金属薄膜亚波长微结构的光束集束器件设计

利用时域有限差分方法,模拟了P偏振光高斯光束入射到金属银亚波长细缝与光栅结构的透射情况.由于表面等离子激元波的影响,对称光栅结构透射光呈现对称出射,而非对称结构可以实现小角度定方向的光束集束现象.借助公式推导法及Helmholtz互易定理,可设计出平行入射P偏振光的光束集束器件.由于高斯光束本身的发散性及近场分布的需要,针对高斯光束的器件在结构参量上缩小了12%.在对其他结构参量的优化的基础上,实现了针对633 nm高斯光束的对称出射及光束集束器件的设计.     

Subwavelength lithography using metallic grating waveguide heterostructure

We present subwavelength periodic gratings achieved by employing a metallic grating waveguide heterostructure (MGWHS). The mask can be designed to make one of its diffraction order (±mth) waves resonate with the surface plasmon wave supported by the MGWHS. With a finite-difference time-domain method, we numerically demonstrate that one-dimensional periodic structure of about 60 nm feature, which is far beyond the diffraction limit, can be patterned with the interference of the 3rd diffraction order waves of the mask at a wavelength of 546 nm. The technique can also be extended to two-dimensional patterns using circularly polarized incidence and for the incidence with an angle θ.     

High accuracy simulations of optical propagation in nanophotonic devices

We introduce a new high accuracy second-order finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm based on non-standard finite differences, and use it to investigate light propagation in subwavelength structures such as photonic crystals.     

Subwavelength focusing in the near field in mesoscale air-dielectric structures

Subwavelength focusing in mesoscale structures was measured in the near field. Specifically, we found that plane waves form focused beams in higher topographic regions when they propagate through mesoscale transparent air-dielectric structures. By finite-difference time-domain simulations we verified that light diffracted off topographic edges and its convergence at higher topographic regions are the mechanisms for focus. This subwavelength focusing effect provides a simple way for mass production of mesoscale periodic structures. We made subwavelength gratings and hole arrays to demonstrate their feasibility.     

Numerical Evaluation of Polarization-Selective Characteristics of a Binary Relief Grating with Subwavelength Structures

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is applied to the numerical evaluation of diffraction from a binary relief grating with subwavelength structures. It is demonstrated numerically that the binary relief grating made of isotropic materials works as a polarization selective optical device. It is further shown that the polarization effects depend on the arrangements of subwavelength structures.     

Accuracy analysis of simplified and rigorous numerical methods applied to binary nanopatterning gratings in non-paraxial domain

A set of simplified and rigorous electromagnetic vector theories is used for analyzing the transmittance characteristics of diffraction phase gratings. The scalar diffraction theory and the effective medium theory are validated with the exact results obtained via the rigorous coupled-wave theory and the finite-difference time-domain method. The effects of surface profile parameters and also the angle of incidence is demonstrated to be a limiting factor in the accuracy of these theories. Therefore, the error of both simplified theories is also analyzed in non-paraxial domain with the intention of establishing a specific range of validity for both simplified theories.     

Shape analysis of wavelength-insensitive grating in the resonance domain

A triangular grating was compared with a rectangular one to investigate the effect of the shape, polarization and wavelength on the transmissivity and the diffraction angle distribution. The rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) and the nonstandard finite-difference time-domain (NS-FDTD) algorithm were used for the calculation. We found that the triangular grating in TE mode had the least wavelength dependence in the resonance domain, and this was explained by two independent parameters—(depth/wavelength) and (diffraction order × wavelength / period), whose ratio of the contribution to the diffraction efficiency equation was dependent on grating shape and polarization.     

Time-domain differentiation of terahertz pulses

We report on the time-domain differentiation of light waves by metallic transmission gratings. Time-resolved terahertz experiments show that the first time derivative of an arbitrary waveform can be achieved by use of gratings of subwavelength period. The results are in accord with classical diffraction theory and may permit novel applications for tailoring few-cycle light pulses and ultrahigh-frequency optoelectronics.     

辛时域有限差分算法研究等离子体光子晶体透射系数

相较于传统的时域有限差分算法,辛时域有限差分算法具有高准确度性和低色散性.传统的时域有限差分算法的计算准确度较低,数值色散误差较大,并且破坏了麦克斯韦方程的辛结构,从而导致其稳定性较差.然而辛时域有限差分算法可以克服这些缺点,从而保证了整个仿真计算的准确性和稳定性.本文基于辛时域有限差分算法,对等离子体光子晶体的带隙特性,透射系数等进行了研究,并与传统的时域有限差分算法进行了对比,验证了辛时域有限差分算法的优势和可行性.     

Beam bending through compound structure with two subwavelength metallic slits in each period

To provide a more practical, easy-to-implement method to achieve directional modulation with a plasmonic lens, beam manipulation method via compound metallic gratings with two subwavelength slits filled with different dielectrics inside each period is proposed and numerically investigated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Compared with conventional metal-grating based structures, phase retardation is tuned by the Fabry-Pérot (FP) resonant condition and light bending is achieved by constructing a carefully designed, curved phase front for the plasmonic lenses. Our designs have advantages in ease of fabrication and capability to perform in the far field. With these advantages, the designs are expected to be valuable in applications such as plasmonic circuits and photonic communication.     

Period interaction on diffraction efficiency of blazed transmission gratings

The period interaction on diffraction of the blazed transmission gratings is analyzed with a modified extended scalar theory. For one certain period, the lights reflected from the neighboring structures can be refracted by the grating facets and form two extra fields on the bottom facet of blazed transmission gratings. The effects of this period interaction versus several diffraction orders for a fixed fabrication error of blazed transmission gratings with intermediate structures are discussed for both TE and TM polarizations. The results have been compared with those obtained with finite-difference time-domain method.     

Near-field observation of subwavelength confinement of photoluminescence by a photonic crystal microcavity

We present a direct, room-temperature near-field optical study of light confinement by a subwavelength defect microcavity in a photonic crystal slab containing quantum-well sources. The observations are compared with three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain calculations, and excellent agreement is found. Moreover, we use a subwavelength cavity to study the influence of a near-field probe on the imaging of localized optical modes.     

Analysis on polarization dependence of Fraunhofer diffraction by metallic grating with short period

A method based on the combination of finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm and Fourier transformation was proposed to analyze the Fraunhofer diffraction of gratings. Polarization dependence of the Fraunhofer diffraction of a one-dimensional metallic grating with period less than 8 times the incident wavelength was studied. Some special characteristics were found. The polarization dependence is related to period value, slit width, and thickness of the grating, and the missing orders predicted by scalar analysis appear. Besides, if the period of a grating is larger than 8 times the wavelength but the slit width or the size of the opaque portion of the grating is close to the wavelength, diffraction of the grating also becomes polarization dependent.     

Area-coded effective medium structures, a new type of grating design

We propose a new way to design gratings with desired diffraction properties by using subwavelength feature sizes perpendicular to the ordinary superwavelength grating period. This is different from well-known one-dimensional binary-blazed gratings that use a structuring along the grating period and thus opens new flexibility in generating arbitrary effective-index distributions in the direction of the grating period. Since the subwavelength features form contiguous areas, they are called area-coded effective medium structures (ACES). Compared with well-known binary subwavelength structures in two-dimensional arrangements consisting of pillars, ACES are more stable and have comparable efficiency properties. As an example we show how to design in principle a four-level area-coded effective medium grating, compare the efficiency of ACES with binary-blazed and échelette gratings, and optimize the subwavelength period of ACES.     

Suppressed transmission of light through single slit in gold film

A new phenomenon of an obvious dip of the transmission from subwavelength slits can be obtained if we change the wavelength of the incident light in the visible regime is proposed. Theory shows that there exist maximum reflectivities if we change wavelengths for different slit widths. The theoretical results are consistent with both finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations and experiments.     

Optical Characterization of Iridescent Wings of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Morpho</Emphasis> Butterflies using a High Accuracy Nonstandard Finite-Difference Time-Domain Algorithm

In certain species of moths and butterflies iridescent colors arise from subwavelength diffractive surface corrugation of the wing-scales. The optical properties of such structures depend strongly on wavelength, incidence angle, and state of polarization of illuminating radiation, and the viewing angle. In this paper, we study the reflection spectra of the wings of the Morpho didius butterfly by simulating a double-layered model of a transverse cross-section comprised of the ground scale and the cover scale. Each layer contains a certain quasi-periodic arrangement of tree-like subwavelength microstructures. The simulation is done using a high accuracy nonstandard finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method in two dimensions. We assume that the structure is made of a slightly lossy dielectric material. The wavelength dependence of the complex refractive index for the ground scale of Morpho didius is assumed to be similar to that of Morpho sulkowskyi. The complex refractive index in the latter case was obtained by comparing the computed reflection/transmission spectra with corresponding experimental measurements at normal incidence.     

Absorption enhancement of 980 nm MSM photodetector with a plasmonic grating structure

We present finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation to analyze the optical absorption enhancement of metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors employing plasmonic grating structures. Simulation results show that the combination of a subwavelength aperture and a nano-structured metal grating results in up to 16 times enhancement in optical absorption, in comparison to conventional MSM photodetector structures employing only a subwavelength aperture.     

Channel plasmon-polariton in a triangular groove on a metal surface

One-dimensional localized plasmons (channel polaritons) guided by a triangular groove on a metal substrate are investigated numerically by means of a finite-difference time-domain algorithm. Dispersion, existence conditions, and dissipation of these waves are analyzed. In particular, it is demonstrated that the localization of the predicted plasmons in acute grooves may be substantially stronger than what is allowed by the diffraction limit. As a result, the predicted waves may be significant for the development of new subwavelength waveguides and interconnectors for nano-optics and photonics.     

有限口径非周期亚波长衍射聚焦偏转器的严格矢量优化

有限口径非周期亚波长衍射光学器件的亚波长结构特性使得传统标量衍射理论失效,必须借助严格电磁理论进行器件的设计。提出一种循环平面波谱算法(IterativePlaneWaveSpectrumAlgorithm,IPWSA)作为器件优化算法,利用二维时域有限差分方法作为严格电磁计算模式,根据Farn方法对器件面型进行亚波长处理,设计出有限口径非周期具有亚波长结构的衍射聚焦偏转器件,偏转角为24.8°,该器件可与激光器集成构成微型集成光学系统,也可以用在红外量子阱系统中。详细分析了算法原理,设计实例验证了算法的优化效果。     

Waveguide resonance of subwavelength metallic slits

The transmission characteristics of a metallic film with subwavelength periodic slits are investigated by using the two-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method (2D-FDTD). Two models are constructed to show the dependance of the transmission spectrum on the slit structure. A sandwiched structure is used to exhibit the contribution of the metallic wall inside slits to the extraordinary high transmission. And a filled slit structure is employed to reflect the relation between the average refractive index inside the slits and the transmission spectrum of the structure. The transmission characteristics of two structures can be explained well with the waveguide resonance theory.