近年来,保偏微纳光纤以其高双折射特性和强倏逝场效应引起了研究者的关注.本文从保偏微纳光纤的结构类型、制备方法和模式双折射特性等出发,介绍了目前不同类型保偏微纳光纤倏逝场传感器的构造特征与实现方法,利用保偏微纳光纤在两个垂直偏振方向的倏逝场对外界的不同响应,可制成偏振相关的干涉型或光栅型等传感器件.本文探究了包括超高折射率灵敏度特性和温度不敏感特性等的内在产生机理,并考察了保偏微纳光纤倏逝场传感器在折射率、湿度、磁场和特异性DNA分子探测等方面的应用,其结果对微纳光纤及其传感器的研究和应用具有重要的意义.
In recent years, polarization-maintaining(PM) microfibers have attracted much research attention mostly due to their ultra-high birefringence and large evanescent field effect. This article starts from introduction of the structures,fabrication methods, and mode characteristics of PM microfibers. Different previously-implemented PM microfiber sensors have been presented. The two polarization modes may have different responses on changes of external parameters for PM microfiber, which allows fabrication of polarization-related devices, such as interferometers or gratings. Some sensing characteristics, such as extremely-high refractive index sensitivity and/or temperature-independent response,have been demonstrated. The sensing applications including detection of refractive index, humidity, magnetic field and specific DNA molecular have been described in detail. This article should be helpful for future development of PM micro/nano fibers and the related sensors.