Fibers are among the earliest forms of human expression, yet surprisingly have remained unchanged from ancient to modern times. Can fibers become highly functional devices ? Can they see, hear, sense, and communicate? Our research focuses on extending the frontiers of fiber materials from optical transmission to encompass electronic and even acoustic properties.
Central to our approach is the combination of a multiplicity solid state materials which can be thermally co-drawn into elaborate cross sectional structures with features down to 10 nanometers. Two complementary approaches towards realizing sophisticated functions are explored: on the single-fiber level, the integration of a multiplicity of functional components into one fiber, and on the multiple-fiber level, the assembly of large-scale fiber arrays and fabrics.
Investigations:
Multimaterial Photonic Bandgap Fibers
Electronic and Optoelectronic Fiber Devices
Optofluidic Fiber Devices
Acoustic Fibers
Fibers for Energy Storage
Fiber-Neuron Interface
Fiber-Draw Compound Synthesis
High-Temperature Fabrication and Post-Processing
The group is led by Professor Yoel Fink