Optimized Photonic Crystal Fibers supporting efficient Capillary Electrophoresis

Abstract

In this paper we present preliminary results on the use of Photonic Crystal Fibers (PCFs) in a conventional capillary electrophoresis system to separate and detect fluorescent species. PCFs show interesting advantages over conventional capillaries for this application, including larger surface-to-volume ratio and potential for higher resolution with comparable sensitivity. Our results illustrate some of these advantages, and we point out the need for stringent tolerances in the fabrication of specific PCFs for this application.