Unique in-fiber photonic crystal sensor

Riding on the nanotechnology boost, the constant trend towards miniaturization has lead to many new theoretical advancements, which have enabled countless applications in electronics, optics, and line mechanics. In this paper we will show that embedding photonic crystals (PCs) into standard monomode fiber optics (FOs) allows for highly sensitive detection of mechanical deformations. We start by briefly reviewing the basic characteristics of FOs and PCs, and afterwards we present the new FO sensor. In the end we conclude by emphasizing the compactness and the sensitivity of this unique in-flber PC sensor.