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This paper reports for the first time a planarised optical fiber composite formed using Flame Hydrolysis Deposition (FHD). As a way of format demonstration a Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical (MOEMS) hot wire anemometer is formed using micro-fabrication processing. The planarised device is rigidly secured to a silicon wafer using optical quality doped silica that has been deposited using flame hydrolysis and consolidated at high temperature. The resulting structure can withstand temperatures exceeding 580K and is sensitive enough to resolve free and forced convection interactions at low fluid velocity.

As demand for customized specialty fibers grows, standardized production methods face challenges. This article reviews industry standards and discusses potentially disruptive techniques that enable rapid prototyping and fabrication of optical fiber devices. Furthermore, we showcase laser powder deposition's (LPD) potential for additive manufacturing (AM) of customized glass structures. In the case of, for example, fiber preforms, although the feasible size is smaller than the industry standard, utilizing laser‐based manufacturing techniques for a small batch production presents an attractive avenue for rapid prototyping and expedites material and design optimization. In the realm of AM of glass, LPD offers numerous benefits, including minimal shrinkage, high densification, and the ability to tailor glass composition to achieve desired optical properties. The article reviews the latest achievements and highlights future directions in this technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microcantilever at the end face of an integrated optical fiber is reported, fabrication is uniquely achieved using a precision dicing saw. The methodology is a single-step rapid process, capable of achieving trenches with high aspect ratio (>10:1). The platform on which fabrication is made is a monolithic, integrated optical fiber. This integrally fuses optical fiber to a planar substrate using flame hydrolysis deposition and high temperature consolidation (>1000 °C). This paper is the first report of a fiber-tip cantilever using the technique and this integrated platform. As an approach to quantify the optical response of such a multicavity arrangement, a method using Mason’s rule is presented. This is used to infer the spectral responses of individual cavities formed and through physical actuation, an estimation of the cantilever’s spring constant is made. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two-beam direct-UV-written silica-on-silicon waveguides have been investigated by confocal micro-luminescence experiments. The spatial and spectral analysis of the visible luminescence observed after 488 nm excitation has revealed the presence of various UV-induced defects due to the different compositions of core and under/over clad layers. The shape and waveguide's dimensions have been estimated from the spatial distribution of defect luminescence generated at the photosensitive core layer. The persistence of the defect luminescence induced in the core layer with increasing temperatures has been used to examine the thermal stability of two-beam UV-written waveguides as well as to deter- mine the recombination energy of the corresponding luminescent defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flat optical fibre technology is a glass-based substrate technology that has emerged recently, it offers a flexible and potentially very long, distributed sensing medium, whilst also having increased lateral and vertical dimensions; this allows for the development of optical integrated circuits with the enhanced functionality promised by optical chips. In this work we report on recent developments to highlight the incorporation of integrated structures on the surface and in the bulk volume of flat fibres using femtosecond laser inscription. This fusion of two innovative technologies, and in particular the flexibility afforded by femtosecond laser inscription and micromachining, has led to the realisation of microfluidic channels, ring resonators, resonator disc, Mach-Zehnder and complex microfluidic designs in the surface of the optical chip, whereas Bragg grating waveguides have been recorded in the bulk volume of the optical chips. The flat-fibre platform offers a unique degree of freedom by allowing surface and sub-surface devices to be integrated onto a single optical chip with the potential for straightforward incorporation into integrated photonic circuits or opto-fluidic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]