Surface Functionalization of Exposed Core Glass Optical Fiber for Metal Ion Sensing
Akash Bachhuka,
Sabrina Heng,
Krasimir Vasilev,
Roman Kostecki,
Andrew Abell,
Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem
Affiliations
Akash Bachhuka
ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Sabrina Heng
ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Krasimir Vasilev
Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5095, Australia
Roman Kostecki
ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Andrew Abell
ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Heike Ebendorff-Heidepriem
ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, School of Physical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
One of the biggest challenges associated with exposed core glass optical fiber-based sensing is the availability of techniques that can be used to generate reproducible, homogeneous and stable surface coating. We report a one step, solvent free method for surface functionalization of exposed core glass optical fiber that allows achieving binding of fluorophore of choice for metal ion sensing. The plasma polymerization-based method yielded a homogeneous, reproducible and stable coating, enabling high sensitivity aluminium ion sensing. The sensing platform reported in this manuscript is versatile and can be used to bind different sensing molecules opening new avenues for optical fiber-based sensing.
