Hollow core photonic crystal fiber surface-enhanced Raman probe

The authors demonstrate a hollow core photonic crystal fiber (HCPCF) surface-enhanced Raman probe consisting of a HCPCF with Au nanoparticles coated on the inner surface of the air holes serving as the substrate of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The experimental results indicate that the confinement of light inside the HCPCF and the coating of nanoparticles/analyte inside the air holes of the HCPCF offer a large area for the light to interact with the SERS particles. An optimized design of the HCPCF is provided to further improve the probe sensitivity.