Multimaterial Fibers

In recent years, new materials processing approaches have emerged that enable the realization of fiber devices with unique photonic, optoelectronic, and acoustic functionalities. At the heart of this achievement is the identification of materials and processing conditions that mitigate surface energy effects, allowing for materials with disparate optical, electronic, and thermo-mechanical properties to be monolithically drawn from a preform into kilometer-long fibers with complex micro- and nano-structured cross-sectional features. We review this nascent but rapidly growing field and highlight future research directions