Evaluation of the dynamic range and spatial resolution of nonadiabatic optical near-field lithography through fabrication of Fresnel zone plates

Fresnel zone plates (FZPs) were fabricated in order to evaluate the performance of nonadiabatic photolithography by exploiting the localized nature of optical near fields. This novel photolithography scheme could realize FZPs with structures smaller than the wavelength of the light source used for exposure. The FZP for 325-nm-wavelength UV light could focus the incident light to a spot size of 590 nm. An FZP for focusing soft X-rays was also fabricated and, compared to conventional adiabatic photolithography, showed higher-contrast zones over the whole area of the FZP. This method exhibits a high dynamic range and good spatial resolution, and it was free from artifacts due to the interference of the residual propagating exposure light transmitted through the aperture of the photomask.     

基于角谱法的振幅型光子筛的设计和分析

对光子筛的聚焦成像原理作了分析,并用平面波角谱方法对光子筛聚焦成像进行了数值模拟.模拟结果表明,光子筛聚焦具有提高分辨率和抑制高级衍射的优点.在理论分析和计算机模拟的基础上,设计并制作了Fresnel波带片、未平滑处理和平滑处理后的光子筛.用波长为532 nm激光光源对波带片和光子筛聚焦光斑进行检测.结果表明,光波通过光子筛聚焦后的光斑比波带片的光斑更细,成像对比度更高.     

Phase zone photon sieve

A novel diffractive optical element, named phase zone photon sieve (PZPS), is presented. There are three kinds of phase plates in PZPSs: PZPS1, PZPS2, and PZPS3. Each of the PZPSs has its own structure and is made on quartz substrate by etching. The three PZPSs have stronger diffraction peak intensity than a photon sieve (PS) when the margin pinhole and zone line width are kept the same. The PZPS3 can produce a smaller central diffractive spot than the ordinary PS with the same number of zones on the Fresnel zone plate. We have given the design method for and the simulation of PZPS and PS. PZPS has potential applications in optical maskless lithography.     

Comparison of subwavelength focusing properties of diffraction and Fresnel zone plate plasmonic planar lenses

The subwavelength focusing properties of diffractive plasmonic planar lenses (DPLs) and Fresnel zone plate plasmonic planar lenses (FZPs) have been compared in this paper. To that end, we use the same lens material, incident wavelength, thickness and focal length for comparison. Both DPLs and FZPs consist of central circular slits surrounded by transparent and opaque zones and can get clear focusing performances. By using the rigorous electromagnetic numerical method, the fields in the focal region are analyzed in detail, and our results demonstrate that FZP can generate higher transmission efficiency, and higher peak field intensity at the focal plane. Focusing polarization properties of the lens illuminated by linearly polarized state, are calculated and analyzed also. The numerical results show that both the DPL and the FZP produce asymmetrical focal spot distributions with a low f-number. To the FZP, the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) varies from 256 nm (along y-axis) to 516 nm(along x-axis) and to the DPL, the FWHM varies from 256 nm(along y-axis) to 580 nm(along x-axis), respectively. But for a high f-number, the asymmetrical performance of the focal spot will be reduced due to complicated electromagnetical field interferences and micro waveguide effect. Otherwise, the DPL can get a higher depolarization effect than the FZP does.     

Photon sieve for reduction of the far-field diffraction spot size in the laser free-space communication system

In the free-space laser communication, there is sometimes a strong need for reduction of the diffraction spot size in the far field. In this paper, instead of the usage of the larger size aperture lens and super-resolution technology in the free-space laser communication system, we introduce photon sieve to compress the center spot in the diffractive far field, which can decrease the weight of the emitting lens. We have designed the photon sieve and calculated its far-field diffractive intensity. We have also calculated the far field Airy diffractive field intensity. Simulation proves that the photon sieve diffractive spot is smaller than the Airy spot with the same transmit aperture. We have set up an experimental system to simulate the far-field diffraction free-space laser communication. Experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical results. Detailed experiments are presented.     

菲涅尔波带片-球面结构透镜的成像分析

设计了一种新型的菲涅尔波带片 球面透镜。应用衍射光学方法,从理论上研究了这种透镜的变焦功能和分辨特性。数值结果表明,在衍射空间有两个焦点,改变波带数可以使两个焦点分开任意距离。当波带数足够大时,可以使透射空间只有一个向透镜方向迁移的焦点。与单一的透镜和单一的波带片相比,这种菲涅尔波带片 球面透镜的横向和纵向分辨率同时得到了提高。因此,这种新型的结构透镜可应用于三维成像。     

A hybrid doubled achromat based on a photon sieve

Photon sieves are diffractive optical elements with large chromatic aberration. To correct the dispersion of a photon sieve, a novel hybrid doubled achromat combined a photon sieve and a refractive lens is proposed. The design of this achromat applies the opposite dispersive characteristics of diffractive and refractive elements. Two design examples for different bandwidths of 300 nm and 80 nm in visible spectrum are given. For analyzing their focusing properties, the intensity distributions both along the axis and at the focal plane are studied. The results illustrate that the achromatic design is achieved and the secondary spectrum can be corrected for a narrow bandwidth. And compared to traditional hybrid achromat, it can focus to a sharper spot.     

Experimental demonstration of near-field focusing of a phase micro-Fresnel zone plate (FZP) under linearly polarized illumination

A high numerical aperture binary phase micro-Fresnel zone plate (FZP) is designed and fabricated on a glass substrate by using a focused ion beam technique. Focusing characteristics of the phase micro-FZP are measured by a near-field scanning optical microscope using linearly polarized light as an illumination source. It is found that an asymmetric spot with subwavelength beam width and elongated depth of focus can be obtained from the phase micro-FZP. Furthermore, the measurement is shown to be consistent with the calculation result. Further, the tolerance in fabrication errors like tilt of side walls on focusing is discussed with numerical simulations.     

Dual focus diffractive optical element with extended depth of focus

A dual focus property and an extended depth of focus were verified by a new type of diffractive lens displaying on liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) devices. This type of lens is useful to read information on multilayer optical discs and tilted discs. The radial undulation of the phase groove on the diffractive lens gave the dual focus nature. The focal extension was performed by combining the dual focus lens with the axilens that was invented for expanding the depth of focus. The number of undulations did not affect the intensity along the optical axis but the central spot of the diffraction pattern.     

X射线菲涅耳波带板成像和投影式相衬成像的数值模拟比较

通过解析分析和数值模拟,比较了钛K线（4.5 keV）与铜K线（8.0 keV）等X射线源背光透视物体情况下,菲涅耳波带板直接成像与投影式相衬成像对被透视物体的空间分辨能力。结果表明,波带板成像可实现优于1 m的高空间分辨能力,而且使用较大尺度背光源更有利于成像。对于高透射或弱吸收的透视物体,波带板难以成像,可采用投影式相衬成像实现m级空间分辨。计入了以前文献没有考虑到的更高阶影响后,解析给出了点光源照射下相衬像的强度分布与对比度。模拟了微焦点X射线源照射存在厚度起伏的薄膜靶以及密度空间调制靶的相衬成像,点光源情况下模拟结果和解析结果相符。讨论了光源大小、成像距离等参数对相衬成像对比度和空间分辨能力的影响,结果表明,通过减小光源尺度和调节物体到探测面的距离,空间分辨能力可优化到1～4 m。     

改进型分形波带片的焦深特性研究

提出了一种具有增大焦深特性的改进型分形波带片(FZP).分析并推导了改进型分形波带片基于优化参数w的周期公式;计算了改进型分形波带片在菲涅耳近似下的衍射光场分布以及对应的横向光场分布特性因子,包括分辨率因子(G),施特雷尔比(S)以及旁瓣强度因子(M);同时分析了在不同的径向坐标r和r2下的改进型分形波带片的焦深特性,...     

Using Pure-Phase Element Array to Generate Uniform Laser Focal Profiles

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实现光束变换的连续位相衍射光学器件的研制

本文利用基于模拟退火法和爬山法相结合的混合优化算法,实现光束变换的连续位相衍射光学器件的设计。通过灰阶掩膜板及离子刻蚀工艺,研制了 Φ１００ｍ ｍ 的连续位相衍射光学器件。通过多级衰减片及ＣＣＤ 实现了焦斑光强分布测量。测量结果表明：边缘陡峭、旁瓣小、中心主瓣具有一定均匀性,且没有中心零级锐脉冲的焦斑光强分布     

Hybrid laser-beam-shaping system for rotatable dual beams with long depth of focus

A laser processing system consisting of two diffractive elements and one refractive element is proposed enabling a Gaussian laser beam to be transformed into two beams with a depth of focus of up to 150 µm and focal spot smaller than 5 µm. For specific laser processing, the two beams are rotatable when the beam-splitting diffractive element is rotated. The overall system is versatile for laser cutting and drilling.     

Phase encoding for sharper focus of the azimuthally polarized beam

We demonstrate that a sharper focal spot area can be generated (0.147λ(2)) by using an azimuthally polarized beam propagating through a vortex 0-2π phase plate than for radial polarization (0.17λ(2)) or for linear polarization (0.26λ(2)) under the same condition. Further research illustrates that such optimistic results can still be expected when condition limitations are liberalized. This will facilitate new approaches to get superresolution in confocal systems.     

Odderon and photon exchange in electroproduction of pseudoscalar mesons

We investigate the reaction where PS denotes a pseudoscalar meson , , , or and X either a proton or resonance or continuum state into which the proton can go by diffractive excitation. At high energies photon and odderon exchange contribute to the reaction. The photon exchange contribution is evaluated exactly using data for the total virtual photon-proton absorption cross section. The odderon exchange contribution is calculated in nonperturbative QCD, using functional integral techniques and the model of the stochastic vacuum. For the proton we assume a quark-diquark structure as suggested by the small odderon amplitude in pp and forward scattering. We show that odderon exchange leads to a much larger inelastic than elastic PS production cross section. Observation of our reaction at HERA would establish the soft odderon as an exchange object on an equal footing with the soft pomeron and would give us valuable insight into both the nucleon structure and the mechanism of high energy diffractive scattering. Received: 2 February 1999 / Revised version: 22 March 1999 / Published online: 28 May 1999     

Fourier treatment to the diffractive optical element composed of Fresnel zone and pinholes

Currently, the minimum feature size fabricated is about 15-40 nm. The resolution of Fresnel zone plates is limited by the width of the outermost zone. Although the photon sieves make it possible to focus soft X-rays to spot sizes smaller than the diameter of the smallest pinhole they have low diffraction efficiency. In order to foster strengths and circumvent weaknesses of them, we propose a new model which is composed of Fresnel zone and pinholes and give its fast Fourier algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate that the resolution of photon sieves is not better than that of Fresnel zone plates in low order of local rings. In this case, we can substitute pinholes for Fresnel zone in photon sieves. Resolution is nearly a constant, and also the diffraction efficiency improves.     

Creation of a sharper focus by using a rectified TEMp0 beam

The superresolution technique is usually used in optical imaging for its ability to make the central diffractive spot smaller than the Airy spot. In this paper, we apply the superresolution technique for transforming a symmetrical TEM_p0 Laguerre-Gauss beam into a Gaussian intensity distribution in the plane of a converging lens. The beam shaping is achieved by an annular binary Diffractive Optical Element having a transmittance, alternatively equal to −1 or + 1, modelled on the p light rings of the incident beam. It is observed that the rectified TEM₃₀ beam at focus has a focal volume 170 times smaller than that of a Gaussian beam.     

Optimization‐free superoscillatory lens using phase and amplitude masks

A superoscillatory focusing lens has been experimentally demonstrated by optimizing Fresnel zone plates (FZP), with limited physical insight as to how the lens feature contributes to the focal formation. It is therefore imperative to establish a generalized viable account for both FZP (amplitude mask) and binary optics (phase mask). Arbitrary superoscillatory spots can now be customized and realized by a realistic optical device, without using optimization. It is counterintuitively found that high spatial frequency with small amplitude and destructive interference are favorable in superfocusing of a superoscillation pattern. The inevitably high sidelobe is pushed 15λ away from the central subwavelength spot, resulting in significantly enlarged field of view for viable imaging applications. This work therefore not only reveals the explicit physical role of any given metallic/dielectric rings but also provides an alternative design roadmap of superresolution imaging. The robust method is readily applicable in superthin longitudinally polarized needle light, quantum physics and information theory.     

Tight focus of a radially polarized and amplitude- modulated annular multi-Gaussian beam

The focusing of a radially polarized beam without annular apodization ora phase filter at the entrance pupil of the objective results in a wide focus and low purity of the longitudinally polarized component. However, the presence of a physical annular apodization or phase filter makes some applications more difficult or even impossible. We propose a radially polarized and amplitude-modulated annular multi-Gaussian beam mode. Numerical simulation shows that it can be focused into a sharper focal spot of 0.125λ² without additional apodizations or filters. The beam quality describing the purity of longitudinally polarized component is up to 86%.