Name: design and fabrication of an optical fiber made of water
Uploaded: 2018-11-08T12:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Design and Fabrication of an Optical Fiber Made of Water at JoVE.com

This research was supported by the Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology &#38; Space; ICore: the Israeli Excellence center &#39;Circle of Light&#39; grant no. 1802/12, and by the Israeli Science Foundation grant no. 2013/15. The authors thank Karen Adie Tankus (KAT) for the helpful editing.

CAUTION: This experiment involves high voltage. It is the reader&#39;s responsibility to verify with the safety authorities that their experiment follows regulations before turning on the high voltage.
NOTE: Any kind of polar liquid can be utilized to produce liquid fibers, such as ethanol, methanol, acetone, or water. The polarity of the liquid dictates the stability and diameter of the created fiber23,24. For best results, use deioni...

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K., Zhu, J., Kim, W., Yang, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Detecting+single+viruses+and+nanoparticles+using+whispering+gallery+microlasers.">Detecting single viruses and nanoparticles using whispering gallery microlasers.</a> Nature Nanotechnology. 6, 428-432 (2011).</li><li>Woisetschl&#228;ger, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Horizontal+bridges+in+polar+dielectric+liquids.">Horizontal bridges in polar dielectric liquids.</a> Experiments in Fluids. 52, 193-205 (2011).</li><li>Fuchs, E. C., Wexler, A. D., Agostinho, L. L. F., Ramek, M., Woisetschl&#228;ger, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Methanol,+Ethanol+and+Propanol+in+EHD+liquid+bridging.">Methanol, Ethanol and Propanol in EHD liquid bridging.</a> Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 329, 12003 (2011).</li><li>Douvidzon, M. L., Maayani, S., Martin, L. L., Carmon, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Light+and+Capillary+Waves+Propagation+in+Water+Fibers.">Light and Capillary Waves Propagation in Water Fibers.</a> Science Reports. 7, 16633 (2017).</li><li>. Water Fibers Available from: <a target="_blank" href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1609.03362">https://arxiv.org/abs/1609.03362</a> (2016)</li></ol>

To conclude, the major advantage and uniqueness of this technique is creating a fiber which hosts three different kinds of waves: capillary, acoustic, and optical. All three waves oscillate in different regimes, opening the possibility for multi-wave detectors. As an example, airborne nanoparticles affect the surface tension of liquids. Already at the current stage, it is possible to monitor changes in the surface tension through variations in the capillary eigenfrequency. Additionally, water-walled devices are a million...

Since the breakthrough of optical fibers in communication, awarded with a Nobel prize in 20091, a series of fiber-based applications grew alongside. Nowadays, fibers are a necessity in laser surgeries2, as well as in coherent X-ray generation3,4, guided-sound5 and supercontinuum6. Naturally, the research on fiber optics expanded from utilizing solids into exploiting liquids for optical wave guiding, where liquid-filled microchannels and laminar flow combine the transportation properties of a liquid with the advantages of optical interrogation7,8,9. However, these devices clamp the liquid between solids and, therefore, forbid it to express its own wave character, known as capillary wave.
Capillary waves, similar to those seen when throwing a stone into a pond, are an important wave in nature. However, due to the obstacles of controlling a liquid without dampening its surface through channels or solids, they are hardly utilized for detection or application. In contrast, the device presented in this protocol has no solid boundaries; it is surrounded by and flows in air, allowing, therefore, capillary waves to develop, propagate, and interact with light.
To fabricate a water fiber, it is necessary to go back to a technique known as the floating water bridge, first reported in 189310, where two beakers filled with distilled water and connected to a high-voltage source will form a fluidic, water thread-like connection between them11. Water bridges can reach up to a length of 3 cm12 or be as thin as 20 nm13. As for the physical origin, it has been shown that surface tensions, as well as dielectric forces, are both responsible for carrying the bridge&#39;s weight14,15,16. To activate the water bridge as a water fiber, we couple light in with an adiabatically tapered silica fiber17,18 and out with a silica fiber lens19. Such a device can host acoustical, capillary, and optical waves, making it advantageous for multi-wave detectors and lab-on-chip20,21,22 applications.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="1035">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Deioniyzed Water&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:252px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td align="left" style="width:167px;">18MOhm resistance</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Micropipettes, Borosilicate Glass, round, inner diameter 850 micron</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Produstrial.com</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">#133260</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Micropipettes, Borosilicate Glass, round, inner diameter 150 micron</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Produstrial.com</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">#133258</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">High voltage, low current source, 3kV with 5 mA.</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Bertan</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">Model 215</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">High voltage, low current source,&#160; 8 kV with 0.25 mA.</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Home build</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;">Optical fiber</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Corning</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">HI 780 C</td>
			<td align="left">5 meter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;">Optical fiber</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Thorlabs</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">FTO 30</td>
			<td align="left">5 meter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;">Optical fiber</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Thorlabs</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">FTO 30</td>
			<td align="left">5 meter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">&#160;Fiber coupled laser</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">FIS</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">SMF 28E</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Photoreceiver</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">New Port/ New Focus</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">1801-FS</td>
			<td align="left">with fiber connection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;">Oscilloscope</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Agilent Technologies</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">DSO-X 3034A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td align="left" height="21" style="height:21px;">2 Degree of freedom tilt stagestage</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">New Port/ New Focus</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">M-562F-TILT</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">3Degree of freedom linear micro translation stage&#160;&#160;</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">New Port/ New Focus</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">M-562F-XYZ</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">A set of magnets</td>
			<td style="width:252px;"></td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Objective 5X</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Mitutoyo&#160;</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">MY5X-802</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Objective 20 x</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Mitutoyo&#160;</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">MY20X-804</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Zoom</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Navitar</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">12x Zoom</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:497px;">Microscope tube</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Navitar</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">1-6015 standard tube</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Isopropanol</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">67-63-0</td>
			<td align="left">Spec Grad</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">2 x Bare Fiber holder</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Thorlabs</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">T711-250</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">2 x Translational Stage</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Thorlabs</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">DT12</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Block of PMMA for fabricating the water reservoir and pipette holder</td>
			<td style="width:252px;"></td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td align="left">150 x 60 x 10 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">PTFE-Tape</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">Gufero</td>
			<td align="right" style="width:119px;">240453</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:497px;">Fiber coupled, cw Laser Light Source</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:252px;">New Port/ New Focus</td>
			<td align="left" style="width:119px;">TLB-6712</td>
			<td align="left">765-781 nm</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

design and fabrication of an optical fiber made of water

In this report, an optical fiber of which the core is made solely of water, while the cladding is air, is designed and manufactured. In contrast with solid-cladding devices, capillary oscillations are not restricted, allowing the fiber walls to move and vibrate. The fiber is constructed by a high direct current (DC) voltage of several thousand volts (kV) between two water reservoirs that creates a floating water thread, known as a water bridge. Through the choice of micropipettes, it is possible to control the maximal diameter and length of the fiber. Optical fiber couplers, at both sides of the bridge, activate it as an optical waveguide, allowing researchers to monitor the water fiber capillary body waves through transmission modulation and, therefore, deducing changes in surface tension.
Co-confining two important wave types, capillary and electromagnetic, opens a new path of research in the interactions between light and liquid-wall devices. Water-walled microdevices are a million times softer than their solid counterparts, accordingly improving the response to minute forces.

The coupling efficiency from a water fiber to a highly multimode fiber can be as high as 54%25,26. The coupling efficiency to a single-mode fiber is up to 12%25,26. Water fibers can be as thin as 1.6 &#181;m in diameter and can have a length of 46 &#181;m (Figure 3)25,26, or they can b...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Design and Fabrication of an Optical Fiber Made of Water at JoVE.com

Design and Fabrication of an Optical Fiber Made of Water

This protocol describes the design and manufacture of a water bridge and its activation as a water fiber. The experiment demonstrates that capillary resonances of the water fiber modulate its optical transmission.

In this report, an optical fiber of which the core is made solely of water, while the cladding is air, is designed and manufactured. In contrast with ...

This method describes the creation of a water bridge and its actuation as a water fiber. The water fiber has no cloudy material and is freely floating in air. The significance of the water fiber is that it co-confines capillary and electromagnetic waves and therefore opens a new playground for research in the interactions between light and liquid well devices.Obtain two PMMA plates to make the reservoirs. Cut each plate to the same size and drill cavities on one side of each in a triangular patterns. The cavities should be seven millimeters in diameter and eight millimeters deep.Glue connector magnets into all of the cavities in each plate. When done, turn the plates over so the magnets are on the bottom. Next, create a pipette clamp for each plate.For a clamp, cut a piece of PMMA and glue two magnets to match the magnets of a reservoir. Make an electrical connector for each plate by wrapping magnets in metallic foil. Thoroughly clean all areas and connectors on each reservoir with alcohol and deionized water.Blow dry the surfaces with nitrogen. Cover the water reservoirs and all clamps with PTFE tape to avoid leaks. Now, mount one reservoir on a five degree of freedom micro positioning stage.For imaging, position the two reservoirs under an optical microscope with a far field objective. Behind each reservoir, set up optical fiber clamps on linear translation stages. Get single-mode fiber for fabricating the tapered coupler.In addition, get the micropipette chosen for the experiment. Use a fiber stripper to expose 10 to 15 millimeters of the bare fiber. After cleaning the fiber's stripped end, thread it through the micropipette.Next, take the fiber to a tapering station. Arrange to pull the fiber segment from both sides at six hundredths of a millimeter per second. While pulling, use a hydrogen flame to taper the fiber below single mode criteria.Turn off the flame, then carefully increase the tension in the fiber until it breaks at its thinnest spot. The slope for use as an optical coupler should be smaller than one over 20. Now, turn to fabricating the fiber lens coupler.This requires 1, 550 animeters single mode fiber with an exposed tip along with a second micropipette chosen for the experiment. Pass the cleaned fiber tip through the micropipette. Next, take the fiber to an electric fusion splicer and place the exposed tip inside.Heat the tip until the glass fiber end becomes liquid. Stop after the glass becomes liquid and forms a rounded shape, the glass fiber lens. At this point, assemble the elements of the apparatus.Start with the reservoir on the positioning stage. Position the micropipette with the 1, 550 animeter fiber so one end is in the reservoir region. Secure it with the PMMA clamp.Ensure that the glass fiber lens is under the microscope. Have the other end of the fiber coupled to a power meter and clamped to a linear translation stage. On the other reservoir, clamp the micropipette and tapered fiber in place with the tapered end under the microscope.Its other end should also be clamped to a linear translation stage and coupled to a 780 nanometer continuous wave laser. Now, fill the reservoirs with deionized water. Each reservoir can hold 100 to 300 microliters.Ensure that there are no bubbles in either of the micropipettes. Adjust the micro positioner to establish a fluidic contact between the micropipettes. This image provides an example of fluidic contact.Continue once contact is confirmed. Further adjust the fibers and micro positioner to achieve transmission of laser light. Do this by inserting the fiber couplers into the water fiber.Aligning the system is not as straightforward as it seems. The water fiber and the couplers are not attracted to each other. To achieve good transmission, one needs to push the couplers forcefully into the water fiber.For electrical connections, place the magnetic connectors on each reservoir. They should be magnetically secured and their foil should have crocodile clamps in place. Use electrical cables to connect the clamps to the terminals of a high voltage source.Once everything is ready, slowly increase the voltage. Adjust the micro positioning stage to slowly increase the distance between the micropipettes. Next, take a power measurement to determine the coupling efficiency, then disconnect the power meter.In its place, connect a photo receiver to the output fiber coupler. Display the output of the photo receiver on an oscilloscope. Record time trace measurements of the transmitted light which represents the capillary water fiber oscillations.Use the top view microscope setup to characterize the geometry of the water fiber. Fibers produced with this method can be as long as one millimeter with a diameter of about 40 micrometers. They can also be about 50 micrometers in length with a diameter of about 1.5 micrometers.This fluorescent dye measurement confirms light transmission through the water fiber volume. Another measurement demonstrates surface scattering due to capillary waves at the water fiber liquid phase boundary. The implications of this technique extend toward multi wave detectors.Current detectors utilize one kind of wave. The water fiber hosts three different kinds of waves, capillary, acoustic, and optical, which can exchange energy and interrogate each other. While attempting this procedure, it is important to remember to pay close attention to the fabrication of the optical couplers.Also, running the experiment involves a risk of breaking or damaging the tapered fiber couplers, mechanically or through an electric arch. Generally, individuals new to this method will struggle because high electrical water resistivity is crucial for this experiment. Even small amounts of ions in the liquid will cause the water bridge to collapse.Don't forget that working with high voltages and high powered laser light can be extremely hazardous and precautions, such as proper electrical grounding and eye protection, should always be taken while performing this procedure.

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Engineering

Fabricating Metamaterials Using the Fiber Drawing Method

Metamaterials are man-made composite materials, fabricated by assembling components much smaller than the wavelength at which they operate 1. They owe ...

Design, Fabrication, and Experimental Characterization of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Emitters

In this video article we present a detailed demonstration of a highly efficient method for generating terahertz waves. Our technique is based on ...

Fabrication and Characterization of Disordered Polymer Optical Fibers for Transverse Anderson Localization of Light

We develop and characterize a disordered polymer optical fiber that uses transverse Anderson localization as a novel waveguiding mechanism. The developed ...

Patterning via Optical Saturable Transitions - Fabrication and Characterization

This protocol describes the fabrication and characterization of nanostructures using a novel nanolithographic technique called Patterning via Optical ...

Fabrication and Operation of a Nano-Optical Conveyor Belt

The technique of using focused laser beams to trap and exert forces on small particles has enabled many pivotal discoveries in the nanoscale biological ...

Fabrication of Polymer Microspheres for Optical Resonator and Laser Applications

This paper describes three methods of preparing fluorescent microspheres comprising &#960;-conjugated or non-conjugated polymers: vapor diffusion, ...

Fabrication of an Optical Cell Dryer for the Spectroscopic Analysis Cells

Optical cells, which are experimental instruments, are small, square tubes sealed on one side. A sample is placed in this tube, and a measurement is ...

Low-cost Custom Fabrication and Mode-locked Operation of an All-normal-dispersion Femtosecond Fiber Laser for Multiphoton Microscopy

A protocol is presented to build a custom low-cost yet high-performance femtosecond (fs) fiber laser. This all-normal-dispersion (ANDi) ytterbium-doped ...

Fabrication and Design of Wood-Based High-Performance Composites

Delignified densified wood is a new promising and sustainable material that possesses the potential to replace synthetic materials, such as glass fiber ...

Measurement of Chladni Mode Shapes with an Optical Lever Method

Quantitatively determining the Chladni pattern of an elastic plate is of great interest in both physical science and engineering applications. In this ...