Laser ablated silver nanoparticles doped blue light-emitting polymer optical fiber with enhanced photostability

Abstract

Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of a stable polymer optical fibre doped with 1,4-bis (2-methylstyryl) benzene (Bis-MSB) that contains silver nanoparticles. Spherical silver nanoparticles of approximate size 15 nm were fabricated using nanosecond laser ablation. A Q-switched Nd: YAG laser operating at 355 nm was used to pump the polymer optical fiber in order to analyse its emission characteristics. The pump pulse energy (PPE) dependent emission spectra from the fiber were analyzed. The observed fluorescence emission was turned to amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) at a PPE of 2.5 mJ. The study demonstrates that the fibre offers superior photostability at an optimum concentration of Ag nanoparticles. The proposed fiber may find potential applications in the development of stable directional optical sources in the blue region.