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Structured liquid-based reconfigurable all-liquid optical fibers
Sai Zhao1,2, Yufeng Wang3,4, Xinke Tang4
1Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
Nature Communications
|December 31, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed reconfigurable all-liquid optical fibers (RAOFs) offering a flexible, self-healing alternative to brittle quartz fibers. These liquid optical fibers enable rapid repair and dynamic signal manipulation for robust underwater communication.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Optoelectronics
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Conventional quartz optical fibers are brittle and lack reconfigurability, hindering underwater communication.
- Limitations include repair difficulties and inflexibility in dynamic environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel optical fiber solution overcoming the limitations of traditional quartz fibers.
- To introduce reconfigurable all-liquid optical fibers (RAOFs) for enhanced adaptability in communication systems.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of RAOFs using structured liquids stabilized by nanoparticle surfactants at water-oil interfaces.
- Tuning interfacial properties (tension <10 mN m⁻¹, refractive index contrast of 0.083) for structural stability and flexibility.
- Integration and testing of RAOFs on an Ethernet platform for communication performance evaluation.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated RAOFs combine liquid flexibility with interfacial assembly stability.
- Achieved real-time communication up to 1 Gbps, proving practical viability.
- Showcased rapid fiber repair via coalescence and on-demand reconfigurability for dynamic signal manipulation.
Conclusions:
- RAOFs offer a versatile, self-healing, and resilient solution for optical communication.
- The technology presents a practical alternative to conventional optical fibers, especially in dynamic underwater environments.
- Liquid optical fibers pave the way for adaptable and robust optical interconnects.
