the polymer-wire elongation, 3250 με) are demonstrated experimentally with the proposed sensor. Practical packaging method for the proposed strain sensor on a glass microscope slide has also been realized making the sensor portable and easy to handle. The robustness of the packaged coupling system is confirmed by vibration tests. The performance of the packaged strain sensor is evaluated and compared with that for an unpackaged sensor

Studies of Geometrical Profiling in Fabricated Tapered Optical Fbers Using Whispering Gallery Modes Spectroscopy

This paper experimentally demonstrates a method for geometrical profiling of asymmetries in fabricated thin microfiber tapers with waist diameters ranging from ∼10 to ∼50µm with submicron accuracy. The method is based on the analysis of whispering gallery mode resonances excited in cylindrical fiber resonators as a result of evanescent coupling of light propagating through the fiber taper. The submicron accuracy of the proposed method has been verified by SEM studies. The method can be applied as a quality control tool in fabrication of microfiber based devices and sensors or for fine-tuning of microfiber fabrication set-ups

Method for predicting whispering gallery mode spectra of spherical microresonators

A full three-dimensional Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD)-based toolkit is developed to simulate the whispering gallery modes of a microsphere in the vicinity of a dipole source. This provides a guide for experiments that rely on efficient coupling to the modes of microspheres. The resultant spectra are compared to those of analytic models used in the field. In contrast to the analytic models, the FDTD method is able to collect flux from a variety of possible collection regions, such as a disk-shaped region. The customizability of the technique allows one to consider a variety of mode excitation scenarios, which are particularly useful for investigating novel properties of optical resonators, and are valuable in assessing the viability of a resonator for biosensing.Comment: Published 10 Apr 2015 in Opt. Express Vol. 23, Issue 8, pp. 9924-9937; The FDTD toolkit supercomputer scripts are hosted at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/npps/files/FDTD_WGM_Simulator

A comprehensive experimental study of whispering gallery modes in a cylindrical microresonator excited by a tilted fiber taper

Whispering gallery modes (WGMs) excitation in a cylindrical microresonator formed by a section of silica optical fiber has been studied. Evanescent light coupling into the microresonator is realized using a tapered optical fiber, fabricated by a microheater brushing technique. Several types of silica fibers with different diameters are studied as microresonators, and the influence of the resonator's diameter on the excitation of WGMs is investigated. The excitation of WGMs in a cylindrical fiber resonator were studied with changes to the tilt angle between the microcylinder and the fiber taper in the range of angles from a perpendicular position (0°) to large tilt angles (24°). The evolution of the fiber taper transmission spectrum with the change of the tilt angle results in changes in the intensity, broadening of and a blue shift in the WGM resonance spectra. Overall losses in the taper transmission spectrum decrease with the increase of the taper tilt angle from its perpendicular position, followed by a complete disappearance of the WGM resonances at large tilt angles greater than 20°

A Comprehensive Experimental Study of Whispering Gallery Modes in a Cylindrical Micro-Resonator Excited by a Tilted Fiber Taper

Whispering gallery modes (WGMs) excitation in a cylindrical microresonator formed by a section of silica optical fiber has been studied. Evanescent light coupling into the microresonator is realized using a tapered optical fiber, fabricated by a microheater brushing technique. Several types of silica fibers with different diameters are studied as microresonators, and the influence of the resonator\u27s diameter on the excitation of WGMs is investigated. The excitation of WGMs in a cylindrical fiber resonator were studied with changes to the tilt angle between the microcylinder and the fiber taper in the range of angles from a perpendicular position (0 degrees) to large tilt angles (24 degrees). The evolution of the fiber taper transmission spectrum with the change of the tilt angle results in changes in the intensity, broadening of and a blue shift in the WGM resonance spectra. Overall losses in the taper transmission spectrum decrease with the increase of the taper tilt angle from its perpendicular position, followed by a complete disappearance of the WGM resonances at large tilt angles greater than 20 degrees

A fiber-tip label-free biological sensing platform: A practical approach toward in-vivo sensing

The platform presented here was devised to address the unmet need for real time label-free in vivo sensing by bringing together a refractive index transduction mechanism based on Whispering Gallery Modes (WGM) in dye doped microspheres and Microstructured Optical Fibers. In addition to providing remote excitation and collection of the WGM signal, the fiber provides significant practical advantages such as an easy manipulation of the microresonator and the use of this sensor in a dip sensing architecture, alleviating the need for a complex microfluidic interface. Here, we present the first demonstration of the use of this approach for biological sensing and evaluate its limitation in a sensing configuration deprived of liquid flow which is most likely to occur in an in vivo setting. We also demonstrate the ability of this sensing platform to be operated above its lasing threshold, enabling enhanced device performance.Alexandre François, Tess Reynolds, and Tanya M. Monr

Optical Whispering Gallery Mode Cylindrical Micro-Resonator Devices for Sensing Applications

Whispering gallery mode (WGM) micro-resonators are devices attractive for many practical applications including optical sensing, micro-lasers, optical switches, tunable filters and many others. Their popularity is due to the high Q-factors and the exceptional sensitivity of their optical properties to the resonator’s size, refractive index as well the properties of the surrounding medium. The main focus of this thesis is on the cylindrical WGM micro-resonators due to the simplicity of their fabrication and light coupling that they offer in comparison with other WGM devices. At first, an in-depth experimental investigation of the WGM effect in different types of cylindrical micro-resonators was carried out in order to establish the influence of the resonator’s geometry and coupling conditions on the resulting WGM spectrum. As one of the outcomes of this study, a novel method for geometrical profiling of asymmetries in thin microfiber tapers with submicron accuracy has been proposed and demonstrated. The submicron accuracy of the proposed method has been verified by SEM studies. The method can be applied as a quality control tool in fabrication of microfiber based devices and sensors or for fine-tuning of microfiber fabrication setups. The study also resulted in better understanding of the optimum conditions for excitation of WGMs in cylindrical fiber resonators, the influence of the tilt angle between the micro-cylinder and the coupling fiber taper. A novel strain sensor formed by a polymer-wire cylindrical micro-resonator has been developed. Accurate and repeatable measurements of strain have been demonstrated experimentally with the proposed sensor for the upper range of limit of detection up to 3250 με. Practical packaging method for the proposed strain sensor on a glass microscope slide has also been realized making the sensor portable and easy to use. A study of thermo-optic tuning of the WGMs in a nematic liquid crystal-filled hollow cylindrical microresonator has been carried out. A simple and robust packaging has been realized with the proposed tunable device to ensure its stable and repeatable operation. The demonstrated thermo-optic method for the WGMs tuning is potentially useful for many tunable photonic devices. Two novel all-fiber magnetic-field sensors have been designed based on photonic crystal fibers infiltrated with a magnetic fluid and a ferronematic liquid crystal utilizing the magnetic field tunability of WGM resonances. The highest experimentally demonstrated magnetic field sensitivity was 110 pm/mT in the range of magnetic fields from 0 to 40 mT. Finally, a packaged inline cascaded optical micro-resonators (ICOMRs) design is proposed for coupling multiple micro-resonators to a single fiber and simultaneous sensing of multiple parameters (strain, temperature, humidity, or refractive index) at multiple points in space has been demonstrated. The proposed design principle can find applications in quasi-distributed sensing, optical coding, optical logic gates and wavelength division multiplexed optical communications systems

Sensor óptico para la determinación de especies químicas en medios acuosos basado en la excitación de modos “Whispering Gallery” en microcavidades

Resumen: En esta Tesis de Maestría se desarrolla un sensor óptico para determinar bajas concentraciones de especies químicas en medios acuosos basado en la excitación de modos “WhisperingGallery” (WGM) en microcavidades. Los resonadores WGM se fabricaron de sílice fundida, un material disponible y de bajo costo. Mientras que resonadores cilíndricos se obtuvieron al eliminar el protector primario a una fibra óptica, cuya superficie tiene la rugosidad lo suficientemente baja el desarrollo del sensor, micro-resonadores esféricos se fabricaron al fundir la punta de una fibra óptica sin recubrimiento primario, dado que la sílice fundida cuando es derretida toma la forma esferoidal debido a la tensión superficial. En ambos casos se lograron factores de calidad del orden ~105, dadas las condiciones de humedad del medio ambiente a que se someterán estos sensores cuando se consideran en usos prácticos. Junto con un procedimiento confiable para fabricar fibras ópticas adelgazadas (“tapers”) para excitar los WGM en las cavidades de interés, en esta Tesis de Maestría se muestra el potencial de esta tecnología para medir bajas concentraciones(1%), para lo cual se tomó como caso de análisis soluciones de glucosaAbstract: In this Master Thesis, I develop an optical sensor for determining low concentrations of chemical species in aqueous media based on Whispering Gallery mode (WGM) microresonators. WGM microresonators were fabricated from fused silica, a material available and inexpensive. While cylindrical resonators were obtained by removing the primary coating to an optical fiber whose surface roughness is low enough for the development of sensors, microspherical resonators were produced by melting the tip of an unjacketed optical fiber, as molten fused silica takes a spheroidal shape due to surface tension. Quality factors were achieved in the range 105 in both cases, given the humidity of the environment to be submitted these sensors when considered in practical applications. Along with a reliable procedure for making tapered optical fibers to excite the WGM in the cavities, in the present Thesis I show the potential of this technology to measure low concentrations (1%), for which was taken as an example glucose solutionsMaestrí