Vapor sensing with polymer coated straight optical fiber microtapers based on index sensitive interference spectroscopy of surface stress birefringence

Optical microfiber tapers provide an advantageous platform for sensing in aqueous and gas environments. We study experimentally the photonic transmission in optical fiber tapers coated with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), a polymeric material widely used in optical applications. We demonstrate a durable and simple humidity sensing approach incorporating tapered microfibers attached to silicon (Si) substrate coated with active polymer layer. A model is described for the load stress effect on the birefringence giving rise to interferences in the transmission spectra, strongly dependent on the coating layer thickness, and disappearing following its slow uniform removal. The sensing approach is based on characterization of the interference patterns observed in the transmission spectra of the taper in the NIR range. The device demonstrated persistent detection capability in humid environment and a linear response followed by saturation to calibration analytes. In each analyte of interest, we define principal components and observe unique calibration plot regimes in the principal component space, demonstrating vapor sensing using polymer coated microtapers.