# US 12,181,708 B2 · Optical fiber for sensing an analyte, methods of forming and using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,708 B2 - Document ID: US12181708B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/594,359 - Filed: 2020-03-31 - Published: 2022-06-16 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-17 - Assignees: Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique; Universite De Limoges - Applicants: Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Université de Limoges - Inventors: Dinish Unnimadhava Kurup Soudamini Amma; Malini Olivo; Georges Humbert; Flavien Beffara; Jean-Louis Auguste - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181708B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/02328: {Hollow or gas filled core} - G01N 21/648: {using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence} - G01N 21/658: {enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons} - G02B 6/032: with non solid core or cladding {(G02B6/02295 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/3624: {Fibre head, e.g. fibre probe termination (optical details of light guide terminations G02B6/241; reshaping of light guides G02B6/2552; optical details of coupling light into or out of fibre end G02B6/262)} - G01N 21/553: {and using surface plasmons (fluorescence excitation G01N21/648; enhanced Raman G01N21/658)} - G01N 2021/6484: {Optical fibres} - G01N 2201/088: Using a sensor fibre - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Various embodiments may provide an optical fiber for sensing an analyte. The optical fiber may include a dielectric core wall defining a hollow space. The optical fiber may also include a cladding layer surrounding the dielectric core wall and spaced apart from the dielectric core wall. The optical fiber may further include a plurality of supports extending from the cladding layer to the dielectric core wall. A thickness of the dielectric core wall may be greater than a thickness of each of the plurality of supports. The dielectric core wall may be configured to carry an optical light for sensing the analyte. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical fiber for sensing an analyte, the optical fiber comprising: a dielectric core wall defining a hollow space; a cladding layer surrounding the dielectric core wall and spaced apart from the dielectric core wall; and a plurality of supports extending from the cladding layer to the dielectric core wall; wherein a thickness of the dielectric core wall is greater than a thickness of each of the plurality of supports; wherein the dielectric core wall is configured to carry an optical light for sensing the analyte; wherein each of the plurality of supports forms a secondary hollow space or open apex with the dielectric core wall; and wherein a joint between each support and the dielectric core wall has a thickness less than or equal to the thickness of each support; and/or wherein a joint between each support and the dielectric core wall has a thickness less than or equal to the thickness of the dielectric core wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric core wall comprises a glass material or a polymer material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The optical fiber according to claim 2, wherein the glass material is silica, borosilicate glass, tellurite glass, or chalcogenide glass. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the dielectric core wall is any one value selected from a range from 0.1 μm to 5 μm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of each of the plurality of supports is any one value selected from a range from 0.05 μm to less than 5 μm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the dielectric core wall is any one value selected from a range from 3 μm2 to 2×105 μm2. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of supports is a strut. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of supports, the dielectric core wall and the cladding layer define multiple holes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The optical fiber according to claim 8, wherein a sum of inner surfaces of the multiple holes is any one value selected from a range from 5 μm2 to 8×105 μm2. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical fiber according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of nanostructures arranged along an inner circumference and an outer circumference of the dielectric core wall. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein at least one end portion of the optical fiber is tapered. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The optical fiber according to claim 11, wherein a diameter of the dielectric core wall at the at least one tapered end portion of the optical fiber is less than a diameter of the dielectric core wall at a middle portion of the optical fiber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The optical fiber according to claim 11, wherein the dielectric core wall at the at least one tapered end portion of the optical fiber has a solid core. ### Claim 14 A method of forming an optical fiber for sensing an analyte, the method comprising: forming a dielectric core wall defining a hollow space; forming a cladding layer surrounding the dielectric core wall and spaced apart from the dielectric core wall; forming a plurality of supports extending from the cladding layer to the dielectric core wall; wherein a thickness of the dielectric core wall is greater than a thickness of each of the plurality of supports; wherein the dielectric core wall is configured to carry an optical light for sensing the analyte; wherein each of the plurality of supports forms a secondary hollow space or open apex with the dielectric core wall; wherein a joint between each support and the dielectric core wall has a thickness less than or equal to the thickness of each support; and/or wherein a joint between each support and the dielectric core wall has a thickness less than or equal to the thickness of the dielectric core wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one end portion of the optical fiber is tapered. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein a diameter of the dielectric core wall at the at least one tapered end portion of the optical fiber is less than a diameter of the dielectric core wall at a middle portion of the optical fiber. ### Claim 17 A method of using an optical fiber for sensing an analyte, the method comprising: providing the analyte to the optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber comprises a dielectric core wall defining a hollow space, a cladding layer surrounding the dielectric core wall and spaced apart from the dielectric core wall, and a plurality of supports extending from the cladding layer to the dielectric core wall; providing an optical light to the dielectric core wall which carries the optical light for sensing the analyte; and determining the optical light at an output of the optical fiber; wherein a thickness of the dielectric core wall is greater than a thickness of each of the plurality of supports; wherein each of the plurality of supports forms a secondary hollow space or open apex with the dielectric core wall; wherein a joint between each support and the dielectric core wall has a thickness less than or equal to the thickness of each support; and/or wherein a joint between each support and the dielectric core wall has a thickness less than or equal to the thickness of the dielectric core wall. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, further comprising: arranging a plurality of nanostructures along an inner circumference and an outer circumference of the dielectric core wall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the analyte is sensed via absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence-based detection, Surface Plasmon resonance method or Raman spectroscopy.