Simulation analysis of the optical properties of a liquid crystal-filled microstructured optical fiber

The optical properties of a liquid crystal-filled microstructured optical fiber (LC-MOF) were investigated using the finite element method. Liquid crystal E7 was designed to be infiltrated into six small air holes at the neighbourhood of silica core. Simulation results showed that the designed LC-MOF supported a continuous transmission in the silica core over a wide wavelength range. The optical properties of core modes such as refractive index, birefringence, confinement loss, model area, group refractive index, group birefringence, and zero dispersion wavelength, were illustrated. The structure parameters of LC-MOF and temperature could be used to adjusted the optical properties. The designed LC-MOF, providing a way for filling high refractive index materials in MOF air holes, has potential applications in optical fiber modulators and sensors.