Optical imaging with nanoscale resolution using optical nonlinearities and spatiotemporal modulation

Abstract

We suggest a type of imaging technique that uses optical nonlinearities and spatiotemporal modulation to achieve nanoscale resolution in the far field. The technique utilizes intense laser beams to produce an optical excitation with spatial features that are much smaller than the wavelength of light. Nonlinear mixing with the excitation can then be used to imprint the information contained in high spatial frequencies into the propagating region. As a specific example, we study the implementation of this technique using coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) near maximum molecular coherence. Our simulations suggest that it may be possible to resolve the structure of complex biological molecules at the nanometer scale in the far field using near-infrared light.