There is provided a method for making an optical element having a textured surface. The method comprises the steps of: a) providing a plurality of primary optical fiber segments, each primary fiber segment comprising one or more cores; b) bundling the primary fiber segments into an assembly with the cores of said primary fiber segments extending parallely; c) transforming the assembly into a secondary structure comprising the parallely extending cores; and d) etching a surface of the secondary structure according to an etch profile of said secondary structure, the etch profile being defined by the parallely extending cores, thereby forming the textured surface of the optical element. An optical element having a textured surface is also provided.

Cladding removed from a portion of the optical fiber defines a window exposing the fiber core. A grating having a substantially periodic structure defining a wavelength is moveably positioned in the window, where it can interact with the evanescent field present in the window when optical power is propagating through the fiber. An adjustable positioning fixture holds the grating proximate to the window and operates to change the relative spacing of the fiber core and grating, between: a first position in which the grating is held proximate to the fiber core and substantially interacts with the evanescent field, and a second position in which the grating is held apart from the fiber core and does not substantially interact with the evanescent field.

Cladding removed from a portion of the optical fiber defines a window exposing the fiber core. A grating having a substantially periodic structure defining a wavelength is moveably positioned in the window, where it can interact with the evanescent field present in the window when optical power is propagating through the fiber. An adjustable positioning fixture holds the grating proximate to the window and operates to change the relative spacing of the fiber core and grating, between: a first position in which the grating is held proximate to the fiber core and substantially interacts with the evanescent field, and a second position in which the grating is held apart from the fiber core and does not substantially interact with the evanescent field.

The present disclosure relates to an optical waveguide system. The system has a first waveguide having a core-guide and a cladding material portion surrounding and encasing the core-guide to form a substantially D-shaped cross sectional profile with an exposed flat section running along a length thereof. The core-guide enables a core-guide mode for an optical pulse signal having a first characteristic, travelling through the core-guide. A material layer of non-linear material is used which forms a second waveguide. The material layer is disposed on the exposed flat section of the cladding material portion. The material layer forms a plasmonic device to achieve a desired coupling with the core-guide to couple optical energy travelling through the core-guide into the material layer to modify the optical energy travelling through the core-guide such that the optical energy travelling through the core-guide has a second characteristic different from the first characteristic.

Described herein is an optical device that is arranged to emit electromagnetic radiation and a method of forming an optical device. In one embodiment, the optical device comprises an optical fibre that is arranged to transmit electromagnetic radiation between a source of electromagnetic radiation and an area of interest of a sample material. The optical device also comprises an optical element coupled to an end portion of the optical fibre. The optical element comprises a graphene lens that is arranged to focus the electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the optical fibre to a focal region within the area of interest of the sample material.

A fiber-based sensor and a method of forming a fiber-based sensor using microsphere lithography techniques in which a microsphere array is applied to a surface of a tip of an optical fiber to provide for microsphere lithography fabrication of a desired pattern on the tip of the optical fiber. The characteristics of the pattern define sensing capabilities of the sensor to provide for chemical and/or biological sensing.

A multicore fiber includes: a plurality of core portions made of glass; and a cladding portion made of glass and configured to surround outer periphery of the plurality of core portions. The cladding portion has tensile stress of 20 MPa or lower in a region on outer periphery side than a core portion that is closest to outer periphery of the cladding portion in the plurality of core portions.

The present disclosure relates to an optical waveguide system. The system has a first waveguide having a core-guide and a cladding material portion surrounding and encasing the core-guide to form a substantially D-shaped cross sectional profile with an exposed flat section running along a length thereof. The core-guide enables a core-guide mode for an optical pulse signal having a first characteristic, travelling through the core-guide. A material layer of non-linear material is used which forms a second waveguide. The material layer is disposed on the exposed flat section of the cladding material portion. The material layer forms a plasmonic device to achieve a desired coupling with the core-guide to couple optical energy travelling through the core-guide into the material layer to modify the optical energy travelling through the core-guide such that the optical energy travelling through the core-guide has a second characteristic different from the first characteristic.

A fiber-based sensor and a method of forming a fiber-based sensor using microsphere lithography techniques in which a microsphere array is applied to a surface of a tip of an optical fiber to provide for microsphere lithography fabrication of a desired pattern on the tip of the optical fiber. The characteristics of the pattern define sensing capabilities of the sensor to provide for chemical and/or biological sensing.

The present disclosure relates to an optical waveguide system. The system may include a first waveguide having a core-guide and a material portion surrounding and encasing the core-guide. The core-guide enables a core-guide mode for an optical signal travelling through the core-guide. A second waveguide forms a lossy waveguide on an outer surface of the first waveguide. The construction of the second waveguide is such as to achieve a desired coupling between the core-guide mode and the lossy waveguide to control an energy level of the optical signal travelling through the core-guide.