NOVEL STUCTURES AND MATERIALS IN MICROSTRUCTURED POLYMER OPTICAL FIBRES. Last year we succeeded in fabricating the microstructured polymer optical fibres (MPOF). This work means that the fabrication constraints applying to similar glass fibres can be overcome, and entirely new types of structures can be investigated. As polymers can contain a much larger variety of dopants than glass the material properties of MPOF can also be fully exploited to develop new fibre functionalities. The combination ....NOVEL STUCTURES AND MATERIALS IN MICROSTRUCTURED POLYMER OPTICAL FIBRES. Last year we succeeded in fabricating the microstructured polymer optical fibres (MPOF). This work means that the fabrication constraints applying to similar glass fibres can be overcome, and entirely new types of structures can be investigated. As polymers can contain a much larger variety of dopants than glass the material properties of MPOF can also be fully exploited to develop new fibre functionalities. The combination of structural and material flexibility possible in MPOF offer the opportunity to radically redefine what is possible in microstructured fibres. It is these possibilities that we aim to explore in this project.Read moreRead less
Numerically Robust Extruder Die Design for Fabricating High-Quality Preforms for Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibres. Microstructural polymer optical fibres (mPOFs) were pioneered in Australia, are now comparable in performance (but much more versatile) than conventional polymer fibre, and are a highly attractive commercial option. Potential industrial applications envisage cost-effective preform fabrication as a key issue, with extrusion as the favoured route. This interdisciplinary project ....Numerically Robust Extruder Die Design for Fabricating High-Quality Preforms for Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibres. Microstructural polymer optical fibres (mPOFs) were pioneered in Australia, are now comparable in performance (but much more versatile) than conventional polymer fibre, and are a highly attractive commercial option. Potential industrial applications envisage cost-effective preform fabrication as a key issue, with extrusion as the favoured route. This interdisciplinary project benefits Australia by (i) extending and exploiting our research advantages in advanced photonics and computational rheology, (ii) providing the 'missing link' for large-scale mPOF production and positioning us to reap the economic benefits of this innovative technology, and (iii) providing computational techniques for rheological modelling that are applicable in diverse Australian industry sectors.Read moreRead less