Ultrasmooth, biocompatible, and removable nanocoating for hollow-core microstructured optical fibers

Functional nanocoatings of hollow-core microstructured optical fibers (HC-MOFs) have extended the domain of their applications to biosensing and photochemistry. However, novel modalities typically come with increased optical losses since a significant surface roughness of functional layers gives ris...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Optics letters 2021-10, Vol.46 (19), p.4828-4831
Main Authors: Ermatov, Timur, Novoselova, Marina, Skibina, Julia, Machnev, Andrey, Gorin, Dmitry, Noskov, Roman E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biocompatibility
Fiber optics
Optical fibers
Photochemistry
Serum albumin
Surface roughness
Tannic acid
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Summary:Functional nanocoatings of hollow-core microstructured optical fibers (HC-MOFs) have extended the domain of their applications to biosensing and photochemistry. However, novel modalities typically come with increased optical losses since a significant surface roughness of functional layers gives rise to additional light scattering, restricting the performance of functionalization. Here, the technique that enables a biocompatible and removable nanocoating of HC-MOFs with low surface roughness is presented. The initial functional film is formed by a layer-by-layer assembly of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and tannic acid (TA). The alkaline etching at pH 9 results in the reduction of surface roughness from 26 nm to 3 nm and decreases fiber optical losses by three times. The nanocoating can be fully removed within 7 min of the treatment. Natural biocompatibility of BSA alongside antibacterial and antifouling properties of TA makes the presented nanocoating promising for biophotonic applications.
ISSN:0146-9592
1539-4794
DOI:10.1364/OL.436220