Graphene-enhanced photonic crystal fibers: trends and applications

Two-dimensional graphene, with its remarkable new features, is an ideal material for optoelectronic and optical applications. Meanwhile, photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) have been identified as next-generation optical fibers with a designable porous structure, extensive functionality, and various operating processes. Recently, graphene was integrated with a PCF to generate a new hybrid optical fiber, a graphene photonic crystal fiber (Gr-PCF), which exhibits an extraordinarily strong and controllable light-matter interaction across a broad-spectrum range. The review first introduces graphene and its physicochemical characteristics. This is followed by a short introduction to photonic crystal fiber and an examination of its optical characteristics. This article mainly provides a comprehensive review of recent advances in graphene-enhanced photonic crystal fibers (PCFs). This review synthesizes the current state of the art and discusses key applications, including tunable nonlinear response, high-sensitivity sensing, and ultrafast pulse shaping, that define the potential of graphene-enhanced photonic crystal fibers.