Selective Serial Multi-Antibody Biosensing with TOPAS Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibers

We have developed a fluorescence-based fiber-optical biosensor, which can selectively detect different antibodies in serial at preselected positions inside a single piece of fiber. The fiber is a microstructured polymer optical fiber fabricated from TOPAS cyclic olefin copolymer, which allows for UV activation of localized sensor layers inside the holes of the fiber. Serial fluorescence-based selective sensing of Cy3-labelled α-streptavidin and Cy5-labelled α-CRP antibodies is demonstrated

Label-free biosensing with high sensitivity in dual-core microstructured polymer optical fibers

We present experimentally feasible designs of a dual-core microstructured polymer optical fiber (mPOF), which can act as a highly sensitive, label-free, and selective biosensor. An immobilized antigen sensing layer on the walls of the holes in the mPOF provides the ability to selectively capture antibody biomolecules. The change of the layer thickness of biomolecules can then be detected as a change in the coupling length between the two cores. We compare mPOF structures with 1, 2, and 3 air-holes between the solid cores and show that the sensitivity increases with increasing distance between the cores. Numerical calculations indicate a record sensitivity up to 20 nm/nm (defined as the shift in the resonance wavelength per nm biolayer) at visible wavelengths, where the mPOF has low loss.9 page(s

High-T_g TOPAS microstructured polymer optical fiber for fiber Bragg grating strain sensing at 110 degrees

We present the fabrication and characterization of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) in an endlessly single-mode microstructured polymer optical fiber (mPOF) made of humidity-insensitive high-Tg TOPAS cyclic olefin copolymer. The mPOF is the first made from grade 5013 TOPAS with a glass transition temperature of Tg = 135 degrees C and we experimentally demonstrate high strain operation (2.5%) of the FBG at 98 degrees C and stable operation up to a record high temperature of 110 degrees C. The Bragg wavelengths of the FBGs are around 860 nm, where the propagation loss is 5.1dB/m, close to the fiber loss minimum of 3.67dB/m at 787nm. (C) 2013 Optical Society of Americ

Broadband terahertz fiber directional coupler

We present the design of a short broadband fiber directional coupler for terahertz (THz) radiation and demonstrate a 3 dB coupler with a bandwidth of 0:6 THz centered at 1:4 THz. The broadband coupling is achieved by mechanically downdoping the cores of a dual-core photonic crystal fiber by microstructuring the cores. This is equivalent to chemical downdoping but is easier to realize experimentally

Bendable, low-loss Topas fibers for the terahertz frequency range

We report on a new class of polymer photonic crystal fibers for low-loss guidance of THz radiation. The use of the cyclic olefin copolymer Topas, in combination with advanced fabrication technology, results in bendable THz fibers with unprecedented low loss and low material dispersion in the THz regime.We demonstrate experimentally how the dispersion may be engineered by fabricating both high- and low-dispersion fibers with zero-dispersion frequency in the regime 0.5-0.6 THz. Near-field, frequencyresolved characterization with high spatial resolution of the amplitude and phase of the modal structure proves that the fiber is single-moded over a wide frequency range, and we see the onset of higher-order modes at high frequencies as well as indication of microporous guiding at low frequencies and high porosity of the fiber. Transmission spectroscopy demonstrates low-loss propagation (< 0.1 dB/cm loss at 0.6 THz) over a wide frequency range.Imaging Science and TechnologyApplied Science

Fast and stable gratings inscription in POFs made of different materials with pulsed 248 nm KrF laser

"© 2018 Optical Society of America. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modifications of the content of this paper are prohibited"[EN] This paper presents fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inscription with a pulsed 248 nm UV KrF laser in polymer optical fibers (POFs) made of different polymers, namely polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), cyclic-olefin polymer and co-polymer, and Polycarbonate. The inscribed gratings and the corresponding inscription parameters are compared with grating inscribed in POFs made of the aforementioned materials but with the hitherto most used laser for inscription, which is a continuous wave 325 nm UV HeCd laser. Results show a reduction of the inscription time of at least 16 times. The maximum time reduction is more than 130 times. In addition, a reflectivity and a bandwidth close to or higher than the ones with the 325 nm laser were obtained. The polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings (POFBGs) inscribed with the 248 nm laser setup present high stability with small variations in their central wavelength, bandwidth, and reflectivity after 40 days. (c) 2018 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement.Fundacao para Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) (SFRH/BPD/109458/2015, UID/EEA/50008/2013).Marques, C.; Min, R.; Leal-Junior, A.; Antunes, P.; Fasano, A.; Woyessa, G.; Nielsen, K.... (2018). Fast and stable gratings inscription in POFs made of different materials with pulsed 248 nm KrF laser. Optics Express. 26(2):2013-2022. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.26.002013S20132022262Webb, D. J. (2015). Fibre Bragg grating sensors in polymer optical fibres. Measurement Science and Technology, 26(9), 092004. doi:10.1088/0957-0233/26/9/092004Prado, A. R., Leal-Junior, A. G., Marques, C., Leite, S., de Sena, G. L., Machado, L. C., … Pontes, M. J. (2017). Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) recycling for the production of optical fiber sensor systems. Optics Express, 25(24), 30051. doi:10.1364/oe.25.030051Hu, X., Saez-Rodriguez, D., Marques, C., Bang, O., Webb, D. J., Mégret, P., & Caucheteur, C. (2015). Polarization effects in polymer FBGs: study and use for transverse force sensing. Optics Express, 23(4), 4581. doi:10.1364/oe.23.004581Pospori, A., Marques, C. A. F., Bang, O., Webb, D. J., & André, P. (2017). Polymer optical fiber Bragg grating inscription with a single UV laser pulse. Optics Express, 25(8), 9028. doi:10.1364/oe.25.009028Marques, C. A. F., Webb, D. J., & Andre, P. (2017). Polymer optical fiber sensors in human life safety. Optical Fiber Technology, 36, 144-154. doi:10.1016/j.yofte.2017.03.010Fasano, A., Woyessa, G., Janting, J., Rasmussen, H. K., & Bang, O. (2017). Solution-Mediated Annealing of Polymer Optical Fiber Bragg Gratings at Room Temperature. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 29(8), 687-690. doi:10.1109/lpt.2017.2678481Woyessa, G., Pedersen, J. K. M., Fasano, A., Nielsen, K., Markos, C., Rasmussen, H. K., & Bang, O. (2017). Zeonex-PMMA microstructured polymer optical FBGs for simultaneous humidity and temperature sensing. Optics Letters, 42(6), 1161. doi:10.1364/ol.42.001161Fasano, A., Woyessa, G., Stajanca, P., Markos, C., Stefani, A., Nielsen, K., … Bang, O. (2016). Fabrication and characterization of polycarbonate microstructured polymer optical fibers for high-temperature-resistant fiber Bragg grating strain sensors. Optical Materials Express, 6(2), 649. doi:10.1364/ome.6.000649Woyessa, G., Nielsen, K., Stefani, A., Markos, C., & Bang, O. (2016). Temperature insensitive hysteresis free highly sensitive polymer optical fiber Bragg grating humidity sensor. Optics Express, 24(2), 1206. doi:10.1364/oe.24.001206Leal-Junior, A. 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Selective Serial Multi-Antibody Biosensing with TOPAS Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibers. Sensors, 13(3), 3242-3251. doi:10.3390/s130303242Hassan, H. U., Janting, J., Aasmul, S., & Bang, O. (2016). Polymer Optical Fiber Compound Parabolic Concentrator fiber tip based glucose sensor: in-Vitro Testing. IEEE Sensors Journal, 1-1. doi:10.1109/jsen.2016.2606580Yuan, W., Khan, L., Webb, D. J., Kalli, K., Rasmussen, H. K., Stefani, A., & Bang, O. (2011). Humidity insensitive TOPAS polymer fiber Bragg grating sensor. Optics Express, 19(20), 19731. doi:10.1364/oe.19.019731Johnson, I. P., Yuan, W., Stefani, A., Nielsen, K., Rasmussen, H. K., Khan, L., … Bang, O. (2011). Optical fibre Bragg grating recorded in TOPAS cyclic olefin copolymer. Electronics Letters, 47(4), 271. doi:10.1049/el.2010.7347Markos, C., Stefani, A., Nielsen, K., Rasmussen, H. K., Yuan, W., & Bang, O. (2013). High-T_g TOPAS microstructured polymer optical fiber for fiber Bragg grating strain sensing at 110 degrees. Optics Express, 21(4), 4758. doi:10.1364/oe.21.004758Woyessa, G., Fasano, A., Stefani, A., Markos, C., Nielsen, K., Rasmussen, H. K., & Bang, O. (2016). Single mode step-index polymer optical fiber for humidity insensitive high temperature fiber Bragg grating sensors. Optics Express, 24(2), 1253. doi:10.1364/oe.24.001253Woyessa, G., Fasano, A., Markos, C., Stefani, A., Rasmussen, H. K., & Bang, O. (2016). Zeonex microstructured polymer optical fiber: fabrication friendly fibers for high temperature and humidity insensitive Bragg grating sensing. Optical Materials Express, 7(1), 286. doi:10.1364/ome.7.000286Stefani, A., Nielsen, K., Rasmussen, H. K., & Bang, O. (2012). Cleaving of TOPAS and PMMA microstructured polymer optical fibers: Core-shift and statistical quality optimization. Optics Communications, 285(7), 1825-1833. doi:10.1016/j.optcom.2011.12.033Nielsen, K., Rasmussen, H. K., Adam, A. J., Planken, P. C., Bang, O., & Jepsen, P. U. (2009). Bendable, low-loss Topas fibers for the terahertz frequency range. Optics Express, 17(10), 8592. doi:10.1364/oe.17.008592Nielsen, K., Rasmussen, H. K., Jepsen, P. U., & Bang, O. (2010). Broadband terahertz fiber directional coupler. Optics Letters, 35(17), 2879. doi:10.1364/ol.35.002879Anthony, J., Leonhardt, R., Argyros, A., & Large, M. C. J. (2011). Characterization of a microstructured Zeonex terahertz fiber. Journal of the Optical Society of America B, 28(5), 1013. doi:10.1364/josab.28.001013Woyessa, G., Fasano, A., Markos, C., Rasmussen, H. K., & Bang, O. (2017). Low Loss Polycarbonate Polymer Optical Fiber for High Temperature FBG Humidity Sensing. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 29(7), 575-578. doi:10.1109/lpt.2017.2668524Johnson, I. P., Kalli, K., & Webb, D. J. (2010). 827 nm Bragg grating sensor in multimode microstructured polymer optical fibre. Electronics Letters, 46(17), 1217. doi:10.1049/el.2010.1595Stefani, A., Wu Yuan, Markos, C., & Bang, O. (2011). Narrow Bandwidth 850-nm Fiber Bragg Gratings in Few-Mode Polymer Optical Fibers. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 23(10), 660-662. doi:10.1109/lpt.2011.2125786Hu, X., Pun, C.-F. J., Tam, H.-Y., Mégret, P., & Caucheteur, C. (2014). Highly reflective Bragg gratings in slightly etched step-index polymer optical fiber. Optics Express, 22(15), 18807. doi:10.1364/oe.22.018807Hu, X., Pun, C.-F. J., Tam, H.-Y., Mégret, P., & Caucheteur, C. (2014). Tilted Bragg gratings in step-index polymer optical fiber. Optics Letters, 39(24), 6835. doi:10.1364/ol.39.006835Sáez-Rodríguez, D., Nielsen, K., Rasmussen, H. K., Bang, O., & Webb, D. J. (2013). Highly photosensitive polymethyl methacrylate microstructured polymer optical fiber with doped core. Optics Letters, 38(19), 3769. doi:10.1364/ol.38.003769Hu, X., Woyessa, G., Kinet, D., Janting, J., Nielsen, K., Bang, O., & Caucheteur, C. (2017). BDK-doped core microstructured PMMA optical fiber for effective Bragg grating photo-inscription. Optics Letters, 42(11), 2209. doi:10.1364/ol.42.002209Statkiewicz-Barabach, G., Kowal, D., Mergo, P., & Urbanczyk, W. (2015). Comparison of growth dynamics and temporal stability of Bragg gratings written in polymer fibers of different types. Journal of Optics, 17(8), 085606. doi:10.1088/2040-8978/17/8/085606Marques, C., Pospori, A., Demirci, G., Çetinkaya, O., Gawdzik, B., Antunes, P., … Webb, D. (2017). Fast Bragg Grating Inscription in PMMA Polymer Optical Fibres: Impact of Thermal Pre-Treatment of Preforms. Sensors, 17(4), 891. doi:10.3390/s17040891Bundalo, I.-L., Nielsen, K., Markos, C., & Bang, O. (2014). Bragg grating writing in PMMA microstructured polymer optical fibers in less than 7 minutes. Optics Express, 22(5), 5270. doi:10.1364/oe.22.005270Oliveira, R., Bilro, L., & Nogueira, R. (2015). Bragg gratings in a few mode microstructured polymer optical fiber in less than 30 seconds. Optics Express, 23(8), 10181. doi:10.1364/oe.23.010181Lacraz, A., Polis, M., Theodosiou, A., Koutsides, C., & Kalli, K. (2015). Femtosecond Laser Inscribed Bragg Gratings in Low Loss CYTOP Polymer Optical Fiber. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 27(7), 693-696. doi:10.1109/lpt.2014.2386692Theodosiou, A., Lacraz, A., Stassis, A., Koutsides, C., Komodromos, M., & Kalli, K. (2017). Plane-by-Plane Femtosecond Laser Inscription Method for Single-Peak Bragg Gratings in Multimode CYTOP Polymer Optical Fiber. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 35(24), 5404-5410. doi:10.1109/jlt.2017.2776862Yuan, W., Stefani, A., Bache, M., Jacobsen, T., Rose, B., Herholdt-Rasmussen, N., … Bang, O. (2011). Improved thermal and strain performance of annealed polymer optical fiber Bragg gratings. Optics Communications, 284(1), 176-182. doi:10.1016/j.optcom.2010.08.069Bundalo, I.-L., Nielsen, K., Woyessa, G., & Bang, O. (2017). Long-term strain response of polymer optical fiber FBG sensors. Optical Materials Express, 7(3), 967. doi:10.1364/ome.7.00096