WOMBLE - waveguides and optical materials for biomedical and high resolution sensing applications using light enhancement

本提案的重点是开发新型二氧化硅光纤，该光纤在制造过程中利用光纤的光敏响应与紫外光在纤维拉丝塔上进行后处理，从而增强了瑞利散射。我们最近已经表明，紫外线照射的光纤显着增加了x100的瑞利散射，这使得高灵敏度传感温度，应变或压力具有高信噪比。这项技术将使高散射光纤（ISOF）能够制造出来，并在后处理后用聚合物涂层保护，准备立即使用。与此主题相关的是新型弹性光敏聚合物的开发，基于二氧化硅纤维的基本成分-SiO2的聚二甲基硅氧烷（PDMS）。聚合物的合成将提高其光敏性，而不影响其机械性能，因此其弹性体性能将被保留。将开发3D打印技术，直接打印复杂的结构和光纤，用于LED照明和生物医学应用，例如在芯片实验室。增强瑞利散射和3D打印稳定光敏弹性体这两项创新将大大提升加拿大在世界上的竞争力。

This proposal is focused on the development of novel silica optical fibres which have enhanced Rayleigh scatter by post processing using the fibre's photosensitive response with UV light on the fibre pulling tower during the manufacture. We have shown very recently that UV exposure of an optical fibre dramatically increases the Rayleigh scatter by x100, which allows high sensitivity sensing temperature, strain or pressure with a high signal-to-noise ratio. This technique will enable high scatter optical fibre (ISOF) to be manufactured and protected with a polymer coating after post processing, ready for immediate use. Connected to this theme is the development of novel elastomeric photosensitive polymers, poly-dimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) based on the basic ingredient of the silica fibre -SiO2. The polymer will be synthesized to enhance its photosensitivity without compromising its mechanical properties, so that its elastomeric properties will be retained. 3D printing techniques will be developed to directly print complex structures and optical fibres for use with LED lighting and biomedical applications, e.g. in lab-on-a-chip.These two innovations of enhanced Rayleigh scatter and 3D printable stable photosensitive elastomers will greatly enhance the competitiveness of Canada in the world.