Exploration of higher-order mode coupling in long-period gratings for sensitive monitoring of polyelectrolyte self-assembly at nanoscale

Fei Tian; Jiri Kanka; Xiangzhi Li; Henry Du

doi:10.1117/12.2053471

18 June 2014 Exploration of higher-order mode coupling in long-period gratings for sensitive monitoring of polyelectrolyte self-assembly at nanoscale

Fei Tian, Jiri Kanka, Xiangzhi Li, Henry Du

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9098, Fiber Optic Sensors and Applications XI; 90980R (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2053471
Event: SPIE Sensing Technology + Applications, 2014, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

Layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly via hydrogen bonding is one of the primary mechanisms to achieve stimuliresponsive polyelectrolyte thin films for a variety of applications. The ability to monitor the individual LbL steps in situ is of great significance in the development and understanding of hydrogen-bonded LbL systems of new design functions and properties. Long-period gratings in single-mode fiber (SMF-LPG) has the potential for such application by virtue of its high index sensitivity. We report a theoretical and experimental investigation to sort out the coupled cladding mode that is most sensitive to molecular adsorption events during LbL deposition. We have undertaken a combined theoretical and experimental investigation to illustrate and demonstrate the strong correlation between the order of the coupled cladding modes in long-period gratings (LPG) in conventional single mode fiber and their sensitivity to the process of layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of polyelectrolyte multi-layers. We show that high-order cladding modes such as LP_0,10 in LPG are significantly more sensitive than their lower-order counterparts such as LP_0,2, with LP_0,10 yielding a shift of 1.575 nm in resonance wavelength per polyelectrolyte repeating unit of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)/poly(methacrylic acid) bi-layer. We illustrate the potential utility of SMF-LPG integrated with stimuli-responsive LbL thin films as sensors. The integrated LPG/LbL strategy as a robust LbL test-bed has broad ramifications in exploring and exploiting sensors and devices enabled by versatile, stimuli-responsive polyelectrolyte thin films.

Citation Download Citation

Fei Tian, Jiri Kanka, Xiangzhi Li, and Henry Du "Exploration of higher-order mode coupling in long-period gratings for sensitive monitoring of polyelectrolyte self-assembly at nanoscale", Proc. SPIE 9098, Fiber Optic Sensors and Applications XI, 90980R (18 June 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2053471

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

;

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE