Attenuated total reflection spectroscopy with chalcogenide bitapered fibers

Abstract
It is shown that bi-tapering of a chalcogenide fiber results in a substantial increase in the number of reflections from the fiber boundary. Furthermore the average angle of incidence is closer to the critical angle. As a result the ATR absorption increases substantially when bi- tapered fibers, as compared to straight ones, are used. Hence higher sensing demands may be answered by bi-tapered fiber probes.