实用化平面超振荡透镜的研究进展

传统光学系统由于受到衍射极限的制约,难以实现远场超分辨聚焦与成像。基于超振荡原理的平面超透镜为这一难题提供了可能的解决途径,其在传播过程中可不依赖倏逝波而实现远场超分辨聚焦。利用对各个衍射单元之间的衍射干涉效应进行精确调控,可在焦平面上局部区域内获得高于系统最高空间频率的电场振荡,从而实现对衍射焦点区域横向和轴向尺寸的可控调节。与传统光学透镜相比,平面超振荡透镜具有光场可控性强、设计自由度大、便于集成等优点,同时借助其远场超衍射极限的光场调控能力,受到衍射光学和微纳光学等领域研究人员的广泛关注。本文主要从实际应用的角度出发,对平面超振荡透镜的研究现状及其应用场景进行了分析和讨论,最后对该类透镜目前面临的问题及对应的解决办法进行了阐述。     

基于倏逝波照明的空间移频超分辨成像技术研究

空间移频超分辨成像技术利用样品表面的微纳结构对照明倏逝波的散射,使其转换为传播波,并将倏逝波携带的高频空间信息转换成低频信息,可被远场的显微物镜所接收,实现超分辨成像.其极限分辨率由照明的倏逝波波长决定,但分辨率仅在倏逝波波矢方向上有提升.在现有的棱镜全反射倏逝波生成方案中,倏逝波的最短波长受棱镜折射率的限制,因此其最高分辨率也受限制;且生成的倏逝波波矢为单一方向,因此分辨率存在方向差异性.为解决上述问题,建立了完整的空间移频超分辨成像仿真模型,并提出了一种新型倏逝波生成方案,可利用微纳结构产生波长更短、具有全方向波矢的倏逝波.结果显示,新方案可产生波长更短的倏逝波,并消除成像分辨率的方向差异性,从而避免现有方案中的多方位成像和图像后处理.空间移频超分辨成像技术具有大视场、高分辨、结构简单、操作方便、无需逐点扫描、可与普通光学显微镜兼容等优点,改进后将具有更广阔的应用空间.     

平面超透镜的远场超衍射极限聚焦和成像研究进展

突破瑞利衍射极限,实现纯光学的远场超衍射极限聚焦和成像在科学和工程的各个领域都有重要意义.现有光学超分辨技术都存在一些固有的限制因素,如工作距离短、适用领域窄、不利于集成等问题.平面超透镜由于理论上的创新、设计灵活、效率高、方便集成等优势,成为实现超衍射极限的有效途径.本文综述了平面超透镜的物理原理及其在超衍射极限聚焦和成像方面近年来的研究进展,并讨论了该领域面临的问题和未来的研究重点和方向.     

光学超振荡与超振荡光学器件

传统光学器件的衍射极限极大地制约了远场超分辨光学系统的进一步发展.如何从光学器件层面突破光学衍射极限瓶颈,实现非标记远场超分辨光学成像,是光学领域面临的巨大挑战.光学超振荡在不依靠倏逝波的条件下,可以在远场实现任意小的亚波长光场结构,这为突破光学衍射极限提供了一条崭新的途径.近年来,光学超振荡现象和超振荡光学器件的相关研究得到了快速发展,在理论和实验上成功地演示了超振荡光场的产生和多种超振荡光学器件,并在实验上展示了超振荡光学器件在非标记远场超分辨光学显微、成像以及超高密度数据存储等应用领域的巨大优势和应用潜力.本文对光学超振荡相关理论、超振荡光学器件设计理论和方法、超振荡光学器件发展现状、超振荡光场测试方法以及超振荡光学器件的应用等方面进行详细介绍和分析.     

基于周期结构负反射的远场增强成像研究

远场高分辨率成像是近几年来声学和光学领域的研究焦点之一, 倏逝波无法在介质中传播成为将高分辨率成像带入远场的最大困难.本文提出了一种均匀排列的散射钢柱构成的超构散射体成像方式, 利用周期结构负反射现象将倏逝波信息转化为可传播波来增强成像.有限元数值模拟被用来研究和验证该方案的可行性, 结果显示波长3.4 mm的声波可以在20 cm外的远场获得大约0.6个波长的成像分辨能力. 通过减小散射体的晶格常数有希望达到更高分辨率成像.     

基于宽带立体超透镜的远场超分辨率成像

为突破传统衍射极限实现远场超分辨率成像,提出了一种微波频段宽带立体超透镜用于目标远场超分辨率成像.该透镜可将携带着目标超分辨率信息的凋落波分量转换为传播波分量辐射到远场,进而可在远场接收这些信息并用于超分辨率成像.分别从频域和时域两方面对该透镜的超分辨率特性进行验证.在频域,利用多重信号分类算法对借助于该结构的扩展目标实现了λ/12的远场超分辨率成像,大幅度提升了成像效果.在时域,结合时间反演技术,验证了带宽提升对空间超分辨率聚焦特性带来的明显优势.     

超振荡及其远场聚焦成像研究进展

带限函数在某区间内的振荡速度超过其最高傅里叶分量的特殊性质被称为超振荡.基于超振荡原理的微纳光子学器件可在不依赖倏逝波条件下于远场处突破衍射极限,因此在超分辨成像、纳米光刻及高密度光存储等领域具有重要应用.简要介绍了超振荡原理,重点归纳了几种超振荡微结构器件的设计及其聚焦成像性能,并指出了这些器件的不足及未来的研究重点.     

浅层目标亚波长声学成像新方法

正声学成像是一种用来检测物质结构和成分的重要方法,其分辨率受限于衍射极限(diffraction limit)。为了获取更高的分辨率,往往需要测量高空间频率的声倏逝波(acoustic evanescent wave)。倏逝波带有物体的细节特征信息,离开天然材料物体后的衰减特性满足指数关系。近年来,科学家利用结构声学超常材料(structured acoustic metamaterials,AMM)克服衍射极限,通过增强倏逝波     

微球透镜超分辨显微成像与检测技术综述

受衍射极限的影响,传统光学显微镜的分辨率最高约为波长的一半,突破衍射极限,获得更高的成像分辨率是近年来显微成像领域的研究热点。相比于其他超分辨显微成像方式,基于微球透镜的超分辨显微成像方式具有简单直接、免标记等优点。主要介绍国内外研究团队将微球与传统的光学显微镜结合实现超分辨显微成像的研究进展,从微球透镜参数选择、成像方案、成像分辨率、成像视场及成像机理等多角度进行总结与比对;并结合课题组工作,介绍了将微球透镜与干涉显微技术相结合的三维超分辨检测技术,阐述了Linnik型与Mirau型两种检测光路原理,分析了三维超分辨检测的效果;展望了微球透镜超分辨显微技术在显微成像与显微干涉检测两个方面待解决的问题与发展方向。     

银层超透镜光学传递函数的研究

银层超透镜对基于表面等离子体激元的超分辨光刻、 成像和生物传感有着重要作用.利用银层超透镜的光学传递函数详 细研究了银板的表面等离子体激元共振和成像特性, 并利用时域有限差分法计算模拟了银层超透镜的成像过程, 得到与理论推导公式相符合的结果, 证明了光学传递函数的可靠性, 为基于表面等离子体激元的传感器件、 超分辨成像以及辅助增强干涉光刻提供了快速参数优化方法.     

Surface wave generation and propagation on metallic subwavelength structures measured by far-field interferometry

Transmission spectra of metallic films or membranes perforated by arrays of subwavelength slits or holes have been widely interpreted as resonance absorption by surface plasmon polaritons. Alternative interpretations involving evanescent waves diffracted on the surface have also been proposed. These two approaches lead to divergent predictions for some surface wave properties. Using far-field interferometry, we have carried out a series of measurements on elementary one-dimensional subwavelength structures with the aim of testing key properties of the surface waves and comparing them to predictions of these two points of view.     

Time reversal of elastic waves in soft solids

When a scalar far-field wave is time reversed, it starts to converge toward its initial point source location, then collapses and finally diverges. Without evanescent waves, the symmetric focus spot is limited by the Rayleigh criterion. We present an experimental observation of a time-reversal elastic wave in a soft solid cavity using the transient elastography technique. It is observed that the time-reversed far field wave collapses and gives birth to near fieldlike effects. Elastodynamic Green's functions computation confirms the experimental conclusions: the diffraction limit implies a direction dependant Rayleigh criterion.     

Resolution of objects within subwavelength range by using the near field of a dipole

We analyze the far-field resolution of apertures that are illuminated by a point dipole located at subwavelength distances. It is well known that radiation emitted by a localized source can be considered a combination of traveling and evanescent waves, when represented by the angular spectrum method. The evanescent wave part of the source can be converted to propagating waves by diffraction at the aperture; thereby it contributes to the far-field detection. Therefore one can expect an increase in the resolution of objects. We present explicit calculations showing that the resolution at the far zone is improved by decreasing the source-aperture distance. We also utilize the resolution enhancement by the near field of a dipole to resolve two closely located apertures. The results show that without the near field (evanescent field) the apertures are not resolved, whereas with the near field of the dipole the far zone intensity distribution shows improved resolution. This method eliminates the requirements of near-field techniques such as controlling and scanning closely located tip detectors.     

Focusing of evanescent vector waves

We study focusing of two and three-dimensional evanescent vector waves, with a particular emphasis on identifying suitable intensity structures for applications in optical data storage. For two-dimensional evanescent waves large transverse spatial wave vectors result in purely circularly polarized evanescent states. We suggest that these may have applications in all-optical data storage through the inverse Faraday effect. On the other hand, for three-dimensional evanescent waves longitudinally polarized modes are observed to give the most tightly focused spot, and this may be utilized to confine light behind a solid immersion lens.     

A hyperlens-based device for nanoscale focusing of light

To resolve the problem of missed evanescent waves in a beam focusing system,a hyperlens-based beam focusing device is proposed in this letter.This device can convert the evanescent waves into propagating waves,and then a super-resolution spot is formed at the center of the hyperlens.The working principle of the device is presented,and the way in which the material and structural parameters of the hyperlens affect the resolution and transmission is analyzed in detail.A multibeam focusing device is optimally designed,and the simulated results verify that a nanoscale spot with a diameter of 15.6 nm(corresponding toλ0/24,whereλ0 is the working wavelength in vacuum)is achieved,which is far less than the diffraction limited resolution with a value of 625 nm(1.7λ0).The device is expected to find numerous applications in optical data storage and nano-photolithography,among others.