Intelligent nanomaterials for photonics: Physicists and chemists engineer optical fibers with 2D materials

2D materials - combined with optical fibers - can enable novel applications in the areas of sensors, non-linear optics, and quantum technologies. However, combining these two components has so far been very laborious. Typically, the atomically thin layers had to be produced separately before being transferred by hand onto optical fibers. Researchers have now succeeded for the first time in growing 2D materials directly on optical fibers. This approach facilitates manufacturing of such hybrids.