Polarization Multiplexed Optical Bullseye Antennas

We present and analyze a novel optical antenna structure in the form of a polarization multiplexed bullseye antenna with a central nanoaperture. By adjusting the parameters of two, orthogonally oriented, partial bullseye structures, the resonance response for each polarization can be tailored to a specific wavelength. Constructing these dual-polarization structures in aluminum, we predict intra-aperture intensity enhancements exceeding 20 at two independent resonance wavelengths spanning the UV–visible spectrum. Moreover, these resonances share significant intra-aperture excitation volumes.     

Optical Near-Field Enhancement with Graphene Bowtie Antennas

In this paper, the optical near-field enhancement of graphene bowtie antennas is numerically investigated at terahertz frequencies using boundary element method. The enhanced field intensity at the gap region is a result of the mutual coupling between two triangular elements upon the excitation of graphene plasmons. Firstly, wide plasmon frequency tunability is demonstrated by changing the chemical potential of graphene without the need to alter the antenna geometry. Secondly, by varying the tip angle and radius of curvature of the graphene antennas, the field intensity enhancement at the gap center of the two-element antennas is systematically studied. It is found that graphene bowtie antennas with two round-cornered equilateral triangles have superior performance to other two-element antennas, such as ribbon pair, sharp-cornered bowtie, and disk pair antennas. Last but not least, by applying a moderate chemical potential of 0.4 eV to graphene bowtie antennas, we found that the field intensity enhancement at gap center is about 220 times as much as using gold of comparable sizes. In short, graphene bowtie antennas of rounded corners give rise to considerable near-field enhancement and are promising for a wide range of applications such as molecular sensing at terahertz frequencies.

     

H-Shaped Resonant Optical Antennas with Slot Coupling

H-shaped resonant optical antennas are proposed by adding resonant strips at the ends of arms of short dipole antennas. Numerical simulations using finite-difference time-domain method show that the H-shaped antennas present greater electric field enhancement compared with optical dipole antennas at the same resonant wavelength. The slot coupling between the two arms also results in a smaller full width at half maximum of the scattering spectra. Two field-enhancing mechanisms are found to decide the resonant properties of the H-shaped antennas. The influence of the geometry is studied.     

Optical Nanofocusing on Tapered Metallic Waveguides

Tapered metal wires show a remarkable ability to ‘squeeze’ the lateral extent of a propagating surface-plasmon-polariton mode as it travels toward the tip of the taper. The transformation can be continued well below the diffraction limit to terminate at a nanoscale apex where intense near-fields are created. We perform the first full numerical simulations to investigate and quantify this phenomenon. We find optimal angles for maximal tip-field enhancement on conical wires by considering absorption, scattering to radiation and reflection. The optimal parameters we obtain contradict the conditions for adiabatic tapering, thereby advocating the use of numerical simulations. Despite the influence of losses, nanofocusing is still highly efficient for a broad range of practical metals, visible wavelengths and taper geometries. Diverse nano-optic applications can benefit directly and significantly from the results.     

Direct Growth of Optical Antennas Using E-Beam-Induced Gold Deposition

Electron beam induced deposition (EBID) is used to grow on a transparent substrate plasmonic antennas formed by gold nanorods. We first discuss the influence of the growth parameters on the geometrical homogeneity of the structures. The optical response of optimized rods with different aspect ratios are measured using scattering spectroscopy. The optical data show antenna resonances in good agreement with 3D numerical simulations for pure gold antennas, validating EBID as a novel relevant technique for the fabrication of plasmonic nanostructures.     

Metallic Photonic Crystal Absorber‐Emitter for Efficient Spectral Control in High‐Temperature Solar Thermophotovoltaics

A high‐temperature stable solar absorber based on a metallic 2D photonic crystal (PhC) with high and tunable spectral selectivity is demonstrated and optimized for a range of operating temperatures and irradiances. In particular, a PhC absorber with solar absorptance 0.86 and thermal emittance = 0.26 at 1000 K, using high‐temperature material properties, is achieved resulting in a thermal transfer efficiency more than 50% higher than that of a blackbody absorber. Furthermore, an integrated double‐sided 2D PhC absorber/emitter pair is demonstrated for a high‐performance solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) system. The 2D PhC absorber/emitter is fabricated on a double‐side polished tantalum substrate, characterized, and tested in an experimental STPV setup along with a flat Ta absorber and a nearly blackbody absorber composed of an array of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). At an irradiance of 130 kW m^?2 the PhC absorber enables more than a two‐fold improvement in measured STPV system efficiency (3.74%) relative to the nearly blackbody absorber (1.60%) and higher efficiencies are expected with increasing operating temperature. These experimental results show unprecedented high efficiency, demonstrating the importance of the high selectivity of the 2D PhC absorber and emitter for high‐temperature energy conversion.     

Nonlinear Plasmonics: Four-photon Near-field Photolithography using Optical Antennas

Recent experiments on four-photon nonlinear exposure of photoresist near nanoplasmonic structures raise a question: What nonlinear processes are responsible for the observed profile? Here, we study the nonlinear exposure of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in the near-field of gold nanoantennas. We consider six possible nonlinear processes and study them in terms of the developed volumes and the exposure profiles in photoresist. We find that the direct fourth harmonic generation (4HG) in gold is the dominant nonlinear process. The developed volume from 4HG and the exposure profiles both match closely with the experiments. The next strongest process is direct four-photon absorption (4PA) in PMMA. The strength of 4PA process is about one order of magnitude weaker than 4HG. The developed volume and exposure profiles predicted from 4PA process clearly deviate from experiments.     

Spectral Shifting in Extraordinary Optical Transmission by Polarization-Dependent Surface Plasmon Coupling

Plasmonics - Nanoapertures in a metallic film exhibit extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) owing to the surface plasmon resonance. Their transmission properties are known to be dependent on the...     

Unidirectional Optical Transmission of a Dual Metallic Grating with Grooves

In this paper, a dual grating structure for unidirectional transmission is presented. The forward and backward transmission performances have been investigated by finite element method. To enhance the forward transmission and to suppress the backward transmission simultaneously, we suggested to cut grooves on the surfaces of one of the gratings, and the effects of the grooves on the optical transmission have been studied. The numerical simulation results reveal that the transmission contrast ratio and the optical unidirectional transmission of the structure can be improved markedly by properly arranging the size and the position of the grooves. The forward transmission can be more than 90%, while the backward transmission transmittance is less than 5%.

     

Optical Properties of Periodic Metallic Slits with Asymmetric Binary Grooves

Plasmonics - The structure of periodic metallic slits with asymmetric binary grooves is proposed to reduce the width of the transmission peak due to the similar Fabry-Perot (F-P) resonances. It is...     

基于谱域光学相干层析系统中光谱涨落的指纹获取

指纹因其特异性和稳定性等特点而被称为"证据之首",在案件侦破中起着极其重要的作用。多种物理学、化学和光学技术都可以用于获取现场遗留的指纹,然而这些方法存在一些缺点,如会对指纹造成破坏、潜在的毒副作用、在现场留有痕迹等。利用谱域光学相干层析(spectral domain optical coherence tomography,简记为SD-OCT)技术进行指纹探测具有非接触、对指纹无损伤和高灵敏度的优势,利用OCT系统的相位敏感性我们可以在低对比条件下再现遗留在物体表面的指纹,但处理结果受指纹所在表面高低起伏影响,使得指纹信息对比度降低,难以被分离和提取。本文提出了一种基于干涉光谱涨落的指纹获取方法,只需对OCT系统得到的干涉光谱的涨落进行处理分析,即可得到遗留在物体表面的指纹图案,不需进行相位和表面轮廓高度的求取,算法简单、处理速度快,处理结果不受样品表面高低起伏的影响。实验结果表明,在起伏表面上,使用该方法也能较好地显现遗留在物体表面的指纹图案。     

Optical Activity Governed by Local Chiral Structures in Two‐Dimensional Curved Metallic Nanostructures

Chiral nanostructures show macroscopic optical activity. Local optical activity and its handedness are not uniform in the nanostructure, and are spatially distributed depending on the shape of the nanostructure. In this study we fabricated curved chain nanostructures made of gold by connecting linearly two or more arc structures in a two‐dimensional plane. Spatial features of local optical activity in the chain structures were evaluated with near‐field circular dichroism (CD) imaging, and analyzed with the aid of classical electromagnetic simulation. The electromagnetic simulation predicted that local optical activity appears at inflection points where arc structures are connected. The handedness of the local optical activity was dependent on the handedness of the local chirality at the inflection point. Chiral chain structures have odd inflection points and the local optical activity distributed symmetrically with respect to structural centers. In contrast, achiral chain structures have even inflection points and showed antisymmetric distribution. In the near‐field CD images of fabricated chain nanostructures, the symmetric and antisymmetric distributions of local CD were observed for chiral and achiral chain structures, respectively, consistent with the simulated results. The handedness of the local optical activity was found to be determined by the handedness of the inflection point, for the fabricated chain structures having two or more inflection points. The local optical activity was thus governed primarily by the local chirality of the inflection points for the gold chain structures. The total effect of all the inflection points in the chain structure is considered to be a predominant factor that determines the macroscopic optical activity. Chirality 28:540–544, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Optical Absorption in Overcoats of Nanoparticle Arrays on a Metallic Substrate

Surface plasma oscillations in metallic particles as well as in thin metallic films have been studied extensively in the past decades. New features regarding surface plasma excitations are, however, constantly discovered, leading, for example, to surface-enhanced Raman scattering studies and enhanced optical transmission though metal films with nanohole arrays. In the present work, the role of a metallic substrate is examined in two cases, one involving an overcoat of dielectric nanoparticles and the other an overcoat of metallic nanoparticles. Theoretical results are obtained by modeling the nanoparticles as forming a two-dimensional, hexagonal lattice of spheres. The scattered electromagnetic field is then calculated using a variant of the Green function method. Comparison with experimental results is made for nanoparticles of tungsten oxide and tin oxide deposited on either gold or silver substrates, giving qualitative agreement on the extra absorption observed when the dielectric nanoparticles are added to the metallic surfaces. Such absorption would be attributed to the mirror image effects between the particles and the substrate. On the other hand, calculations of the optical properties of silver or gold nanoparticle arrays on a gold or a silver substrate demonstrate very interesting features in the spectral region from 400 to 1,000 nm. Interactions between the nanoparticle arrays surface plasmons and their images in the metallic substrate would be responsible for the red shift observed in the absorption resonance. Moreover, effects of particle size and ambient index of refraction are studied, showing a great potential for applications in biosensing with structures consisting of metallic nanoparticle arrays on metallic substrates.     

Optical Properties of Metallic Nanotubes with Broken Symmetry: Detection of Eccentricity

The optical properties of dielectric core-metallic concentric shell nanoparticles show a highly sensitive dependence on geometrical parameters of the system. It is due to the strong interaction between plasmon modes excited on the surfaces of the metallic shell. Perturbations in the symmetries of the system modify these interactions and enable new ones, giving rise to dramatic variations in the far field spectrum. In this paper, we examine the electromagnetic response (far and near fields) of hollow metallic nanotubes (nts) with empty or dielectric core as a function of the offset parameter between the core and the shell. The evolution of extinction spectra shows a strong redshift for the dipolar resonance when the offset parameter is increasing, whereas new multipole interactions can be observed at high energy. As dimers, the extinction cross section for nts with nonhomogeneous shell thickness depends on incidence angle with respect to offset axis. We show that for a given offset, the lowest energy peak in extinction curves experiences both, a blueshift and increase of intensity when the angle of incidence is varied with respect to the axis of eccentricity. Maxima of both intensity and blueshift are achieved for an incidence perpendicular to the axis of eccentricity. We show that the optical properties provide sufficient information to unambiguously characterize the system. To compute the electromagnetic field at any point in space, we implemented a rigorous integral formalism (2D geometry) for the two fundamental modes of polarization (s and p modes).     

The Spectral Response of Light Dependent Chlorophyll b Formation

Dark grown seedlings of barley will obtain a high ratio chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b when exposed to intermittent light (1 min of incandescent light or one electronic flash every hour). Such material has been exposed to monochromatic light of different wavelengths for 1 h. The ratio a/b gets a minimum in light of 670 nm, indicating the highest rate of chlorophyll b formation at this wavelength. The possibility is discussed that the light absorber (and also precursor) could be a short-lived chlorophyll a form, existing prior to the forms in the Shibata-shift. Chlorophyll b formation in darkness is discussed from the findings that the rate of formation of chlorophyll b is higher in intermittent light than it should be, calculated from the rate in continuous light, where the saturation intensity is rather low.     

Response of Chlamydomonas to Temperature Change

SYNOPSIS. Response of Chlamydomonas to temperature change was investigated. When the temperature of the medium was suddenly increased (decreased) the abrupt velocity rise (drop) was observed. This abrupt velocity change was induced immediately after the temperature change. Then, the high (low) level of the velocity was maintained for a few minutes. Finally the velocity decreased (increased), tending to a stationary level at the new temperature with the decay time of a few minutes. The rate of the temperature change determined the magnitude of response. The threshold value was found in the rate of the temperature change to produce the transient change of the velocity. It was ∼ 0.2 C/sec.     

Profile and Determinants of Retinal Optical Intensity in Normal Eyes with Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose

To investigate the profile and determinants of retinal optical intensity in normal subjects using 3D spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT).

Methods

A total of 231 eyes from 231 healthy subjects ranging in age from 18 to 80 years were included and underwent a 3D OCT scan. Forty-four eyes were randomly chosen to be scanned by two operators for reproducibility analysis. Distribution of optical intensity of each layer and regions specified by the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) were investigated by analyzing the OCT raw data with our automatic graph-based algorithm. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed between retinal optical intensity and sex, age, height, weight, spherical equivalent (SE), axial length, image quality, disc area and rim/disc area ratio (R/D area ratio).

Results

For optical intensity measurements, the intraclass correlation coefficient of each layer ranged from 0.815 to 0.941, indicating good reproducibility. Optical intensity was lowest in the central area of retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer and photoreceptor layer, except for the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Optical intensity was positively correlated with image quality in all retinal layers (0.553<β<0.851, p<0.01), and negatively correlated with age in most retinal layers (-0.362<β<-0.179, p<0.01), except for the RPE (β = 0.456, p<0.01), outer nuclear layer and photoreceptor layer (p>0.05). There was no relationship between retinal optical intensity and sex, height, weight, SE, axial length, disc area and R/D area ratio.

Conclusions

There was a specific pattern of distribution of retinal optical intensity in different regions. The optical intensity was affected by image quality and age. Image quality can be used as a reference for normalization. The effect of age needs to be taken into consideration when using OCT for diagnosis.     

Designing a High Performance Phase Gradient Metasurface Using Optical Patch Antennas with Different Patch Thicknesses

Patch-based metasurfaces as generic structures of the reflective flat optical devices, such as flat mirrors, waveplates, polarizer, and holograms, should fulfill two basic requirements of covering 0 to 2π phase shift range and providing a sufficiently high reflection amplitude. Under the current design paradigm, the design process has been based only on the width and length of the patch elements of the metasurfaces. The present study will exploit the potentials of the thickness of the patch elements as a design parameter. While for a metasurface based on patch elements with thickness of 50 nm, a phase shift coverage near 270°, corresponding to 90° phase steps, and reflection amplitude of 0.8 in the wavelength 775 nm are achievable, using just one additional value of 30 nm for thicknesses of the patches will increase the phase shift coverage to 320°, corresponding to 40° phase steps, with reflection amplitude higher than 0.85 in the same wavelength. In this way, the phase steps could be much smaller which means more closely approximating a targeted phase pattern. This would be evidently a remarkable performance improvement, which in the case of a polarization beam splitter, as shown, means reflecting more amount of energy in the desired angles.     

Biomechanics of the Cornea Evaluated by Spectral Analysis of Waveforms from Ocular Response Analyzer and Corvis-ST

Purpose

In this study, spectral analysis of the deformation signal from Corvis-ST (CoST) and reflected light intensity from ocular response analyzer (ORA) was performed to evaluate biomechanical concordance with each other.

Methods

The study was non-interventional, observational, cross-sectional and involved 188 eyes from 94 normal subjects. Three measurements were made on each eye with ORA and CoST each and then averaged for each device. The deformation signal from CoST and reflected light intensity (applanation) signal from ORA was compiled for all the eyes. The ORA signal was inverted about a line joining the two applanation peaks. All the signals were analyzed with Fourier series. The area under the signal curves (AUC), root mean square (RMS) of all the harmonics, lower order (LO included 1^st and 2^nd order harmonic), higher order (HO up to 6^th harmonic), CoST deformation amplitude (DA), corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were analyzed.

Results

The device variables and those calculated by Fourier transform were statistically significantly different between CoST and ORA. These variables also differed between the eyes of the same subject. There was also statistically significant influence of eyes (left vs. right) on the differences in a sub-set of RMS variables only. CH and CRF differed statistically significantly between the eyes of subject (p<0.001) but not DA (p = 0.65).

Conclusions

CoST was statistically significantly different from ORA. CoST may be useful in delineating true biomechanical differences between the eyes of a subject as it reports deformation.