Customizable Nichrome Wire Heaters for Molecular Diagnostic Applications.

Accurate sample heating is vital for nucleic acid extraction and amplification, requiring a sophisticated thermal cycling process in nucleic acid detection. Traditional molecular detection systems with heating capability are bulky, expensive, and primarily designed for lab settings. Consequently, their use is limited where lab systems are unavailable. This study introduces a technique for performing the heating process required in molecular diagnostics applicable for point-of-care testing (POCT), by presenting a method for crafting customized heaters using freely patterned nichrome (NiCr) wire. This technique, fabricating heaters by arranging protrusions on a carbon black-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) cast and patterning NiCr wire, utilizes cost-effective materials and is not constrained by shape, thereby enabling customized fabrication in both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D). To illustrate its versatility and practicality, a 2D heater with three temperature zones was developed for a portable device capable of automatic thermocycling for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 pathogen DNA. Furthermore, the detection of the same pathogen was demonstrated using a customized 3D heater surrounding a microtube for loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Successful DNA amplification using the proposed heater suggests that the heating technique introduced in this study can be effectively applied to POCT.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of atrial flutter in neonates.

BACKGROUND: Atrial flutter is an uncommon arrhythmia that can cause severe morbidity, including heart failure and even death in refractory cases. This study investigated the clinical characteristics, treatment, and long-term outcomes of patients with neonatal atrial flutter and its association with heart failure. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed atrial flutter cases observed in our center between 1999 and 2021 and analyzed the clinical characteristics, treatment, and recurrence according to the presence of heart failure. RESULTS: The study comprised 15 patients with atrial flutter, with median bodyweight and gestational age of 2.7 kg, 37+4 weeks, respectively. Twelve patients were diagnosed with atrial flutter on the first day of life. The median atrial and ventricular rates were 440/min, 220/min, respectively. Four patients exhibited congestive heart failure. Episodic recurrence was noted in five patients and occurred at a higher rate in patients with congestive heart failure (p = 0.004). Antiarrhythmic drugs for maintenance treatment were administered more often in patients with heart failure (p = 0.011). Initial treatment included direct current cardioversion (n = 9), digoxin (n = 4), and observation (n = 2). Four patients treated with cardioversion experienced recurrence during the neonatal period, and none of those treated with digoxin experienced recurrence. The median follow-up duration was 7 years, during which no atrial flutter recurrence was evident. CONCLUSION: Neonates with congestive heart failure had a higher recurrence of atrial flutter. Direct current cardioversion is the most reliable treatment for neonatal atrial flutter, whereas digoxin may be a viable treatment option in refractory and recurrent cases.

Postoperative Complications of Esophageal Atresia and Role of Endoscopic Balloon Dilatation in Anastomotic Strictures.

Purpose: Esophageal atresia (EA) with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a congenital anomaly that can cause frequent digestive and nutritional problems, even after repair. The most common complication is anastomotic stricture, for which reoperation or balloon dilatation is performed. This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative complications of EA and the role of endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD) in cases of anastomotic stricture. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients diagnosed with EA with or without TEF between January 2000 and February 2021. Patients' baseline characteristics, associated anomalies, and postoperative complications were reviewed. Results: Among 26 patients, 14 (53.8%) were male, 12 (46.2%) had coexisting anomalies, and the median follow-up was 6.1 years (range, 1.2-15.7 years). In univariate analysis, prematurity, low birth weight, and long-gap EA were associated with postoperative complications in 12 (46.2%) patients. Among the 10 (38.5%) patients with anastomotic stricture, nine (90.0%) required EBD. Regarding the first EBD, it was performed at a median of 3.3 months (range, 1.2-7.6 months) post-repair, while the average patient weight was 4.6 kg. The mean diameter ranged from 3.3 to 9.1 mm without major complications. In univariate analysis, long-gap EA alone was significantly associated with EBD. Conclusion: Approximately half of the patients experienced complications after EA repair. In particular, patients with a long-gap EA had a significantly increased risk of complications, such as anastomotic strictures. EBD can be safely used, even in infants.

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein detection using slightly tapered no-core fiber-based optical transducer.

The label-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is demonstrated by using slightly tapered no-core fiber (ST-NCF) functionalized with ACE2. In the fabricated sensor head, abrupt changes in the mode-field diameter at the interfaces between single-mode fiber and no-core fiber excite multi-guided modes and facilitate multi-mode interference (MMI). Its slightly tapered region causes the MMI to be more sensitive to the refractive index (RI) modulation of the surrounding medium. The transmission minimum of the MMI spectrum was selected as a sensor indicator. The sensor surface was functionalized with ACE2 bioreceptors through the pretreatment process. The ACE2-immobilized ST-NCF sensor head was exposed to the samples of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with concentrations ranging from 1 to 104 ng/mL. With increasing sample concentration, we observed that the indicator dip moved towards a longer wavelength region. The observed spectral shifts are attributed to localized RI modulations at the sensor surface, which are induced by selective bioaffinity binding between ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Also, we confirmed the capability of the sensor head as an effective and simple optical probe for detecting antigen protein samples by applying saliva solution used as a measurement buffer. Moreover, we compared its detection sensitivity to SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV spike protein to examine its cross-reactivity. In particular, we proved the reproducibility of the bioassay protocol adopted here by employing the ST-NCF sensor head reconstructed with ACE2. Our ST-NCF transducer is expected to be beneficially utilized as a low-cost and portable biosensing platform for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

Fiber-optic label-free biosensor for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein detection using biofunctionalized long-period fiber grating.

With COVID-19 widespread worldwide, people are still struggling to develop faster and more accurate diagnostic methods. Here we demonstrated the label-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by employing a SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody-conjugated phase-shifted long-period fiber grating (PS-LPFG) inscribed with a CO2 laser. At a specific cladding mode, the wavelength separation (λD) between the two split dips of a PS-LPFG varies with the external refractive index, although it is virtually insensitive to ambient temperature variations. To detect SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies were immobilized on the fiber surface of the fabricated PS-LPFG functionalized through chemical modification. When exposed to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with different concentrations, the antibody-immobilized PS-LPFG exhibited the variation of λD according to the protein concentration, which was caused by bioaffinity binding-induced local changes in the refractive index at its surface. In particular, we also confirmed the potential of our sensor for clinical application by detecting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in virus transport medium. Moreover, our sensor could distinguish SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from those of MERS-CoV and offer efficient properties such as reusability and storage stability. Hence, we have successfully fabricated a promising optical transducer for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which can be unperturbed by external temperature disturbances.

Passband-Flattened Frequency-Tunable Optical Fiber Multiwavelength Filter with Composite Combination of Waveplates.

We propose a passband-flattened frequency-tunable optical multiwavelength filter with a composite combination of waveplates, which is realized by harnessing a polarization-diversified loop structure. The proposed filter comprises a polarization beam splitter (PBS), two polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF) segments of equal length, an ordered waveplate combination (OWC) of a half-wave plate (HWP) and a quarter-wave plate (QWP) before the first PMF segment, and an OWC of a QWP and an HWP before the second PMF segment. The second PMF segment is butt-coupled to one port of the PBS so that its slow axis is oriented at 22.5° for the horizontal axis of the PBS. Based on the filter transmittance derived through the Jones calculus, we found the orientation angle (OA) sets of the four waveplates, which could induce an extra phase shift Φ from 0° to 360° in the passband-flattened transmittance function. From the transmission spectra calculated at the eight selected OA sets, which caused Φ to increase from 0° to 315° by steps of 45°, it was confirmed that the passband-flattened multiwavelength spectrum can be continuously tuned by properly controlling the OAs. This indicates continuous wavelength tunability based on composite OWCs. Then, this theoretical prediction was verified by experimental demonstration.

Simultaneous Measurement of Torsion and Temperature Based on π-Phase-Shifted Long-Period Fiber Grating Inscribed on Double-Clad Fiber.

In this work, we experimentally demonstrated an optical fiber sensor capable of performing simultaneous measurement of torsion and temperature using a π-phase-shifted long-period fiber grating (LPFG) inscribed on double-clad fiber (DCF), referred to as a PS-DC-LPFG. The fabricated PSDC- LPFG showed split attenuation bands near its resonance wavelength, and the two dips in these bands were selected as sensor indicators, denoted as Dips A and B, for the simultaneous measurement of torsion and temperature. The torsion and temperature responses of the two indicators were investigated in a twist angle range from -360° to 360° and a temperature range from 30 to 120 °C, respectively. When the twist angle increased from 0° to 360° (clockwise) at room temperature, both Dips A and B showed redshifts. On the contrary, when the twist angle decreased from 0° to -360° (counterclockwise), the two dips showed blueshifts. In terms of temperature responses, both dips showed redshifts with increasing ambient temperature while the sensor head (i.e., the PS-DC-LPFG) remained straight without any applied torsion. Owing to their linear and independent responses to torsion and temperature, the changes in torsion and temperature applied to the PSDC- LPFG could be simultaneously estimated from the measured wavelength shifts and calculated sensitivities of the two indicator dips.

Simultaneous Measurement of pH and Temperature with Phase-Shifted Long-Period Fiber Grating Inscribed on High-Birefringence Fiber by CO2 Laser Pulses.

We propose an optical fiber grating sensor capable of simultaneously measuring pH and temperature based on a phase-shifted long-period fiber grating (PS-LPFG) inscribed on high-birefringence fiber (HBF). The PS-LPFG was fabricated on HBF with CO2 laser pulses, and a phase shift π was induced by inserting a grating-free fiber region (GFFR) between two identical LPFGs with a grating period of ˜510 µm. The length of the GFFR was set as half of the grating period to induce a π phase shift. With the spectral characteristics of a π-PS-LPFG exhibiting two split attenuation bands, the PS-LPFG written on HBF, which is referred to as the HB-PS-LPFG, can create two polarization-dependent transmission spectra with dual-resonance dips at different wavelengths according to two orthogonal input polarization states, e.g., linear horizontal polarization (LHP) and linear vertical polarization (LVP). For simultaneous measurement of pH and temperature with the fabricated HB-PS-LPFG as a sensor head, the inter-resonance wavelength separation of the dual-resonance dips in each transmission spectrum obtained for an LHP or LVP input signal was exploited as a sensor indicator. By investigating the wavelength changes of the two sensor indicators, which were induced by pH and temperature variations, linear and independent spectral responses to both pH and temperature variations were experimentally confirmed in a pH range from 1 to 11 and a temperature range from 25 to 65 °C. Owing to the unique pH and temperature responses of the fabricated HB-PS-LPFG, ambient variations in pH and temperature could be simultaneously estimated from the measured wavelength changes and sensitivities of the two sensor indicators.

Dimension Effect of Sapphire Substrate in Current-Switching Device Based on Vanadium Dioxide Thin Film Controlled by Photothermal Effect.

The switching characteristics of a vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin-film device, in which the current flowing through the device can be switched through the photothermal effect using focused laser pulses, were investigated according to the dimensions of the sapphire substrate on which the VO2 thin film was deposited through simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics. The physical properties of the VO2 device, modeled for the simulation, were determined according to the structural and electrical properties and photothermally controlled current-switching characteristics of fabricated VO2 devices. For a variety of substrate dimensions of the modeled VO2 device, we explored transient variations in the temperature of some specific regions and the device current switched by laser irradiation. The investigation results revealed that the stability of the bidirectional current-switching operation triggered on and off by laser illumination tends to increase as the area of the substrate increases with its thickness fixed. However, above a certain substrate area, the rate of improvement in the switching stability decreases rapidly and approaches zero.

Reversible 100 mA Current Switching in a VO2/Al2O3-Based Two-Terminal Device Using Focused Far-Infrared Laser Pulses.

In this study, we implemented reversible current switching (RCS) of 100 mA in a two-terminal device based on a vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin film, which could be controlled by far-infrared (FIR) laser pulses. The VO2 thin films used for fabrication of two-terminal devices were grown on sapphire (Al2O3) substrates using a pulsed laser deposition method. An optimal deposition condition was determined by analyzing the resistance-temperature curves of deposited VO2 thin films and the current-voltage characteristics of two-terminal devices based on these films, which were suggested in our previous works. The film surface of the VO2-based device was directly irradiated using focused CO2 laser pulses, and the insulator-metal transition or metal-insulator transition of the VO2 thin film could be triggered depending on laser irradiation. Consequently, RCS of up to 100 mA could be accomplished. This on-state current is close to the upper limit of the current flowing through our VO2 device. The switching contrast, defined as the ratio between on-state and off-state currents, was evaluated and found to be ˜11,962. The average rising and falling times of the switched current were found to be ˜29.2 and ˜71.7 ms, respectively. In comparison with our previous work, the improved heat dissipation structure and the high-quality thin film could maintain the switching contrast at a similar level, although the on-state current was increased by about two times.

Strain-Insensitive Simultaneous Measurement of Bending and Temperature Using Long-Period Fiber Grating Inscribed on Double-Clad Fiber with CO2 Laser.

Here we report an optical fiber sensor capable of performing strain-insensitive simultaneous measurement of bending and temperature using a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) inscribed on doubleclad fiber (DCF) with a CO2 laser at ˜10.6 µm. The LPFG inscribed on DCF, referred to as a DC-LPFG, was fabricated by scanning CO2 laser pulses on an unjacketed DCF with a specific period. Due to co-directional mode coupling, the fabricated DC-LPFG has discrete attenuation bands widely distributed over hundreds of nanometers. Among these wavelength-dependent loss dips, adjacent two dips with different resonance wavelengths were selected as sensor indicators for the measurement of bending and temperature. For these two indicator dips designated as dips A and B, their bending and temperature responses were investigated in a curvature range of 4.90 to 21.91 m-1 and a temperature range of 30 to 110 °C. With increasing bending applied to the DC-LPFG at room temperature, dips A and B showed different blue shifts. The bending sensitivities of dips A and B were measured to be approximately -0.77 and 0.51 nm/m-1, respectively. Unlike the bending response, they showed red shifts of different amounts with increasing ambient temperature, while the sensor head (i.e., the DC-LPFG) remained straight without any applied bending. The temperature sensitivities of dips A and B were measured to be ˜0.094 and ˜0.078 nm/°C, respectively. Owing to their linear and independent responses to bending and temperature, bending and temperature changes applied to the DC-LPFG could be simultaneously estimated from the measured wavelength shifts of the two indicator dips using their pre-determined bending and temperature sensitivities. Moreover, in a strain range of 0 to 2200 µÎµ (step: 200 µÎµ), strain-induced spectral variations of dips A and B were also measured, and the strain sensitivities of dips A and B were evaluated as approximately -0.028 and -0.013 pm/µÎµ, respectively. These strain-induced wavelength shifts were so small that they had little effect on the measurement results of bending and temperature. Thus, it is concluded that the fabricated DC-LPFG can be employed as a cost-effective sensor head for strain-insensitive separate measurement of bending and temperature.

Bend-Insensitive Discrimination of Strain and Temperature Based on Fiber Transmission Grating Inscribed on High Birefringence Photonic Crystal Fiber.

In this paper, we propose a bend-insensitive optical fiber sensor capable of separately measuring strain and temperature by incorporating a fiber transmission grating (FTG) inscribed on high birefringence photonic crystal fiber (HBPCF) with a CO2 laser. The FTG was fabricated by exposing unjacketed HBPCF to CO2 laser pulses using the line-by-line technique. The FTG inscribed on HBPCF, referred to as the HBPC-FTG, has two resonance dips with different wavelengths depending on input polarization. These two resonance dips were utilized as sensor indicator dips denoted by a shorter wavelength dip (SD) and a longer wavelength dip (LD). The strain and temperature responses of the SD and LD were investigated in a strain range of 0 to 3105 µ and a temperature range of 30 to 85 °C, respectively. The measured strain sensitivities of the SD and LD at room temperature (25 °C) were approximately -0.46 and -0.58 pm/µ, respectively. Similarly, the measured temperature sensitivities of the SD and LD without applied strain (0 µ) were ˜5.99 and ˜9.89 pm/°C, respectively. Owing to their linear and independent responses to strain and temperature, strain and temperature changes applied to the HBPC-FTG can be simultaneously estimated from the measured wavelength shifts of the two indicator dips (i.e., SD and LD) using their predetermined strain and temperature sensitivities. Moreover, bend-induced spectral variations of the SD and LD were also examined in a curvature range of 0-4.705 m-1, and it was observed that both dips showed little wavelength shift due to applied bending. Thus, it is concluded from the experimental results that the fabricated HBPC-FTG can be employed as a cost-effective sensor head for bend-insensitive discrimination of strain and temperature.

Simultaneous Measurement of Liquid Level and Temperature Using In-Fiber Grating-Based Mach-Zehnder Interferometer and Faraday Rotator Mirror.

Here we propose an optical fiber sensor capable of simultaneous measurement of liquid level and temperature by utilizing cascaded long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) inscribed on high-birefringence fiber (HBF) and a Faraday rotator mirror (FRM). Due to the in-fiber Mach-Zehnder interference and birefringence of the HBF, these cascaded LPFGs have polarization-dependent discrete interference spectra, each of which is created within one of the two different attenuation bands obtained in the two orthogonal input polarization states, e.g., linear horizontal polarization (LHP) and linear vertical polarization (LVP). The minimum transmittance dip was selected as a sensor indicator for each interference spectrum obtained for LHP or LVP input signal. To monitor these indicator dips associated with LHP and LVP, referred to as the IDH and IDV, respectively, with one spectral scanning, an FRM was connected to the end of the cascaded LPFGs. Both the IDH and IDV spectrally shifted according to liquid-level or temperature changes and showed very linear responses to them with adjusted R2 values greater than 0.997. The liquid-level sensitivities of the IDH and IDV were measured as approximately -37.29 and -121.08 pm/mm in a liquid-level range of 0 to 55 mm, respectively. The temperature sensitivities of the IDH and IDV were measured as ˜28.79 and ˜218.21 pm/°C in a temperature range of 30 to 60 °C, respectively. Owing to their linear and independent responses to liquid level and temperature, our sensor can perform temperature-independent liquid-level measurement using their pre-determined liquid-level and temperature sensitivities, even if both liquid level and temperature change simultaneously.

Reconfigurable all-dielectric Fano metasurfaces for strong full-space intensity modulation of visible light.

Dynamically reconfigurable nanoscale tuning of visible light properties is one of the ultimate goals both in the academic field of nanophotonics and the optics industry demanding compact and high-resolution display devices. Among various efforts incorporating actively reconfigurable optical materials into metamaterial structures, phase-change materials have been in the spotlight owing to their optical tunability in wide spectral regions including the visible spectrum. However, reconfigurable modulation of visible light intensity has been limited with small modulation depth, reflective schemes, and a lack of profound theoretical background for universal design rules. Here, all-dielectric phase-change Fano metasurface gratings are demonstrated for strong dynamic full-space (reflection and transmission) modulation of visible intensities based on Fano resonances. By judicious periodic couplings between densely arranged meta-atoms containing VO2, phase-change induced thermo-optic modulation of full-space intensities is highly enhanced in the visible spectrum. By providing intuitive design rules, we envision that the proposed study would contribute to nanophotonics-enabled optoelectronics technologies for imaging and sensing.

Cellulose nanocrystals/nanofibrils loaded astaxanthin nanoemulsion for the induction of apoptosis via ROS-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer cells under photobiomodulation.

The present study investigated effects of low-level laser therapy with cellulose nanocrystals/cellulose nanofibrils loaded in nanoemulsion (NE) against skin cancer cells on apoptosis. The nanoemulsion was fabricated and characterized by the standard methods. The toxicity level by cytotoxicity assays, generation of reactive singlet oxygen (ROS) and antioxidant potential, cell proliferation and migration were confirmed by using standard assays. The cellular uptake efficacy was evaluated by differential staining. The protein levels of EGFR, PI3K, AKT, ERK, GAPDH, and ß-actin were detected by western blot. The samples showed a spherical shaped structure with the average size confirmed strong and stable hydrogen bonding forces with high degradation temperature and endothermic transition peaks. The fabricated samples showed no toxicity and high cell proliferation by generating more singlet oxygen levels and antioxidants. The intracellular signaling pathways was regulated with high protein expression levels, which was stimulated by specific molecules for cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation in cancer cells. The results proved that combined treatment regulated the intracellular signaling pathways in cancer cells. The current study showed a novel strategy for improving therapeutic efficacy of nanoemulsion by using low-level laser therapy. Further, the current favorable outcomes will be evaluated in in vivo animal models.

Effect of optical energy modulation on the thermal response of biological tissue: computational and experimental validations.

This study develops an energy modulation technique to attain a constant interstitial tissue temperature and to induce the predetermined thermal coagulation without carbonization in tissue. An optical diffuser was employed to deliver 1064 nm light to the biological tissue. The combined mode maintained the interstitial temperature at 70 °C for longer durations compared to the continuous wave mode. Coagulation volumes increased linearly with the time and met the predetermined treatment volume range (0.32-0.52 cm3) after the combined treatment for 100 s. The combined modulation can be a feasible modality to induce the predetermined extent of thermal coagulation for treating papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Wavelength-Switchable Fiber Laser Based on Long-Period Fiber Grating Written on Polarization-Maintaining Photonic Crystal Fiber.

Here we propose a wavelength-switchable erbium-doped fiber ring laser using a temperatureinsensitive spectral polarization-dependent loss (PDL) element and two fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The fiber PDL element was fabricated by inscribing a long-period grating (LPG) on polarizationmaintaining photonic crystal fiber (PMPCF) with a 10.6 µm CO2 laser. The LPG fabricated on PMPCF, referred to as PMPCF-LPG, has the characteristics of a fiber polarizer at two specific wavelengths due to the birefringence of PMPCF and the co-directional mode coupling of the LPG. The two wavelengths at which the fabricated PMPCF-LPG acts as a polarizer are two resonance wavelengths (~1528.58 and ~1555.90 nm) of the PMPCF-LPG, obtained for orthogonal input polarization states. By considering these two resonance wavelengths of the PMPCF-LPG, the Bragg wavelengths of two FBGs, which determine lasing wavelengths in our wavelength-switchable laser, were selected as ~1527.71 and ~1554.74 nm. As the temperature sensitivity of the PMPCF birefringence is 30 times lower than that of the birefringence of conventional polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF), the fabricated PMPCF-LPG could facilitate more stable switching operation between the two lasing wavelengths in comparison with a previous fiber laser employing an LPG inscribed on conventional PMF as a wavelength-switching filter. The lasing wavelengths of our laser could be switched by controlling input polarization of the PMPCF-LPG with a polarization controller, and temperature-insensitive wavelength switching operation was experimentally demonstrated over a temperature range of 25-100 °C.

Simultaneous Measurement of Strain and Temperature Using Long-Period Fiber Grating Written on Polarization-Maintaining Photonic Crystal Fiber.

Here we propose a novel optical fiber sensor capable of simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature by utilizing a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) inscribed on polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber (PMPCF) as a sensor head. The sensor head was fabricated by irradiating CO2 laser pulses to one side of PMPCF with line-by-line technique. The LPFG written on PMPCF (referred to as the PMPC-LPFG) exhibits two different wavelength-dependent loss bands, obtained at two orthogonal input polarization states. For two resonance wavelengths of these two wavelength-dependent loss bands, designated as Dips A and B, strain and temperature responses were investigated in a strain range of 0 to 2058 µÉ› with a step of 98 µÉ› and a temperature range of 30 to 85 °C with a step of 5 °C. Strain sensitivities of Dips A and B were measured and found to be approximately -0.82 and -1.43 pm/µÉ›, respectively, at room temperature (25 °C). Similarly, temperature sensitivities of Dips A and B were measured and found to be ~7.89 and ~4.76 pm/°C without applied strain (0 µÉ›), respectively. Owing to their linear and independent responses to strain and temperature, strain and temperature changes applied to the PMPC-LPFG can be simultaneously estimated from the measured wavelength shifts of the two resonance dips (Dips A and B) using their premeasured strain and temperature sensitivities. The experimental results prove that the PMPC-LPFG can be used as a sensor head for simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature.

Simultaneous Measurement of Bending and Temperature Using Long-Period Fiber Grating Inscribed on Polarization-Maintaining Fiber with CO2 Laser.

Here we report on the simultaneous measurement of bending and temperature, carried out using a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) inscribed on polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF) with a CO2 laser at ~10.6 µm. An LPFG written on PMF, referred to as a PM-LPFG, has an input-polarizationdependent resonance dip, and two separated resonance dips, designated as Dips A and B, are obtained with respect to orthogonal input polarization. At the resonance wavelengths of Dips A and B, the core mode is coupled into two different cladding modes that have different bending and temperature sensitivities. The fabricated PM-LPFG whose grating period and length are ~505 µm and ~14.65 mm, respectively, has two resonance wavelengths, i.e., λA= ~1479.98 nm and λB = ~1568.78 nm, measured with respect to two orthogonal input polarization states. The bending sensitivities of this PM-LPFG were measured as ~22.23 and ~33.38 nm/m-1 (adjusted R² values: ~0.9916 and ~0.9810) at λA and λB, respectively, in a curvature range of 1.41-2.30 m-1. The temperature sensitivities of the PM-LPFG were measured as ~0.132 and ~0.039 nm/°C (adjusted R² values: ~0.9929 and ~0.9980) at λA and λB, respectively, in a temperature range of 30-90 °C. These linear bending and temperature responses of the PM-LPFG at two different resonance wavelengths enable simultaneous measurement of bending and temperature variations applied to the PM-LPFG.