https://web.stanford.edu/group/fan/publication/Liu_ComputerPhysicsCommunications_183_2233_2012.pdf

S4 : A free electromagnetic solver for layered periodic structures

We report a new, to our knowledge, technique for encoding amplitude information onto a phase-only filter with a single liquid-crystal spatial light modulator. In our approach we spatially modulate the phase that is encoded onto the filter and, consequently, spatially modify the diffraction efficiency of the filter. Light that is not diffracted into the first order is sent into the zero order, effectively allowing for amplitude modulation of either the first-order or the zero-order diffracted light. This technique has several applications in both optical pattern recognition and image processing, including amplitude modulation and inverse filters. Experimental results are included for the new technique.

Encoding amplitude information onto phase-only filters

We deduce and study an analytical expression for Fresnel diffraction of a plane wave by a spiral phase plate (SPP) that imparts an arbitrary-order phase singularity on the light field. Estimates for the optical vortex radius that depends on the singularity’s integer order n (also termed topological charge, or order of the dislocation) have been derived. The near-zero vortex intensity is shown to be proportional to ρ2n, where ρ is the radial coordinate. Also, an analytical expression for Fresnel diffraction of the Gaussian beam by a SPP with nth-order singularity is analyzed. The far-field intensity distribution is derived. The radius of maximal intensity is shown to depend on the singularity number. The behavior of the Gaussian beam intensity after a SPP with second-order singularity (n=2) is studied in more detail. The parameters of the light beams generated numerically with the Fresnel transform and via analytical formulas are in good agreement. In addition, the light fields with first- and second-order singularities were generated by a 32-level SPP fabricated on the resist by use of the electron-beam lithography technique.

Generation of phase singularity through diffracting a plane or Gaussian beam by a spiral phase plate

This paper examines the use of Gauss-Laguerre beams in STED microscopy. These types of beams are shown to have beneficial properties that can be utilised to generate stable, high quality STED beams resulting in an aberration-resilient generation volume. In this paper we obtain general expressions for Gauss-Laguerre beams being focused through a stratified medium and describe their optimization for STED microscopy purposes. Our results show that the circularly polarised, lowest order "dark" beam is the most beneficial for STED purposes.

The use of Gauss-Laguerre vector beams in STED microscopy

The optical response of regularly arranged noble metal wires with nanoscopic cross sections (nanowire gratings) strongly depends on the polarization direction of the incident light. We use silver and gold nanowire gratings produced by electron beam lithography to study this effect by optical extinction spectroscopy. For a polarization direction perpendicular to the wire axis, the excitation of a dipolar plasmon mode dominates the extinction spectrum. The spectral position of the plasmon resonance can be tuned by an appropriate choice of nanowire geometry and material. For a polarization direction parallel to the wire axis, the profile of the extinction spectrum varies mainly as a function of the grating constant. In particular, a transmission maximum for small grating constants is found. By combining the surface plasmon excitation and grating effect for orthogonal polarization directions, a spectrally selective polarizer with an extinction ratio of 26 is demonstrated.

Optical properties of Ag and Au nanowire gratings

Formulation of the Fourier modal method for multilevel structures with spatially adaptive resolution is presented, using a slightly reformulated representation for the spatial coordinates. Projections to Fourier base in boundary value problem are used allowing extensions to multilayer profiles with differently placed transitions. We evade the eigenvalue problem in homogeneous regions demanded in the original formulation of the Fourier modal method with adaptive spatial resolution.

Reformulation of the Fourier modal method with adaptive spatial resolution: application to multilevel profiles.

Transversally sharply structured optical fields are discussed, which rotate upon propagation without any lateral expansion of the intensity profile. Finite-aperture approximations of such fields, realizable with phase-only and complex-amplitude recording, are demonstrated. Recording of at least some of the amplitude information (rather than neglecting it completely) is shown to improve the field quality considerably, in particular close to the element. Lohmann-coded binary-phase diffractive elements with restricted amplitude recording are fabricated by electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching. The experimental results are in good agreement with theory.

Rotating optical fields: experimental demonstration with diffractive optics

We demonstrate the rotation of multimodel Gauss—Laguerre beams generated with a binary-phase diffractive element. The element is designed with the use of an iterative procedure and quantized in two levels after adding a carrier frequency to the phase. The fabrication technology of the diffractive element involves e-beam lithography and reactive ion etching. Experimental and theoretical results are shown to be in good conformity.

Generation of rotating gauss—Laguerre modes with binary-phase diffractive optics

A LCD backlighting device that uses a diffractive light extractor has been developed for applications in which pointlike light sources are employed. The novel system eliminates the images of light sources, which appear as bright lines emanating from each source in the conventional diffractive approach. In addition, the system illuminates the LCD uniformly: Modulation of the diffractive structure as a function of position is used to control the output field of this extended planar light source.

Marko Honkanen

Papers

Reformulation of the Fourier modal method with adaptive spatial resolution: application to multilevel profiles.

Rotating optical fields: experimental demonstration with diffractive optics

Generation of rotating gauss—Laguerre modes with binary-phase diffractive optics

Deterministic Diffractive Diffusers for Displays

Tandem systems for efficient generation of uniform-axial-intensity Bessel fields