Micromachined Optical Fiber Sensors for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Optical fibers revolutionized the rate of information reception and transmission in telecommunications. The revolution has now extended to the field of physicochemical sensing. Optical fiber sensors (OFSs) have found a multitude of applications, spanning from structural health monitoring to biomedical and clinical measurements due to their unique physical and functional advantages, such as small dimensions, light weight, immunity to electromagnetic interference, high sensitivity and resolution, multiplexing, and remote operation. OFSs generally rely on the detection of measurand-induced changes in the optical properties of the light propagating in the fiber, where the OFS essentially functions as the conduit and physical link between the probing light waves and the physicochemical parameters under investigation. Several advanced micromachining techniques have been developed to optimize the structure of OFSs, thus improving their sensing performance. These techniques include fusion splicing, tapering, polishing, and more complicated femtosecond laser micromachining methods. This chapter discusses and reviews the most recent developments in micromachined OFSs specifically for biomedical applications. Step-by-step procedures for several optical fiber micromachining techniques are detailed.

Department(s)

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research Center/Lab(s)

Intelligent Systems Center

Keywords and Phrases

Biomechanical; Biomedical; Biosensors; Healthcare; Micromachining; Optical fiber sensors

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1940-6029; 1064-3745

Document Type

Book - Chapter

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2022 Springer, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2022

PubMed ID

34837190

Link to Full Text

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