Bending losses and modal properties of nano-bore optical fibers

The nano-bore optical fiber geometry represents a new waveguide platform that uniquely allows studying the interaction of low-index fluids and light inside the core of an optical fiber while maintaining total internal reflection as a light guidance mechanism. Here, we have analyzed several application-relevant properties of this novel geometry experimentally and from the simulation perspective, including the analysis of the power fraction inside the bore, the determination of radius-dependent cutoffs, and the identification of single-mode operation domains. The obtained results will pave the way for new application of fiber optics in fields such as optofluidics, nonlinear light generation, and bioanalytics.