Preparation and Characterization of Bragg Fibers for Delivery of Laser Radiation at 1064 nm

Bragg fibers offer new performance for transmission of high laser energies over long distances. In this paper theoretical modeling, preparation and characterization of Bragg fibers for delivery laser radiation at 1064 nm are presented. Investigated Bragg fibers consist of the fiber core with a refractive index equal to that of silica which is surrounded by three pairs of circular layers. Each pair is composed of one layer with a high and one layer with a low refractive index and characterized by a refractive-index difference around 0.03. Propagation constants and radiation losses of the fundamental mode in such a structure were calculated on the basis of waveguide optics. Preforms of the Bragg fibers were prepared by the MCVD method using germanium dioxide, phosphorous pentoxide and fluorine as silica dopants. The fibers with a diameter of 170 m were drawn from the preforms. Refractive-index profiles, angular distributions of the output power and optical losses of the prepared fibers were measured. Results of testing the fibers for delivery radiation of a pulse Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm are also shown

Optical fibre biosensors for oxygen and glucose monitoring

An optical fibre biosensor that uses an oxygen sensitive coating; Ruthenium complex [Dichlorotris(1,10-phenantroline)-ruthenium(II) hydrate], incorporated into an adhesive inorganic-organic hybrid polymer coating (ORMOCER®) is described. The Ruthenium/ ORMOCER® layer is used with optical fibres to form an extrinsic or intrinsic sensor. It can be applied to a microscope slide or lens to be interrogated by optical fibres, or form a cladding layer for an evanescent field optical fibre sensor. The Ruthenium complex is caused to fluoresce by a high brightness blue LED at 470 nm and the excitation light at 600nm is detected by a photomultiplier tube used as a photon counter, to measure fluorescence lifetime. The fluorescence is quenched by oxygen depletion within the layer, which can be linked to glucose by incorporation of suitable enzymes. The detection threshold is 0.7mg(O2)/litre, and the sensitivity is 70 ns/mg per litre

Optical fibre biosensors using enzymatic transducers to monitor glucose

The construction and performance of a novel enzyme based optical sensor for in situ continuous monitoring of glucose in biotechnological production processes is presented. Sensitive optical coatings are formed from inorganic - organic hybrid polymers ( ORMOCERR (R) s(10)) combined with a flurophore ( ruthenium complex) and an enzyme, and applied to lenses, declad polymer optical fibre ( POF) and polymer clad silica fibre ( PCS). The enzyme, glucose oxidase, catalyzes oxidization of glucose to gluconic acid by depleting oxygen. Oxygen consumption is determined by measuring the fluorescence lifetime of metal organic ruthenium complexes which are quenched by oxygen. The coatings developed were designed to adhere to glass and polymer surfaces, to be compatible with enzymes and ruthenium complexes, and were demonstrated both as double- and single- layer structures. The sensor response to gaseous oxygen, dissolved oxygen and dissolved glucose was measured via fluorescence lifetime changes. A best detection limit of 0.5% ( vol) has been determined for gaseous O-2 with selected ORMOCERR (R) sensing layers. Glucose concentrations were measured to a detection limit of 0.1 mmol L-1 over a range up to 30 mmol L-1. The sensor was usable for 30 days in a bioreactor. The opto- electronic instrumentation and performance in laboratory bioreactors and in an industrial reactor are evaluated