Ana Rodrigues Pinto
For her PhD thesis at the Public University of Navarra, Ms Ana Rodrigues Pinto, a physics graduate from the University of Minho (Portugal), has developed novel photonic-crystal fiber sensors. She explained, “due to their structure, these fibers, unlike the optic fibers commonly used to date in telecommunications, they enable flexibility of design and in applications”.
In recent years there has been a growing concern to overcome the limitations of common optic fibers for making sensors, used for measuring physical, chemical and biological properties. In 1996, the British researcher, Philip Russell —with whom Ms Pinto undertook a research stay in 2011— developed photonic-crystal fibers for the first time.
“The structure of this fiber has a series of holes that are very useful in making sensors, as these cavities can be filled with the liquids or gases that we wish to measure with the sensor”, pointed out the researcher. “This structure also enables light guiding in a hollow core and the manufacture of the sensors in a single material —typically glass—, something which is not possible with conventional optic fibers, thus making these fibers a highly attractive technology for applications such as optic fiber lasers and high-powered transmissions”.
An artist’s impression of the structure of optic fibers and photonic-crystal fibers
While undertaking her PhD at the UPNA, Ana Pinto developed sensors for measuring temperature and displacement. To this end, she had the collaboration of the Institute of Photonic Technology (Jena, Germany) where photonic-crystal fibers, unique in the world, are manufactured. Amongst the most important contributions of the thesis was the initiation of new research lines at UPNA: physical sensors based on photonic-crystal fibers and random lasers for monitoring sensors. In this context, researcher highlighted that “we have developed the first totally random laser for its application to sensors”.
The PhD thesis Photonic Crystal Fibers for Sensing Applications, directed by Manuel López-Amo Sainz, Professor at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, was awarded the distinction of cum laude receiving the mention of European Doctor. The thesis has given rise to 8 articles in international journals belonging to the Journal Citation Reports and 4 contributions at international conferences.
* Elhuyar translation, published on www.basqueresearch.com