Abstract
We report on progress in different hollow core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) design and fabrication for atomic vapor based applications. We have fabricated a Photonic bandgap (PBG) guiding HC-PCF with a record loss of 107dB/km at 785nm in this class of fiber. A double photonic bandgap (DPBG) guiding HC-PCF with guidance bands centred at 780nm and 1064nm is reported. A 7-cell 3-ring Kagome HC-PCF with hypocycloid core is reported, the optical loss at 780nm has been reduced to 70dB/km which to the best of our knowledge is the lowest optical loss reported at this wavelength using HC-PCF. Details on experimental loading of alkali metal vapours using a far off red detuned laser are reported. This optical loading has been shown to decrease the necessary loading time for Rb into the hollow core of a fiber. The quantity of Rb within the fiber core has been enhanced by a maximum of 14% through this loading procedure.