Diffraction effects in the propagation of radiation in polarizable layers

The very low transmission of light through holes smaller than the wavelength has been found to be enhanced for subwavelength apertures in metallic surfaces with periodic corrugations. This effect has been attributed to the interaction of light with surface plasmons. Similar effects obtained subsequently for non-metallic surfaces have been attributed to evanescent waves on the surface produced by the diffracted Bloch waves from different points in the array. We present an exact solution of Maxwell's equations in the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) for a periodic array of polarizable point dipoles in a layer. Metallic as well as non metallic layers are described. When the wavelength is smaller than the lattice period there is a Bragg's scattered wave, while for subwavelength conditions an evanescent wave on the surface appears. The transmission/reflection coefficients are found to oscillate as a function of frequency, with resonances occurring in a broad range of frequencies depending on the polarizability, at which the evanescent field is enhanced. A detailed study is presented for nanostructured arrays. We find that this model agrees with features observed in experiments through hole arrays supporting the role played by diffraction during light transmission through such arrays without invoking surface plasmons and providing a base to analyze more complex geometries.     

Far-field optical superlens

Far-field optical lens resolution is fundamentally limited by diffraction, which typically is about half of the wavelength. This is due to the evanescent waves carrying small scale information from an object that fades away in the far field. A recently proposed superlens theory offers a new approach by surface excitation at the negative index medium. We introduce a far-field optical superlens (FSL) that is capable of imaging beyond the diffraction limit. The FSL significantly enhances the evanescent waves of an object and converts them into propagating waves that are measured in the far field. We show that a FSL can image a subwavelength object consisting of two 50 nm wide lines separated by 70 nm working at 377 nm wavelength. The optical FSL promises new potential for nanoscale imaging and lithography.     

Analysis of beam properties in the neighbourhood of a double-heterostructure laser source

Abstract

The power density distribution and beam characteristics of double-heterostructure lasers with very thin active layers in the neighbourhood of the light source are evaluated by using a plane wave spectrum approach and a second-moment order theory for diffracted scalar light beams. It is shown that the evanescent waves contribute to shape the power density when the distance is smaller than the emission wavelength λ or of the order of λ. It should be noted that the optical fields deeply penetrate into the cladding layers when the thickness of the active layer is much smaller than the emission wavelength λ.     

High-resolution optical diffraction microscopy

In an optical diffraction microscopy experiment, one measures the phase and amplitude of the field diffracted by the sample and uses an inversion algorithm to reconstruct its map of permittivity. We show that with an iterative procedure accounting for multiple scattering, it is possible to visualize details smaller than lambda/4 with relatively few illumination and observation angles. The roles of incident evanescent waves and noise are also investigated.     

Experimental Investigation of the Grain Noise in Interferometric Detection of Ultrasonic Waves

Besides their other obvious advantages over conventional ultrasonic sensors, laser interferometers offer optical diffraction limited apertures that are far smaller than the acoustic wavelength in the specimen under inspection. This unique feature can be exploited for the purposes of super-resolution near-field acoustic microscopy, which detects the rapidly decaying evanescent vibrations produced by surface and near-surface scatterers such as small fatigue cracks, pores, anomalous grains, etc. However, higher resolution also means higher sensitivity to inherent microscopic material inhomoge-neities. In this paper, experimental results are presented for the incoherent material noise in 2024 aluminum and Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloys at two different nominal frequencies of 5 and 10 MHz. It is shown that the incoherent grain noise significantly increases as the illuminated spot size decreases. Above the acoustic wavelength, the observed phenomenon is mainly due to the increasing sensitivity of the receiver to propagating scattered waves generated in the interior of the specimen. Below the acoustic wavelength, the further increasing material noise is mainly due to evanescent vibrations caused by nearby scatterers.     

Partial spatial coherence and partial polarization in random evanescent fields on lossless interfaces

We consider partial spatial coherence and partial polarization of purely evanescent optical fields generated in total internal reflection at an interface of two dielectric (lossless) media. Making use of the electromagnetic degree of coherence, we show that, in such fields, the coherence length can be notably shorter than the light's vacuum wavelength, especially at a high-index-contrast interface. Physical explanation for this behavior, analogous to the generation of incoherent light in a multimode laser, is provided. We also analyze the degree of polarization by using a recent three-dimensional formulation and show that the field may be partially polarized at a subwavelength distance from the surface even though it is fully polarized farther away. The degree of polarization can assume values unattainable by beamlike fields, indicating that electromagnetic evanescent waves generally are genuine three-dimensional fields. The results can find applications in near-field optics and nanophotonics.     

Diffraction of evanescent plane waves by a resistive half-plane

Diffraction of evanescent plane waves by a resistive half-plane is examined. The scattering integrals are constructed with the modified theory of physical optics. These integrals are evaluated uniformly by using an unusual method. The scattered fields of evanescent waves are obtained by giving the angle of incidence a complex value. The diffracted waves are plotted numerically for different parameters of the incident field.     

Single-layer graphene-based surface plasmon resonance sensor with dynamic evanescent field enhancement for biomarker study

ABSTRACT

In this work, we have developed a kind of single-layer graphene-based surface plasmon resonance (SLG-SPR) biosensor to detect C-reactive protein (CRP) and Prostate-specific antigen (PSA). In the experiment of testing CPR, the results obtained revealed that the changes in resonance wavelength of SLG-SPR biosensors are higher than that of the gold-film based SPR (Au-SPR) biosensors. Moreover, for the experiment of testing PSA, due to the dynamic evanescent field enhancement produced by a strong electric field coupling between the localized SPR (LSPR) of AuNPs and SPR of single-layer graphene-based film (SLG-film) that further amplify the evanescent field signal. We verified the SLG-SPR biosensors exhibited higher sensitivity than the Au-SPR biosensors and the SLG-SPR biosensor exceeded the traditional biosensor detection limit. Accordingly, the SLG-SPR biosensor based on dynamic optical enhancement can realize high sensitivity detection of low concentration biomarkers and can be applied to most of the trace biomarkers in theory.     

Sagnac-type fiber-optic array sensor for detection of bulk ultrasonic waves

In this paper, we describe a fiber optic array sensor suitable for detection of bulk ultrasonic waves. This sensor is based on an intrinsic fiber optic Sagnac interferometer. The fiber array is formed by multiple folding of a continuous length of an optical fiber into flat coils. Depending on the orientation of the fiber array with respect to the ultrasonic wave, the proposed sensor can act as a conventional in-phase detector or as a narrowband detector. In the narrowband mode, the center frequency of detection can be tuned by adjusting the spacing of the fiber array elements to be equal to the ultrasonic wavelength of interest. This feature distinguishes this array sensor from conventional hydrophones in which a receiver is typically much smaller than the acoustical wavelength. It is shown that the array sensor provides an enhanced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared with a single element detection scheme. Results are presented for detection of ultrasonic waves in water arising from both piezoelectric and laser ultrasonic sources. Potential areas of application of this sensor include process monitoring, smart structures, bio-medical ultrasound, and chemical sensing.     

Transmission of dipole radiation through interfaces and the phenomenon of anti-critical angles

Radiation emitted by an electric dipole consists of traveling and evanescent plane waves. Usually, only the traveling waves are observable by a measurement in the far field, since the evanescent waves die out over a length of approximately a wavelength from the source. We show that when the radiation is passed through an interface with a medium with an index of refraction larger than the index of refraction of the embedding medium of the dipole, a portion of the evanescent waves are converted into traveling waves, and they become observable in the far field. The same conclusion holds when the waves pass through a layer of finite thickness. Waves that are transmitted under an angle larger than the so-called anti-critical angle theta (1) ac are shown to originate in evanescent dipole waves. In this fashion, part of the evanescent spectrum of the radiation becomes amenable to observation in the far field. We also show that in many situations the power in the far field coming from evanescent waves greatly exceeds the power originating in traveling waves.     

超分辨近场光学成像技术及其产业开发

超分辨近场光学成像技术是当前国内外一个重要的高新技术前沿课题,也将是我国21世纪初应该发展的一项高新技术产业。文中介绍了我国自1991年以来开拓研究的进展,探讨了国际学术界及产业开发中当前存在的主要问题,提出了各类超分辨扫描模式成像公式的乘法表达式,并作了分析比较。为解决消除假像和从有形貌等混合图像中分离纯光学图像两大难题,作者曾于1993年和1996年提出两项发明专利,为发展我国的该产业解决了两大技术关键。     

Spatial manipulation of nanoacoustic waves with nanoscale spot sizes

Coherent acoustic phonons are generated at terahertz frequencies when semiconductor quantum-well nanostructures are illuminated by femtosecond laser pulses. These phonons-also known as nanoacoustic waves-typically have wavelengths of tens of nanometres, which could prove useful in applications such as non-invasive ultrasonic imaging and sound amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation. However, optical diffraction effects mean that the nanoacoustic waves are produced with spot sizes on the micrometre scale. Near-field optical techniques can produce waves with smaller spot sizes, but they only work near surfaces. Here, we show that a far-field optical technique--which suffers no such restrictions--can be used to spatially manipulate the phonon generation process so that nanoacoustic waves are emitted with lateral dimensions that are much smaller than the laser wavelength. We demonstrate that nanoacoustic waves with wavelengths and spot sizes of the order of 10 nm and 100 nm, respectively, can be generated and detected.     

Diffraction-based tracking of surface plasmon resonance enhanced transmission through a gold-coated grating

Surface plasmon resonance enhanced transmission through metal-coated nanostructures represents a highly sensitive yet simple method for quantitative measurement of surface processes and is particularly useful in the development of thin film and adsorption sensors. Diffraction-induced surface plasmon excitation can produce enhanced transmission at select regions of the visible spectrum, and wavelength shifts associated with these transmission peaks can be used to track adsorption processes and film formation. In this report, we describe a simple optical microscope-based method for monitoring the first-order diffracted peaks associated with enhanced transmission through a gold-coated diffraction grating. A Bertrand lens is used to focus the grating's diffraction image onto a CCD camera, and the spatial position of the diffracted peaks can be readily transformed into a spectral signature of the transmitted light without the use of a spectrometer. The surface plasmon peaks appear as a region of enhanced transmission when the sample is illuminated with p-polarized light, and the peak position reflects the local dielectric properties of the metal interface, including the presence of thin films. The ability to track the position of the plasmon peak and, thus, measure film thickness is demonstrated using the diffracted peaks for samples possessing thin films of silicon oxide. The experimental results are then compared with calculations of optical diffraction through a model, film-coated grating using the rigorously coupled wave analysis simulation method.     

Nonparaxial scalar treatment of sinusoidal phase gratings

Scalar diffraction theory is frequently considered inadequate for predicting diffraction efficiencies for grating applications where lambda/d>0.1. It has also been stated that scalar theory imposes energy upon the evanescent diffracted orders. These notions, as well as several other common misconceptions, are driven more by an unnecessary paraxial approximation in the traditional Fourier treatment of scalar diffraction theory than by the scalar limitation. By scaling the spatial variables by the wavelength, we have previously shown that diffracted radiance is shift invariant in direction cosine space. Thus simple Fourier techniques can now be used to predict a variety of wide-angle (nonparaxial) diffraction grating effects. These include (1) the redistribution of energy from the evanescent orders to the propagating ones, (2) the angular broadening (and apparent shifting) of wide-angle diffracted orders, and (3) nonparaxial diffraction efficiencies predicted with an accuracy usually thought to require rigorous electromagnetic theory.     

Evanescent interferometric lithography

Simulation results are presented to illustrate the main features of what we believe is a new photolithographic technique, evanescent interferometric lithography (EIL). The technique exploits interference between resonantly enhanced, evanescently decaying diffracted orders to create a frequency-doubled intensity pattern in the near field of a metallic diffraction grating. It is shown that the intensity in a grating's near field can be enhanced significantly compared with conventional interferometric lithography. Contrast in the interference pattern is also increased, owing to a reduction in the zeroth-order transmission near resonance. The pattern's depth of field reduces as the wavelength is increased beyond cutoff of the first-order diffracted components, and results are presented showing the trade-offs that can be made between depth of field and intensity enhancement. Examples are given for a 270-nm-period grating embedded in material with refractive index n = 1.6 and illuminated with wavelengths near 450 nm. Under these conditions it is predicted that high-intensity, high-contrast patterns with 135-nm period can be formed in photoresists more than 50 nm thick.     

Quantitative flaw reconstruction from ultrasonic surface wavefields measured by electronic speckle pattern interferometry

A new method for imaging flaws in plate and shell structures is presented. The method employs two-dimensional ultrasonic surface wave data obtained by optical electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) techniques. In the imaging method, the measured out-of-plane displacement field associated with an externally excited ultrasonic Lamb wave is processed to obtain the spatial frequency domain spectrum of the wavefield. A free space Green's function is then deconvolved from the wavefield to obtain quantitative images of effective scattering sources. Because the strength of these effective sources is directly dependent on local variations in sample thickness and material properties, these images provide a direct map of internal inhomogeneities. Simulation results show that the method accurately images flaws for a wide range of sizes and material contrast ratios. These results also demonstrate that flaw features much smaller than an acoustic wavelength can be imaged, consistent with the theoretical capability of the imaging method to employ scattered evanescent waves. Reconstructions are also obtained from ultrasonic Lamb wave displacement fields recorded by ESPI in a flawed aluminum plate. These reconstructions indicate that the present method has potential for imaging flaws in complex structures for which ESPI wavefield measurements cannot be straightforwardly interpreted     

Some properties of the optical resonances in a single subwavelength slit

Diffraction of TM-polarized waves by a slit in a thick screen of infinite conductivity is treated. The case of an arbitrary incident beam wave is considered. We study the resonances that appear when the wavelength of the incident beam wave is larger than the slit width, i.e., the subwavelength regime where a one-mode model for the slit can be considered. High anomalous values (resonances) of the transmission coefficient, the angular diffracted energy, and the magnetic field within the slit are analyzed. A simple linear relationship to determine the resonant wavelengths is proposed. We show that the transmission coefficient, the normal diffracted energy, and the magnetic field within the cavity are linear functions of the resonant wavelength and the thickness of the screen. Additionally and surprisingly, we reveal that under certain conditions the incident beam wave via the diffraction can give a suppressed light transmission; i.e., a minimum in the transmission is obtained where a maximum is expected.     

波浪从离岸防波堤上的反射和传递

该文用Rayleigh展开和阻抗分析研究水波从离岸堤上的反射和传递,所得公式比现有计算公式简单,在正向或小的入射角作用下的反射和传递特征与现有结果吻合很好。在波长大于波栅常数时,结构厚度对绕射的影响显著,呈现出增强传递现象,迅衰波的作用变弱。相反情况,结构厚度的影响可忽略,迅衰波的作用明显。     

Analysis of diffracted image patterns from volume holographic imaging systems and applications to image processing

Diffracted image patterns from volume holograms that are used in volume holographic imaging systems (VHISs) are investigated. It is shown that, in VHISs, prior information about the shape and spectral properties of the diffracted patterns is important not only to determine the curvature and field of view of the image, but also for image registration and noise removal. A new methodology to study numerically and analytically the dependence of VHIS diffraction patterns with the hologram construction parameters and the readout wavelength is described. Modeling and experimental results demonstrate that, in most cases, VHIS diffracted shapes can be accurately represented by hyperbolas.     

Application of Mie Scattering of Evanescent Waves to Scanning Tunnelling Optical Microscopy Theory

Abstract

In this paper we present a macroscopic theory for scanning tunnelling optical microscopy where the sample is a grating and the tip is modelled by a dielectric sphere. The sphere is immersed in the near-field above the grating and is excited by the diffracted orders which can be evanescent. The detected signal is supposed to be the diffracted intensity by the sphere which is calculated by using Mie theory. When studying Mie scattering of one evanescent wave we show that the multipolar series is perturbed compared to scattering of a homogeneous wave. Even for a small sphere multipolar terms have to be taken into account. We have then proposed a formula for the intensity leading to calculations of intensity profile and surfaces and to discuss the influence of tip radius on resolution of the images.