A method of making an optical fiber sensor device for distributed sensing includes generating a laser beam comprising a plurality of ultrafast pulses, and focusing the laser beam into a core of an optical fiber to form a nanograting structure within the core, wherein the nanograting structure includes a plurality of spaced nanograting elements each extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of optical fiber. Also, an optical fiber sensor device for distributed sensing includes an optical fiber having a longitudinal axis, a core, and a nanograting structure within the core, wherein the nanograting structure includes a plurality of spaced nanograting elements each extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber. Also, a distributed sensing method and system and an energy production system that employs such an optical fiber sensor device.

An optical waveguide is configured such that when electromagnetic radiation enters a first end face of an optical core, an initial portion of the electromagnetic radiation exits the optical core via a peripheral surface, and a final portion of the electromagnetic radiation, remaining in the optical core after the initial portion of the electromagnetic radiation exits the optical core, exits the optical core via a second end face.

The present invention discloses a method for preparing inverse opal photonic crystal fibers. In this method, by means of vertical deposition of colloidal spheres (micron scale or nanoscale), of polystyrene shell-core structured spheres and silica particles, the inverse opal colloidal crystal fiber stripes having a length of about 3.5 cm as well as an adjustable width and thickness is obtained. The invention provides a convenient method and achieves inverse opal photonic crystal fiber stripes with a high yield and a controllable size, and there is no crack on the surface of the fibers or inside the fibers. Furthermore, the inverse opal photonic crystal stripes of the invention can be peeled off from the surface of a glass slide and used conveniently.

Provided is a plastic scintillating fiber having a circular cross-section, in which a reduction in light emission amount depending on the radiation crossing position can be suppressed. A plastic scintillating fiber according to one aspect of the present invention is a plastic scintillating fiber having a circular cross-section, the plastic scintillating fiber including: a core which contains a fluorescent agent having ultraviolet absorption and luminescence properties; and a clad which covers the outer peripheral surface of the core and has a lower refractive index than that of the core. The concentration of the fluorescent agent in the core is distributed such that it increases from the center toward the outer periphery in a cross-section of the core.

The invention provides a layer stack (500) comprising a first silicone layer (510), wherein the first silicone layer (510) has a first surface (511) and a second surface (512), wherein the first silicone layer (510) is transmissive for UV radiation having one or more wavelengths selected from the range of 200-380 nm, wherein the layer stack (500) further comprises one or more of:a first layer element configured at a first side of the first surface (511), wherein the first layer element is associated by a chemical binding with the first surface (511) directly or via a first intermediate layer, which is transmissive for UV radiation having one or more wavelengths selected from the range of 200-380 nm, wherein the first layer element at least comprises a first layer differing in composition from the first silicone layer (510), and wherein the first layer element is transmissive for UV radiation having one or more wavelengths selected from the range of 200-380 nm; and a second layer element (620) configured at a second side of the second surface (512) wherein the second layer element (620) is associated by a chemical binding with the second surface (512) directly or via a second intermediate layer, wherein the second layer element (620) at least comprises a second layer (1220) differing in composition from the first silicone layer (510).

The glass-based THz optical waveguides (10) disclosed herein are used to guide optical signals having a THz frequency in the range from 0.1 THz to (10) THz and include a core (20) surrounded by a cladding (30). The core has a diameter D1 in the range from (30) m to 10 mm and is made of fused silica glass having a refractive index n.sub.1. The cladding is made of either a polymer or a glass or glass soot and has a refractive index n.sub.2<n.sub.1 and an outer diameter D2 in the range from 100 m to 12 mm. The THz optical waveguides can be formed using processes that are extensions of either fiber, ceramic and soot-based technologies. In an example, the THz waveguides have a dielectric loss D.sub.f<0.005 at 100 GHz.

A method of making an optical fiber sensor device for distributed sensing includes generating a laser beam comprising a plurality of ultrafast pulses, and focusing the laser beam into a core of an optical fiber to form a nanograting structure within the core, wherein the nanograting structure includes a plurality of spaced nanograting elements each extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of optical fiber. Also, an optical fiber sensor device for distributed sensing includes an optical fiber having a longitudinal axis, a core, and a nanograting structure within the core, wherein the nanograting structure includes a plurality of spaced nanograting elements each extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber. Also, a distributed sensing method and system and an energy production system that employs such an optical fiber sensor device.

A line replacement unit includes a terminal controller, and a plastic optical fiber serial interface module (POFSIM) coupled between the terminal controller and the data bus. The POFSIM is configured to transmit digital optical signals to the data bus based on electrical signals received from the terminal controller, and transmit electrical signals to the terminal controller based on digital optical signals received from the data bus.

Methods for providing flammability protection for plastic optical fiber (POF) embedded inside avionics line replaceable units (LRUs) or other equipment used in airborne vehicles such as commercial or fighter aircrafts. A thin and flexible flammability protection tube is placed around the POF. In one proposed implementation, a very thin (100 to 250 microns in wall thickness) polyimide tube is placed outside and around the POF cable embedded inside an LRU or other equipment. The thin-walled polyimide tube does not diminish the flexibility of the POF cable.

Embodiments involve optical waveguides with spongy material for cladding or layers that include compressible gas pockets. The refractive index of the porous cladding material will change when compressed, bent, or stretched. Measurements for pressure, strain, bending, etc., may be obtained by monitoring the signal degradation and/or escape of radiant energy, e.g., IR, etc., from the core and out through the spongy cladding, where it may be picked up by a neighboring core. Optical waveguides configured as fibers may be easily sewn to stretchable materials, such as athletic tape, fabrics used in umbrellas, balloons, fabrics used in clothing, etc., to meet a robust number of applications.