Technology and research on the influence of liquid crystal cladding doped with magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles on light propagation in an optical taper sensor
Citation
Niewczas M, Stasiewicz KA, Przybysz N, Pakuła A, Paczesny J, Zbonikowski R, Dziaduszek J, Kula P and Jaroszewicz LR (2024). Technology and research on the influence of liquid crystal cladding doped with magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles on light propagation in an optical taper sensor. Adv. Opt. Technol. 13:1422695. doi: 10.3389/aot.2024.1422695
Keywords
- tapered optical fiber
- liquid crystals
- optical fiber device
- magnetic nanoparticles
- fiber technology
Brief
This article examines how doping a liquid crystal cladding with magnetic nanoparticles influences light propagation in an optical taper sensor.
Summary
This article describes the development and testing of a new type of optical fiber sensor that uses liquid crystals (LCs) doped with magnetic nanoparticles to control light propagation.
- The sensor is based on a tapered optical fiber (TOF) surrounded by a cladding of LCs doped with varying concentrations of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The researchers chose this specific type of nanoparticle because it is sensitive to magnetic fields. This combination of materials allows the sensor to be controlled by both electric and magnetic fields.
- The researchers tested the sensor's performance by measuring its spectral characteristics and time response under different voltage and magnetic field conditions.
- The results show that adding magnetic nanoparticles to the LC material changes the sensor's optical properties, allowing for a faster response time to changes in electric and magnetic fields. Specifically, the addition of 0.1 wt% Fe3O4 nanoparticles to the LC cladding resulted in a two-fold increase in the sensor's dynamic response compared to a sensor with a pure LC cladding. The researchers also found that the presence of a magnetic field can significantly shorten the sensor's switching times.
- The researchers suggest that this technology has the potential for use in a range of applications requiring compact and tunable optical devices.