Re: [ATM] Spectroscopy and fiber optic info needed

[Dominic-Luc Webb <dlwebb@canit.se>]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004, Bob May wrote:

> The multiple strand stuff is more to get a large area source than
> anything else.

Usually, yes, but things seem to be changing. Check the past year or
two in Science regarding hollow core nanofibers. These are wavelength
optimized and one can bundle them to carry a number of different
wavelengths. They are getting so small that a bundle can be the
size of some of the spot diagrams we have discussed over the years.
That creates some technical challenges in terms of what one is
collecting from a point source. One possible solution I have considered
is a (nano) prism that breaks up the beam prior to the bundle. One can
have as many fibers as one wants so one can in principle collect
spectroscopic data to whatever bandwidth one wants, I think. That is
a bit of speculation on my part, but this is impression I get from
the hollow core nanofiber researchers.


More common are liquid, quartz and fused silica light guides in
order of percent transmission (based on the ones I use). For most
wavelengths, fused silica and quartz work out about the same. The
liquid ones can be almost as good as quartz or really poor transmission,
so one has to check the specs on these carefully.

Dominic-Luc Webb