Fabrication of robust optical fibers by controlling film drainage of colloids in capillaries

Photonic crystal fibers have been created using the spontaneous crystallization of colloidal particles in a photocurable resin coated on the inner wall of microcapillaries. The controlled deposition of films on the microcapillaries allows the thickness and number of layers in the photonic crystal fibers to be controlled. A stop band in a colloidal photonic crystal fiber can enhance the efficiency of light guidance (see picture).