Flexible positioning system for measurements on virtually any numbers of POFs

Polymer optical fibers (POFs) can be used in a wide variety of applications, such as lighting and data transmission. While the latter in particular requires adequate shielding to prevent damage to the cladding, pure POFs are frequently used for lighting purposes. Especially very fine POFs can be integrated into various structures, such as textile fabrics or other smart photonic materials, using different techniques. However, during these embedding processes, e.g. weaving, knitting, or sewing, the POFs can be damaged.

For this reason, it is necessary to examine individual POFs or polymer optical fiber bundles, particularly in lab-scale or prototyping processes, where the potential damage caused by various integration methods is not yet fully understood. A relatively simple test method involves coupling light into one end of the POF and measuring the transmitted light at the other end, e.g. with a camera. Both connections, however, must be reliable and reproducible, which requires consistent positioning of both ends of the fibers or fiber bundles.

Here, we present a simple mechanism that allows POFs of various numbers and diameters to be mechanically positioned using a self-centering mechanism. With the help of a 3D-printed adapter, the mechanism can be attached to a cold light source at one end of the fibers, while the second mechanism can be magnetically attached to a camera mount or a similar device. In this way, polymer optical fibers were examined before and after their embedding into textile fabrics, and damage caused by the embedding was assessed. The poster shows exemplary testing results and analyzes the potential measurement errors.