Short-wave ultraviolet low-loss ice micro-nano optical fiber waveguide structure and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a short-wave ultraviolet low-loss ice micro-nano optical fiber waveguide structure and a preparation method thereof. Comprising a short-wave ultraviolet light source, a quartz single-mode optical fiber, an ice micro-nano optical fiber, an ice micro-nano optical fiber support and ice micro-nano optical fiber fixing glue, the short-wave ultraviolet light source is connected with one end of the quartz single-mode optical fiber, and the other end of the quartz single-mode optical fiber is directly connected with the input end of the ice micro-nano optical fiber in an end face coupling mode. And the ice micro-nano optical fiber is fixedly arranged on the tip of the ice micro-nano optical fiber support through the ice micro-nano optical fiber fixing glue, so that the ice micro-nano optical fiber is suspended. According to the invention, low-loss and high-efficiency transmission of short-wave ultraviolet light in the ice micro-nano optical fiber is realized by utilizing the characteristic of extremely low absorption of ice in the wave band and combining an end face direct coupling mode. The structure is high in coupling efficiency and low in transmission loss, and a new technical platform is provided for micro-nano scale transmission and integrated photon application of short-wave ultraviolet light.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of micro-nano optics and optical waveguide technology, and in particular to an optical waveguide structure suitable for the short-wavelength ultraviolet band, specifically a short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro-nano fiber waveguide structure and its fabrication method. Background Technology

[0002] Short-wavelength ultraviolet light (typically referring to ultraviolet light with wavelengths between 100 nm and 280 nm) has significant applications in precision spectral analysis, biomedical imaging, photochemical catalysis, high-resolution lithography, and virus and bacteria detection. However, short-wavelength ultraviolet light suffers from significant intrinsic absorption and scattering losses when transmitted through conventional optical materials (such as fused silica and fluoride glass), making it difficult to achieve efficient, low-loss micro- and nano-scale light transmission. This severely limits the miniaturization and integration of short-wavelength ultraviolet optical devices.

[0003] Ice (H2O) possesses an extremely low intrinsic absorption coefficient in the short-wavelength ultraviolet band, making it an ideal high-transmittance optical material. Previous studies have reported low-loss waveguides in the visible light band using ice micro / nano fibers, demonstrating their potential as a low-loss optical medium. However, existing techniques employ evanescent field coupling, primarily designed for the visible light band, and their coupling structures are relatively complex, making them unsuitable for the short-wavelength ultraviolet band where higher coupling efficiency and mode matching requirements are necessary. Short-wavelength ultraviolet light has even shorter wavelengths and is more sensitive to waveguide diameter, waveguide surface roughness, and defects at the coupling interface, necessitating a waveguide scheme with higher coupling efficiency, greater structural stability, and better suitability for short-wavelength ultraviolet light.

[0004] Therefore, there is a lack of a novel waveguide structure in the existing technology that can overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and achieve efficient coupling and low-loss transmission of short-wave ultraviolet light in ice micro-nano optical fibers. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems existing in the background technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano-fiber waveguide structure and its fabrication method. This structure utilizes the low-loss characteristics of ice in the 170 nm to 280 nm wavelength range and employs direct end-face coupling, solving the problem of efficient injection of short-wavelength ultraviolet light into micro / nano-fibers, thus achieving low-loss transmission of short-wavelength ultraviolet light and providing key technical support for the development of short-wavelength ultraviolet micro / nano-photonic devices.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: I. A short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure: Including short-wave ultraviolet light source, quartz single-mode optical fiber, ice micro-nano optical fiber, ice micro-nano optical fiber support and ice micro-nano optical fiber fixing adhesive; The short-wave ultraviolet light source is connected to one end of the quartz single-mode fiber, and the other end of the quartz single-mode fiber is directly connected to the input end of the ice micro-nano fiber through end-face coupling. The ice micro-nano fiber is fixed on the tip of the ice micro-nano fiber support with ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive, so that the ice micro-nano fiber is suspended.

[0007] The short-wave ultraviolet light mentioned in this invention refers to ultraviolet light in the 100 nm to 280 nm wavelength range. The ice micro-nano optical fiber is suitable for optical transmission in the 170 nm to 280 nm wavelength range.

[0008] Short-wave ultraviolet light is emitted from a short-wave ultraviolet light source, passes sequentially through a quartz single-mode fiber and the output end face of the quartz single-mode fiber, and then couples into the ice micro-nano fiber.

[0009] The output end of the quartz single-mode fiber and the input end of the ice micro-nano fiber are directly coupled through the end face and are located on the same straight line.

[0010] The ice micro-nano fiber support is a quartz fiber with a tapered tip, and the middle part of the ice micro-nano fiber is supported on the tip of the ice micro-nano fiber support.

[0011] The ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive is a benzyl acetate solution.

[0012] The ice micro-nano optical fiber is prepared by growing water vapor in the air within a temperature range of -50 ℃ to -30 ℃ using a high-voltage electro-induced method, and its structure is a single crystal.

[0013] The diameter of the mode field of the quartz single-mode fiber is 1-5 μm.

[0014] The ice micro-nano fiber structure has a diameter of 0.5-10 μm and a length of 10 μm-1 cm.

[0015] II. A method for fabricating a short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure: The initial ambient temperature is higher than the glass transition temperature of the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive. A drop of benzyl acetate solution is added to the tip of the ice micro-nano fiber support as the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive. The ice micro-nano fiber is placed on the ice micro-nano fiber support and then the ambient temperature is quickly lowered to below the glass transition temperature of the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive, so that the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive can be cured quickly, thereby firmly fixing the ice micro-nano fiber. Finally, the output end face of the polished quartz single-mode fiber is aligned with the input end face of the polished ice micro-nano fiber and directly coupled to achieve close contact, thereby preparing the short-wave ultraviolet low-loss ice micro-nano fiber waveguide structure.

[0016] The structure of this invention includes a short-wave ultraviolet light source, a quartz single-mode fiber, an ice micro-nano fiber, and supporting and fixing components; the light source is connected to one end of the quartz single-mode fiber, and the other end of the quartz single-mode fiber is directly connected to the input end of the ice micro-nano fiber through end-face coupling.

[0017] The ice micro-nano optical fiber is a single-crystal ice structure formed by high-voltage electric induction of water vapor growth in a low-temperature environment, and is suitable for the 170 nm to 280 nm short-wave ultraviolet band.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: (1) High coupling efficiency: The direct end-face coupling method avoids mode mismatch and gap loss caused by evanescent field coupling, which significantly improves the coupling efficiency of short-wave ultraviolet light from quartz single-mode fiber to ice micro-nano fiber. (2) Low transmission loss: By making full use of the low intrinsic absorption characteristics of ice in the short-wave ultraviolet band and combining the high-quality optical structure of single-crystal ice micro-nano fiber, a short-wave ultraviolet light transmission loss of less than 0.1 dB / cm is achieved. (3) Simple and stable structure: The end-face coupled waveguide structure proposed in this invention is simple in composition and the coupling structure is stable and reliable, which significantly improves the practicality and reliability of the device.

[0019] (4) Broad application prospects: This device provides a brand-new platform for the transmission of short-wave ultraviolet light at the micro-nano scale, and can be widely used in short-wave ultraviolet light sensing, photonic devices, high-resolution detection and other fields. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the short-wave ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure of the present invention; In the diagram: 1-Shortwave ultraviolet light source, 2-Quartz single-mode optical fiber, 3-Ice micro-nano optical fiber, 4-Ice micro-nano optical fiber support, 5-Ice micro-nano optical fiber fixing adhesive.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a surface scattering result of 214 nm monochromatic light transmitted through an ice micro / nano fiber with a diameter of 4.6 μm and a length of 460 μm. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0023] like Figure 1As shown, the waveguide structure of the present invention includes a short-wave ultraviolet light source 1, a quartz single-mode fiber 2, an ice micro-nano fiber 3, an ice micro-nano fiber support 4, and an ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive 5; the short-wave ultraviolet light source 1 is connected to one end of the quartz single-mode fiber 2, and the other end of the quartz single-mode fiber 2 is directly connected to the input end of the ice micro-nano fiber 3 through end-face coupling; the ice micro-nano fiber 3 is fixed on the tip of the ice micro-nano fiber support 4 by the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive 5, so that the ice micro-nano fiber 3 is suspended.

[0024] The mode field diameter of the quartz single-mode fiber 2 is 1-5 μm. The output end of the quartz single-mode fiber 2 and the input end of the ice micro-nano fiber 3 are directly coupled through the end face and are located on the same straight line.

[0025] Short-wave ultraviolet light is emitted from short-wave ultraviolet light source 1, passes through quartz single-mode fiber 2 and the output end face of quartz single-mode fiber 2 in sequence, and is then coupled into ice micro-nano fiber 3.

[0026] The ice micro-nano fiber support 4 is a quartz fiber with a tapered tip. The middle part of the ice micro-nano fiber 3 is supported on the tip of the ice micro-nano fiber support 4 and then fixed by the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive 5.

[0027] Ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive 5 is a benzyl acetate solution.

[0028] The ice-crystal micro-nano fiber 3 has a diameter of 0.5-10 μm and a length of 10 μm-1 cm. It is prepared by high-voltage electro-induction growth using water vapor from the air within a temperature range of -50 ℃ to -30 ℃, and has a single-crystal structure.

[0029] In specific implementation, the quartz single-mode fiber 2 is selected from high-purity quartz fiber (purity >99.999%) suitable for short-wave ultraviolet band transmission. Its output end face needs to be precision polished (surface roughness <10 nm) to ensure the formation of a smooth and flat coupling interface. The mode field diameter of the quartz single-mode fiber 2 is preferably 1-5 μm to achieve good mode matching with the diameter (0.5-10 μm) of the ice micro-nano fiber 3.

[0030] The ice micro-nano fiber 3 should be a high-quality single-crystal structure with a smooth surface and uniform diameter. Its input end face needs to be precisely polished (surface roughness <10 nm) to ensure a smooth and flat coupling interface. The diameter of the ice micro-nano fiber is preferably 0.5-10 μm, and the length is preferably 10 μm-1 cm to better couple and transmit deep ultraviolet light.

[0031] Under a microscope, using micro-nano manipulation technology, a drop of benzyl acetate solution (glass transition temperature of benzyl acetate is approximately -50 °C) was added to the ice micro-nano fiber support 4 using a micropipette as the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive 5. With the ambient temperature above -50 °C, the ice micro-nano fiber 3 was placed on the ice micro-nano fiber support 4. The ambient temperature was then rapidly lowered to below -50 °C, allowing the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive 5 to cure quickly and firmly fix the ice micro-nano fiber 3. Afterwards, the polished output end face of the quartz single-mode fiber 2 was carefully aligned and brought into close contact with the polished input end face of the ice micro-nano fiber 3 to complete direct end-face coupling.

[0032] During testing, the short-wave ultraviolet light source 1 was turned on. The light was transmitted through the quartz single-mode fiber 2 and then directly coupled into the ice micro-nano fiber 3 through the end face. The results are as follows: Figure 2 As shown, short-wave ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 214 nm enters an ice micro-nano fiber with a diameter of 4.6 μm and a length of 460 μm through end-face coupling.

[0033] from Figure 2 It can be seen that when short-wave ultraviolet light is coupled into the ice micro-nano fiber, there are no strong scattering points on the surface except at the input and output endpoints and the fixed points of the ice micro-nano fiber, indicating that the ice micro-nano fiber has low waveguide loss and high transmittance in the short-wave ultraviolet region.

[0034] As demonstrated in practice, this invention utilizes the extremely low absorption characteristic of ice in this wavelength band, combined with a direct end-face coupling method, to achieve low-loss and high-efficiency transmission of short-wavelength ultraviolet light in ice micro / nano-fibers. This structure exhibits high coupling efficiency and low transmission loss, providing a new technological platform for the micro / nano-scale transmission and integrated photonics applications of short-wavelength ultraviolet light.

[0035] The above specific embodiments are used to explain and illustrate the present invention, but not to limit the present invention. Any modifications and changes made to the present invention within the spirit and scope of the claims shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0036] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent changes or modifications made to the structure, features and principles described in the claims of this patent application are included in the scope of this patent application.

Claims

1. A short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure, characterized in that: The device includes a short-wave ultraviolet light source (1), a quartz single-mode fiber (2), an ice micro-nano fiber (3), an ice micro-nano fiber support (4), and ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive (5). The short-wave ultraviolet light source (1) is connected to one end of the quartz single-mode fiber (2), and the other end of the quartz single-mode fiber (2) is directly connected to the input end of the ice micro-nano fiber (3) through end-face coupling. The ice micro-nano fiber (3) is fixed on the tip of the ice micro-nano fiber support (4) by the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive (5), so that the ice micro-nano fiber (3) is suspended.

2. The short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Short-wave ultraviolet light is emitted by a short-wave ultraviolet light source (1), passes through a quartz single-mode fiber (2) and the output end face of the quartz single-mode fiber (2) in sequence, and is then coupled into the ice micro-nano fiber (3).

3. The short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The output end of the quartz single-mode fiber (2) and the input end of the ice micro-nano fiber (3) are directly coupled through the end face and are located on the same straight line.

4. The short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice micro-nano fiber support (4) is a quartz fiber with a pointed tapered shape, and the middle part of the ice micro-nano fiber (3) is supported on the tip of the ice micro-nano fiber support (4).

5. The short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive (5) is a benzyl acetate solution.

6. The short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice micro-nano optical fiber (3) is prepared by growing water vapor in the air as raw material in the temperature range of -50 ℃ to -30 ℃ using a high voltage electric induction method, and its structure is a single crystal.

7. The short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mode field diameter of the quartz single-mode fiber (2) is 1-5 μm.

8. The short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice micro-nano fiber (3) has a diameter of 0.5-10 μm and a length of 10 μm-1 cm.

9. A method for fabricating the short-wavelength ultraviolet low-loss ice micro / nano fiber waveguide structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The original ambient temperature is higher than the glass transition temperature of the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive (5). A drop of ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive (5) is dropped onto the ice micro-nano fiber support (4). The ice micro-nano fiber (3) is placed on the ice micro-nano fiber support (4). Then the ambient temperature is lowered to below the glass transition temperature of the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive (5) to cure the ice micro-nano fiber fixing adhesive (5) and thus firmly fix the ice micro-nano fiber (3). Finally, the output end face of the polished quartz single-mode fiber (2) is aligned with the input end face of the polished ice micro-nano fiber (3) and the end faces are directly coupled in close contact to obtain the short-wave ultraviolet low-loss ice micro-nano fiber waveguide structure.

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