Bioresorbable fibre Bragg gratings

Description

Sensing elements known as fiber Bragg gratings inside optical fibers have been recently designed by our group designed to dissolve completely inside the body. The bioresorbable fiber Bragg gratings could be used for in-body monitoring of bone fracture healing and for safer intra-vital exploration of sensitive organs such as the brain. A fiber Bragg grating is an optical filter obtained by UV laser writing in an optical fiber. It is widely used as a sensor for temperature and straing in several applications, but until now they didn’t exhibit characteristics preferred for use in the body. With a design that allows them to break down similarly to dissolvable stitches, the new glass fibers can be kept in place to monitor therapy effects or healing and should be safe for patients even if they accidently break.

Keywords

Phosphate glasses, optical fibers, fiber Bragg gratings

Contact(s)

daniel.milanese@polito.it

davide.janner@polito.it

Recent reference(s)

D. Pugliese, M. Konstantaki, I. Konidakis, E. Ceci-Ginistrelli, N. G. Boetti, D. Milanese, S. Pissadakis. “Bioresorbable optical fiber Bragg gratings,” Opt. Lett., Volume 43, Issue 4, 671-674 (2018).
DOI: 10.1364/OL.43.000671

Funding

The Interdepartmental Center PhotoNext, Politecnico di Torino.