Core-clad phosphate glass fibers for biosensing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Optical Fiber Technology

Background:

• Phosphate glasses offer potential as bioresorbable materials.
• Cerium oxide (CeO2) doping enhances glass refractive index and stability.
• Bioresorbable fibers are desirable for advanced biosensing applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize novel cerium-doped, strontium-containing phosphate glass core-clad fibers.
• To evaluate the mechanical properties and light guiding capabilities of these fibers in a biological buffer.
• To assess the potential of these fibers as biosensing devices.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of SrO-containing phosphate glass doped with 1 mol% CeO2.
• Drawing of core and core-clad fibers.
• Mechanical testing of fibers immersed in TRIS-buffer solution.
• Fabrication of a sensing region via cladding etching.
• Quantification of light transmission changes in TRIS-buffer.

Main Results:

• Core-clad fibers effectively guided light during immersion in TRIS-buffer.
• Fibers maintained significant tensile strength (150-200 MPa) for up to 6 weeks in TRIS-buffer.
• Etching of the cladding created a functional sensing region.

Conclusions:

• The developed CeO2-doped phosphate glass core-clad fibers exhibit excellent mechanical stability and optical properties in a biological environment.
• These fibers demonstrate significant potential for use as robust and reliable biosensing devices.