Fabrication of Optical Fiber Bundles with Wire-Grid Polarizers and Its Application to Tooth Substance Discrimination

Abstract

We propose a fabrication method of optical fiber bundles with wire-grid polarizers (WGPs) on the end face and its applicability to the discrimination between healthy and decalcified tooth substances in dental care. A chip with WGPs formed in accordance with the core arrangement was fabricated and attached to the end face of an optical fiber bundle while being aligned. The transmittance and polarization extinction ratio of WGPs were evaluated by illuminating the end face of the optical fiber bundle through a rotational polarizer. The diffuse reflectance spectra of tooth substances were evaluated using a microspectroscopic system and the optical fiber bundle with WGPs. The results confirmed that the tooth substances could be discriminated from the light intensities at wavelengths of 450 nm and 1500 nm.