MICROSTRUCTURED POLYMER FIBERS IN BRAZIL Cristiano M. B. Cordeiro * , Juliano G. Hayashi, Thiago H. R. Marques. Instituto de Física “Gleb Wataghin” – State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil. Corresponding author * : cmbc@ifi.unicamp.br Abstract: Microstructured polymer fibers (mPOF) are being fabricated in the Speciaty Optical Fibers Laborato- ry (LaFE) at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil. In this work the initial results will be pre- sented, in particular those related with a single mode fiber, a bimodal fiber, a spun fiber with elliptical birefrin- gence and a two cores fiber made with PMMA cladding and cyclo olefin cores. Keywords: Microstructured polymer fibers, mPOF, spun fibers, multimaterial plastic fibers. 1. Introduction The Institute of Physics in the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil has a strong historical con- tribution in the optical fiber research field. In the last years silica and softglass microstructured optical fibers are being fabricated, modeled, characterized and used in applications from telecom to sensing. Attracted by poly- mers characteristics such as flexibility, low processing temperature, interesting mechanical properties, low cost and functionalization possibilities, microstructured polymers fibers are also being studied. In particular, taking advantage of its opto-mechanical properties a tunable single mode single polarization fiber was proposed and modeled [1]. Just from the end of 2012, however, our group infrastructure was ready to produce structured per- forms and to pull, from them, plastic microstructured optical fibers. Solid polymeric fibers made by extrusion can now also be produced using raw or processed pellets. 2. Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibers: fabrication and initial optical characterization Structured preforms are being fabricated by drilling few millimeter thick holes in a solid PMMA rod with typical dimension (diameter and height) of 70mm – see figure 1a. Our four meter high tower (figures 1b and 1c) pre- sents two irradiative furnaces, a larger one dedicated to pull structured preforms with a diameter of 70 mm to canes (rods of ~ 12mm) and a narrower to pull thin fibers with higher thermal stability. Fiber fabrication parame- ters such as feeding and pulling rates, nitrogen pressure inside the structure, vacuum and rotation, fiber tension and furnace temperature can be electronic controlled and followed in real time during fiber fabrication. Main interest includes applications of these structures in sensing, all-fiber devices, short range telecom in the visible and THz optical elements. Fig. 1: a) Single mode preform with external diameter (D ex ) and length of 70 mm, b) Top view of the mPOF drawing tower (feed system, furnaces, Zumback and tractor), c) Bottom view of the mPOF drawing tower (tractor, drum winder, capstan and main control).