Highly sensitive gas refractometer based on inverse mode-coupling of cladding-to-core modes in a tapered four-core fiber

A highly sensitive gas refractometer based on inverse mode-coupling is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The sensor has a sandwiched configuration that a tapered four-core fiber is spliced between two standard single mode fibers. In the tapered four-core fiber, inverse mode-coupling from cladding modes to core modes leads to enhanced cladding modes and evanescent fields. The unique waveguide structure (multiple cores arranged close to the fiber cladding) of the four-core fiber enables multiple core modes to sense refractive index change after tapering. The abrupt taper also acts as a bridge between surround refractive index and interference modes (including both cladding and core modes). For the carbon dioxide refractive index (close to 1.0) measurement, the sensor presents a high sensitivity of 922.32 dB/refractive index unit without cross-sensitivity of temperature.