Exposure and characterization of nano-structured hole arrays in tapered photonic crystal fibers using a combined FIB/SEM technique

This paper presents a technique to expose and characterize nano-structured hole arrays in tapered photonic crystal fibers. Hole array structures are examined with taper outer diameters ranging from 12.9 μm to 1.6 μm. A combined focused ion beam milling and scanning electron microscope system was used to expose and characterize the arrayed air-silica structures. Results from this combined technique are presented which resolve hole-to-hole pitch sizes and hole diameters in the order of 120 nm and 60 nm, respectively.