Reflectometry, ablation and fluid retrieval with an optical fiber

A technique combining low-coherence reflectometry, laser ablation and microfluidics in a single microstructured fiber is developed. Experimental results demonstrate the possibility to ablate thin aluminum foil samples with fiber-guided Nd:YAG laser light, to collect liquid in the holes of the fiber and to simultaneously monitor the positioning of fiber for ablation and the fluid collection process with low-coherence reflectometry. Potential applications of the technique include minimally invasive retrieval of liquid samples with low contamination risk.