Engineered fused optical fiber bundle with embedded electrodes

We introduce a fused optical fiber bundle with embedded electrodes for electrically driven active fiber devices. Well-developed post-processing techniques are used to fuse together a variety of elements to create a structured cross-section enclosing both optical elements and electrodes. The example reported in the paper considered a hexagonal geometry and commercially available components, i.e., tungsten electrodes and standard single-mode fibers. Early results show that fabrication can induce as little as ∼0.43 dB of extra loss. A proof of principle variable waveplate with a half-wave voltage of V π ≲20 kV is also demonstrated. This work lays the foundation for an alternative optical fiber component and outlines clear routes to further reduce optical loss and enhance the response to electrical signals.