We describe fiber-optic stand magnifiers specifically designed for use as low-vision reading aids. Application of this technology results in better optical and ergonomic properties. The fiber-optic magnifiers (tapers) provide bright, uniformly illuminated, distortion-free images. The reading material can be scanned without the user's having to bend directly over the magnifier. One can further i...

This paper presents the fabrication process and operation of a bio-sensor based on tapered optical fiber by using spectrum shift in presence PBS buffer dissolved streptavidin. The taper-fiber sensors are 18 24 μm diameter fabricated use an oxy-butane torch. is obtained broadband light source analyzer (OSA) 40 nm wavelength range. existence streptavidin surface confirmed. experiments have shown ...

We report on successful realization of a picosecond visible-continuum source embedding a single mode fiber taper. The output of ytterbium mode-locked fiber laser was frequency doubled in a periodically-polled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal to produce green pump light. Spectral brightness of the white light generated in the tapered fiber was improved by limiting the broadening just to the visibl...

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 3-wk taper on the physiology of competitive distance runners. We studied seven collegiate distance runners (20+/-1 yr, 66+/-1 kg) before and after a 3-wk taper. The primary measures included 8-km cross-country race performance, gastrocnemius single muscle fiber size and function (peak force, shortening velocity, and power), baseline and ...

One half of a 2x2 fused taper single-mode fiber coupler is used for the all-fiber spatial and spectral beam combining of two fiber lasers.

The control over the transmission properties of tapered optical fibers (TOFs) is an important requirement for a whole range of applications. Using a carefully designed flame pulling process that allows us to realize preset fiber radius profiles, we fabricate TOFs with a nanofiber waist. We study the spectral transmission properties of these TOFs as a function of the taper profile and the waist ...

The trade-off between the spectral bandwidth and average output power from chalcogenide fiber-based mid-infrared supercontinuum sources is one of the major challenges towards practical application of the technology. In this paper we address this challenge through tapering of large-mode-area chalcogenide photonic crystal fibers. Compared to previously reported step-index fiber tapers the photoni...

We demonstrate an all-fiber add-drop filter composed of a microfiber knot (working as a resonator) and a fiber taper (working as a dropping fiber). The dropping taper can be either parallel or perpendicular to the input port of the filter. A quality factor (Q factor) of 13,000 is obtained from a parallel-coupling 308 microm diameter microknot add-drop filter with a free spectral range (FSR) of ...

In recent years, nanoprobe-based devices have attracted significant attention and found a wide range of applications, including nanostructure imaging, single molecular detection, and physical, chemical, and biological sensing applications. However, since the scale of nanodevices is substantially less than the optical diffraction limit, their fabrication remains a difficult challenge. Despite si...

This paper presents a fast, highly sensitive and low-cost tapered optical fiber biosensor that enables the label-free detection of biomolecules. The sensor takes advantage of the interference effect between the fiber's first two propagation modes along the taper waist region. The biomolecules bonded on the taper surface were determined by demodulating the transmission spectrum phase shift. Beca...