Photonic bandgap fibers
In telecommunication fibers, light is guided in a high index core using total internal reflection. The core of these conventional fibers is solid therefore it is not convenient, even possible, to deliver high power laser light through the glass core. Recently photonic band gap fibers (PBG fibers) were realized in which the light is confined in a hollow core in much the same way as electrons are confined in band structures in the solids.
Smart Fibers Laboratory (UNAM) is one of the few pursuers of this revolutionary technology together with a few industry leaders around the world. In the past year we have completed the construction of a custom designed fiber drawing tower and synthesis line in order to produce hundreds of meters of these specialty fibers. The drawn fibers enclose nanometer sized tiny structures which were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, see electrograph above.
Among other novelties, PBG fibers are likely to find wide medical applications and are expected to revolutionize laser surgery.
M. Yaman, M. Vural, H. E. Kondakci, C. Koral, O. Koylu, M. Bayindir
