Suspended-core optical fibres for organic dye absorption spectroscopy

In this paper, we report on our study of UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy in suspended-core optical fibres (SCFs) filled with organic-dye solutions. We compare two different dye classes, the anionic dye - bromophenol blue sodium salt (BB) and cationic dye - oxazine 725 perchlorate (OX). While the results obtained with BB are in a good agreement with the spectra measured in a standard reference cuvette, those obtained with OX are different and reveal much stronger absorption of light than in cuvettes. This stronger absorption indicates accumulation of the dye molecules on the short section of the core close to the end of the fibre. This observation demonstrates difference in physicochemical properties of the two dye classes and is important for the development of chemical sensors based on SCFs.