Far-field Optical Measurements Research Articles

Near-Field Probing of Optical Superchirality with Plasmonic Circularly Polarized Luminescence for Enhanced Bio-Detection.

Nanophotonic platforms in theory uniquely enable < femtomoles of chiral biological and pharmaceutical molecules to be detected, through the highly localized changes in the chiral asymmetries of the near fields that they induce. However, current chiral nanophotonic based strategies are intrinsically limited because they rely on far field optical measurements that are sensitive to a much larger near field volume, than that influenced by the chiral molecules. Consequently, they depend on detecting small changes in far field optical response restricting detection sensitivities. Here, we exploit an intriguing phenomenon, plasmonic circularly polarized luminescence (PCPL), which is an incisive local probe of near field chirality. This allows the chiral detection of monolayer quantities of a de novo designed peptide, which is not achieved with a far field response. Our work demonstrates that by leveraging the capabilities of nanophotonic platforms with the near field sensitivity of PCPL, optimal biomolecular detection performance can be achieved, opening new avenues for nanometrology.

Hotspot generation for unique identification with nanomaterials

Nanoscale variations in the structure and composition of an object are an enticing basis for verifying its identity, due to the physical complexity of attempting to reproduce such a system. The biggest practical challenge for nanoscale authentication lies in producing a system that can be assessed with a facile measurement. Here, a system is presented in which InP/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) are randomly distributed on a surface of an aluminium-coated substrate with gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). Variations in the local arrangement of the QDs and NPs is shown to lead to interactions between them, which can suppress or enhance fluorescence from the QDs. This position-dependent interaction can be mapped, allowing intensity, emission dynamics, and/or wavelength variations to be used to uniquely identify a specific sample at the nanoscale with a far-field optical measurement. This demonstration could pave the way to producing robust anti-counterfeiting devices.

Far-field midinfrared superresolution imaging and spectroscopy of single high aspect ratio gold nanowires

Limited approaches exist for imaging and recording spectra of individual nanostructures in the midinfrared region. Here we use infrared photothermal heterodyne imaging (IR-PHI) to interrogate single, high aspect ratio Au nanowires (NWs). Spectra recorded between 2,800 and 4,000 cm-1 for 2.5-3.9-μm-long NWs reveal a series of resonances due to the Fabry-Pérot modes of the NWs. Crucially, IR-PHI images show structure that reflects the spatial distribution of the NW absorption, and allow the resonances to be assigned to the m = 3 and m = 4 Fabry-Pérot modes. This far-field optical measurement has been used to image the mode structure of plasmon resonances in metal nanostructures, and is made possible by the superresolution capabilities of IR-PHI. The linewidths in the NW spectra range from 35 to 75 meV and, in several cases, are significantly below the limiting values predicted by the bulk Au Drude damping parameter. These linewidths imply long dephasing times, and are attributed to reduction in both radiation damping and resistive heating effects in the NWs. Compared to previous imaging studies of NW Fabry-Pérot modes using electron microscopy or near-field optical scanning techniques, IR-PHI experiments are performed under ambient conditions, enabling detailed studies of how the environment affects mid-IR plasmons.

Quantum limit to subdiffraction incoherent optical imaging

The application of quantum estimation theory to the problem of imaging two incoherent point sources has recently led to new insights and better measurements for incoherent imaging and spectroscopy. To establish a more general limit beyond the case of two sources, here I evaluate a quantum bound on the Fisher information that can be extracted by any far-field optical measurement about the moments of a subdiffraction object. The bound matches the performance of a spatial-mode-demultiplexing (SPADE) measurement scheme in terms of its scaling with the object size, indicating that SPADE is close to quantum-optimal. Coincidentally, the result is also applicable to the estimation of diffusion parameters with a quantum probe subject to random displacements.

Surface Plasmon Polariton Interference in Gold Nanoplates.

Transient absorption microscopy (TAM) measurements have been used to study the optical properties of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes in gold nanoplates on a glass substrate. For thin gold nanoplates, the TAM images show an oscillation in the signal across the plate due to interference between the "bound" and "leaky" SPP modes. The wavelength of the interference pattern is given by λ = 2π/Δk, where Δk is the difference between the wavevectors for the bound and leaky modes and is sensitive to the dielectric constant of the material above the gold nanoplate. Back focal plane imaging was also used to measure the wavevector of the leaky mode, which, in combination with the Δk information from the TAM images, enabled the bound mode wavevector to be determined. These experiments represent the first far-field optical measurement of the wavevector for the bound mode in metal nanostructures.

高功率激光参数测量中高倍率衰减方案

In high power laser beam parameters measurement, attenuation scheme with high rate is key to far-field measurement. The far-field optical measurement system was analyzed and diameter of 95% encircled energy was used as important evaluation criterion of far-field measurement system. Measurement error of far-field optical measurement system and effect of attenuation with high rate on far-field measurement results were analyzed. Principle of attenuation scheme with high rate was established. By changing parameters of high attenuation rate in condition of single parallel plate, a pair of parallel plates and a pair of wedge flaps by Virtual Lab, influence of attenuation on the far-field measurement system was simulated and analyzed deeply. According to measurement system for f =3 000 mm and F =10, best attenuation scheme with high rate is designed. Diameter of 95% encircled energy of far-field image is 45.5 μm, or 3.54 times of diffraction limitation. ? 2016, Editorial Board of Journal of Infrared and Laser Engineering. All right reserved.

All-dielectric photonic metamaterials operating beyond the homogenization regime

Photonic metamaterials made of graded photonic crystals operating near the bandgap frequency region are proposed for field manipulation around l=1.5μm. Proof-of-concept structures have been studied using Hamiltonian optics and FDTD simulation, fabricated, and characterized using farfield optical measurements. Experimental results are in good agreement with predictions, showing the interest of graded photonic crystals as an (ultra-low loss) alternative solution to the use of metamaterials combining dielectric and metallic materials with sub-wavelength unit cells.

First-order spatial coherence of excitons in planar nanostructures: Ak-filtering effect

We propose and analyze a k∥-filtering effect which gives rise to the drastic difference between the actual spatial coherence length of quasi-two-dimensional excitons or microcavity polaritons in planar nanostructures and that inferred from far-field optical measurements. The effect originates from conservation of the in-plane wave-vector k∥ in the optical decay of the particles in outgoing bulk photons. The k∥-filtering effect explains the large coherence lengths recently observed for indirect excitons in coupled quantum wells but is less pronounced for microcavity polaritons at low temperatures, T≲10 K.

Subdiffraction Far-Field Imaging of Luminescent Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Far-field near-infrared fluorescence microscopy of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been hampered by the diffraction limit to resolution. A new analysis method is presented that allows subwavelength (<lambda/10) mapping of single-molecule chemical reaction sites on semiconducting SWNTs, enabling precise localization of excitonic luminescence regions along the nanotube axis through a nonperturbing, far-field optical measurement. This method is applied to reveal the subdiffraction lengths, curvatures, and defects of luminescent SWNTs in unprecedented detail.

Single molecule mapping of the optical field distribution of probes for near-field microscopy.

The most difficult task in near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) is to make a high quality subwavelength aperture probe. Recently, we have developed high definition NSOM probes by focused ion beam (FIB) milling. These probes have a higher brightness, better polarization characteristics, better aperture definition and a flatter end face than conventional NSOM probes. We have determined the quality of these probes in four independent ways: by FIB imaging and by shear-force microscopy (both providing geometrical information), by far-field optical measurements (yielding throughput and polarization characteristics), and ultimately by single molecule imaging in the near-field. In this paper, we report on a new method using shear-force microscopy to study the size of the aperture and the end face of the probe (with a roughness smaller than 1.5 nm). More importantly, we demonstrate the use of single molecules to measure the full three-dimensional optical near-field distribution of the probe with molecular spatial resolution. The single molecule images exhibit various intensity patterns, varying from circular and elliptical to double arc and ring structures, which depend on the orientation of the molecules with respect to the probe. The optical resolution in the measurements is not determined by the size of the aperture, but by the high optical field gradients at the rims of the aperture. With a 70 nm aperture probe, we obtain fluorescence field patterns with 45 nm FWHM. Clearly, this unprecedented near-field optical resolution constitutes an order of magnitude improvement over far-field methods like confocal microscopy.

Magneto-optical spin spectroscopy in hybrid ferromagnetic semiconductor heterostructures

We report on magneto-optical measurements of diluted magnetic semiconductor quantum well structures in which an iron film is epitaxially grown and subsequently patterned on top of the heterostructure. The magnetic field due to the iron penetrates the quantum well near the edges of the patterned regions. Photoluminescence, Hanle effect, and time-resolved Faraday rotation measurements demonstrate that the films can be processed without significantly altering the electronic properties of the quantum well. The smallest length scale probed in these far-field optical measurements is of order 10 μm, so that no effects of the local magnetic fields at the film edges are observed for structures with 50-nm-thick ferromagnetic layers.