Resist-free nanoimprinting on optical fibers for plasmonic optrodes

Abstract Nanostructure patterning on optical fibers enables miniaturized optrodes for photonic and plasmonic applications. Here we report a direct nanoimprint technique to produce high-quality nanostructure arrays on optical fiber endfaces. It has only one single step: imprinting optical fiber tips against a mold with nanostructures at the elevated temperature. This new method abandons resist used in traditional fiber-imprinting methods. Hundreds of fibers can be shaped simultaneously with one mold within minutes. The imprinted nanostructure arrays on optical fibers are transformed into plasmonic optrodes through metal deposition. Variation of imprint depths and mold patterns allows tailoring of the plasmonic resonances of these nanostructure arrays for high-performance refractometric sensing and on-fiber polarization. The sensitivity of 690 nm/RIU and figure of merit of 50 are both among the highest values for similar plasmonic nanostructure arrays. This resist-free nanoimprint paves the way towards a low-cost and high-throughput realization of plasmonic optrodes and their wide applications.