Devices based on optical microfiber have received much attention and popularity in the fields of sensing, laser, biochemistry, etc., due to its excellent optical waveguiding characteristics, high mechanical strength, operational flexibility and ease of integration. However, the relatively large size and low refractive index of materials make it extremely challenging to apply in micro/nano-scale gas or liquid environments. The emergence of one-dimensional nano-materials makes up for the deficiency. On account of their smaller size and higher refractive index, single nanowire-integrated microfiber devices can achieve higher sensitivity and higher spatial resolution in some special environments. In this paper, nanowire-integrated microfiber devices are systematically introduced from the aspects of device preparation, principle of coupling and specific applications. And world-wide research progresses of this field in recent years are reviewed, including a brief introduction of the academic achievements in this field at Nanjing University.
