Sensing with microstructured optical fibres

The optical and geometrical properties of microstructured optical fibres present new alternatives for a range of sensing applications. We present the design criteria for achieving significant overlap between the light guided in the fibre and the air holes and hence for producing efficient evanescent field devices. In addition, the novel dispersive properties combined with the tight mode confinement possible in holey fibres make ultra-broadband single-mode sources and new source wavelengths a possibility. Microstructuring technology can be readily extended to form multiple-core fibres, which have applications in bend/deformation sensing. Finally, fibre-based atom waveguides could ultimately be used for rotational or gravitational sensing.