Abstract
Surface plasmon polaritons, due to their tight spatial confinement and high local intensity, hold great promises in nanofabrication which is beyond the diffraction limit of conventional lithography. Here, we demonstrate theoretically the 2D surface optical lattices based on the surface plasmon polariton interference field, and the potential application to nanometer-scale molecular deposition. We present the different topologies of lattices generated by simple configurations on the substrate. By explicit theoretical derivations, we explain their formation and characteristics including field distribution, periodicity and phase dependence. We conclude that the topologies can not only possess a high stability, but also be dynamically manipulated via changing the polarization of the excitation laser. Nanometer-scale molecular deposition is simulated with these 2D lattices and discussed for improving the deposition resolution. The periodic lattice point with a width resolution of 33.2 nm can be obtained when the fullerene molecular beam is well-collimated. Our study can offer a superior alternative method to fabricate the spatially complicated 2D nanostructures, with the deposition array pitch serving as a reference standard for accurate and traceable metrology of the SI length standard.
Highlights
There has been great interest and advancement in nanofabrication with atomic and molecular depositions on solid materials[1,2,3,4,5]
We present a scheme for the realization of highly-stable nanometer-scale optical lattice based on the surface plasmon polariton interference field (SPPIF), which we will refer to as the surface plasmon polariton optical lattice (SPPOL), since the corresponding periodic potential can trap neutral molecules via AC Stark shift[30]
We show that the SPPOLs can possess a high stability in the topologies and intensity distributions since they are excited by only one laser beam with appropriate polarization, in contrast with traditional optical lattice constructed by two or more beams and corresponding reflectors
Summary
There has been great interest and advancement in nanofabrication with atomic and molecular depositions on solid materials[1,2,3,4,5]. Liu et al demonstrated the possibility of the interference of SPP waves used for a new nano-photolithography technique[26] They demonstrated experimentally the broad-band 2D manipulation of surface plasmons by shaping the edges of a metallic film and adjusting the parameters of the excitation laser beam[27]. We show that the SPPOLs can possess a high stability in the topologies and intensity distributions since they are excited by only one laser beam with appropriate polarization, in contrast with traditional optical lattice constructed by two or more beams and corresponding reflectors This scheme allows the standing wave fields formed by SPPs to be switched and modified quickly, offering a favorable flexibility to the nano-deposition technology and allowing more choices of atomic and molecular species in the nanostructures. This technology can be implemented in a direct deposition mode with neutral molecules focused by molecule lenses into an extremely fine spot upon depositing onto a substrate
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
