Liquid crystal modified photonic crystal fiber (LC-PCF) fabricated with an SU-8 photoresist sealing technique for electrical flux measurement

Photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is to confine light in the physical structure composed of air holes. The optical transmission property of the PCF can be manipulated by changing the pattern arrangement of the air holes. This paper presents a novel MEMS-based technique to modify the optical properties of commercial photonic crystal fibers by selectively filling liquid crystal into the voids of PCFs. A 5-¿m thick un-cure SU-8 ring pattern is firstly fabricated utilized a proposed novel stamping method. A laser-induced heating method via the light from the PCF is then used to soften SU-8 photoresist (PR) at a temperature higher than its glass transition temperature (T_g) of 55°C. The PCF is then attached onto the molten SU-8 surface to seal the specific holes of the PCF. Liquid crystals are then filled into the un-sealed holes in the PCF using capillary forces for modifying the optical properties of the PCF to fabricate a E-field sensor. Results indicate that the fabricated E-field sensor can measure the electric field of up to 40 kV/cm.