Plasmonic effects in near-field optical transmission enhancement through a single bowtie-shaped aperture

In this paper, the enhanced optical transmission through a special type of aperture of a bowtie shape is investigated through near-field imaging and finite-difference numerical analysis. Under linear polarizations in two orthogonal directions, the optical near fields of the bowtie aperture and comparable square and rectangular apertures made in gold and chromium thin films are measured and compared. The bowtie aperture is able to provide a nanometer-sized optical spot when the incident light is polarized across the bowtie gap and delivers a considerable amount of light. Localized surface plasmons are clearly observed in the near-field images for both bowtie and rectangular apertures in gold, but invisible in chromium. Finite-difference time-domain calculations reveal that, depending on the polarization of the incident light, the unique optical properties of the bowtie aperture are a result of either the optical waveguide and the coupled surface plasmon polariton modes existing in the bowtie gap or the coupling between the two open arms of the bowtie aperture. PACS 81.07.-b; 07.79.Fc; 71.36.+c; 78.66.Bz; 42.79.Gn; 42.79.Vb     

Transmission of an obliquely incident beam of light through small apertures in a metal film

We recently found that the intensity of the electric near field of a triangular aperture in a metal film is strongly localized at one edge of the aperture for incident light polarized perpendicular to this edge. Previous numerical calculations of the near field of a triangular aperture in a planar metal film, using the field susceptibility technique, yielded a nearly quantitative agreement with the experiments. Using this numerical technique, we have investigated the influence of an obliquely incident plane wave on the near field of small circular and triangular apertures. An interpretation of the numerical results leads to a deeper understanding of the way in which light transmission through the aperture is excited. The data suggest that after excitation of currents in the metal film by the incident light, a scattering of these currents by the aperture generates the near field of the aperture. We found that the excitation of small apertures (size <100 nm) is due to a tangential magnetic field whereas the perpendicular electric field plays no role. The excitation of a small aperture can thus be described exclusively by a magnetic polarizability. We found that for thin metal films an interference of the scattered field with the field transmitted through the metal film changes the near field pattern. PACS 41.20.-q; 42.79.Ag; 68.37.Uv; 78.67.-n     

Optical nanolithography with λ/15 resolution using bowtie aperture array

We report optical parallel nanolithography using bowtie apertures with the help of the interferometric-spatial-phase-imaging (ISPI) technique. The ISPI system can detect and control the distance between the bowtie aperture, and photoresist with a resolution of sub-nanometer level. It overcomes the difficulties brought by the light divergence of bowtie apertures. Parallel nanolithography with feature size of 22 ± 5 nm is achieved. This technique combines high resolution, parallel throughput, and low cost, which is promising for practical applications.     

Complementary bowtie aperture for localizing and enhancing optical magnetic field

Nanoscale bowtie antenna and bowtie aperture antenna have been shown to generate strongly enhanced and localized electric fields below the diffraction limit in the optical frequency range. According to Babinet's principle, their complements will be efficient for concentrating and enhancing magnetic fields. In this Letter, we discuss the enhancement of magnetic field intensity of nanoscale complementary bowtie aperture as well as complementary bowtie aperture antenna, or diabolo nanoantenna. We show that the complementary bowtie antenna resonates at a smaller wavelength and thus is more suitable for applications near visible wavelengths. The near-field magnetic intensity can be further enhanced by the addition of groove structures that scatter surface plasmon.     

A functional probe with bowtie aperture and bull's eye structure for nanolithograph

The bowtie aperture surrounded by concentric gratings(the bull’s eye structure) integrated on the near-field scanning optical microscopy(NSOM) probe(aluminum coated fiber tip) for nanolithography has been investigated using the finite-difference time domain(FDTD) method.By modifying the parameters of the bowtie aperture and the concentric gratings,a maximal field enhancement factor of 391.69 has been achieved,which is 18 times larger than that obtained from the single bowtie aperture.Additionally,the light spot depends on the gap size of the bowtie aperture and can be confined to sub-wavelength.The superiority of the combination of the bowtie aperture and the bull’s eye structure is confirmed,and the mechanism for the electric field enhancement in this derived structure is analyzed.     

High-intensity bowtie-shaped nano-aperture vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser for near-field optics

We report a high-intensity nano-aperture vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) utilizing a bowtie-shaped aperture. A maximum power of 188 microW is achieved from a 180 nm bowtie aperture at a wavelength of 970 nm. The near-field full width at half-maximum intensity spot size 20 nm away from the bowtie aperture is 64 nm x 66 nm from simulation, and the peak near-field intensity is estimated to be as high as 47 mW/microm(2). This intensity is high enough to realize near-field optical recording, and the small spot size corresponds to storage densities up to 150 Gbits/in(2). The bowtie-aperture VCSEL also enables other applications, such as compact high-intensity probes for ultrahigh-resolution near-field imaging and single molecule fluorescence and spectroscopy.     

Investigation of plasmonics resonance infrared bowtie metal antenna

An approximate resonance wavelength equation that varies with metal antenna structure size is developed to design a bowtie gold metal antenna working at near-infrared (IR) wavelength. Bowtie antenna structures with resonance wavelength of 1.06 μm, 1.55 μm and 10.6 μm are designed based on this equation. A finite-difference time domain (FDTD) algorithm with total field scattered field (TFSF) source simulation shows the resonance wavelength of the designed structures being precisely in agreement with the expected wavelengths from the equation. Planar integration of the metal bowtie antennas is discussed as well. Gold nanohole bowtie antenna arrays are fabricated and the near-field optical transmission properties of the nanohole array are investigated with a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM). Our experimental results verify the near-field optical transmission performance and further demonstrate that they are in agreement with the theoretical calculation results. The high enhancement efficiency and integration of the metal bowtie antennas open the possibility of a wide application in IR optoelectronics detection and imaging.     

Optimizing bowtie structure parameters for specific incident light

We investigate optical properties of a bowtie-shaped aperture using the finite difference time domain method to optimize its geometric parameters for specific incident lights.The influence of the parameters on local field enhancement and resonant wavelength in the visible frequency range is numerically analysed.It is found that the major resonance of the spectrum is exponentially depended on the bowtie angle but independent of the whole aperture size.The simulation also demonstrates that increasing the aperture size raises the local field intensity on the exit plane due to an enlarged interaction area between the light and the metal medium.And the near-field spot size is closely related to the gap.Based on these results,the design rules of the bowtie structure can be optimized for specific wavelengths excited.     

Waveguide properties of single subwavelength holes demonstrated with radially and azimuthally polarized light

We investigate the transmission of focused beams through single subwavelength holes in a silver film. We use radially and azimuthally polarized light to excite higher-order waveguide modes as well as to match the radial symmetry of the aperture geometry. Remarkably, the transmission properties can be described by a classical waveguide model even for thicknesses of the silver film as thin as a quarter of a wavelength. PACS  42.25.Bs; 42.25.Ja; 42.79.Gn     

Some improvement in Fe/Si multilayered neutron polarizor by modified sputtering geometry

Aperture geometry of magnetron sputtering unit was modified by insertion of longitudinal [B] and transverse [A] slits with respect to the motion of substrate. Fe-, Si-mono and Fe/Si multilayer [Fe (70 Å)/Si (50 Å)]₁₀ (called ML70) were grown with and without modified apertures. Maximum stress anisotropy was found in samples prepared with transverse modified aperture [A]. X-ray reflectometry (XRR) results showed a marked difference in roughness values of interdiffusion layers Fe-_Si and Si-_Fe. Magnetic measurements showed coercive field strength of 50 Oe in ML70 prepared by modified aperture geometry Fe[A]/Si[O]. A significant improvement in the neutron polarization efficiency is observed in multilayer ML70 with the use of modified aperture geometry as compared to similar sample prepared by normal aperture.     

Shaping of ultrashort pulses using bulk acousto-optic filter

Our paper deals with temporal shaping of ultrashort pulses by direct spectral filtering performed with bulk acousto-optic filters using noncollinear geometry. This geometry allows arbitrary optical pulse repetition rate and high diffraction efficiency at relatively large optical apertures. A theoretical model of the pulse shaper is presented, emphasizing the degrees of freedom in this shaping technique. Phase and angular dispersion effects are analyzed, and experimental results on generating controllable pulse trains are presented. PACS 42.65.Re; 42.79.J     

Design of a sector bowtie nano-rectenna for optical power and infrared detection

We designed a sector bowtie nanoantenna integrated with a rectifier (Au−TiO_x−Ti diode) for collecting infrared energy. The optical performance of the metallic bowtie nanoantenna was numerically investigated at infrared frequencies (5−30 μm) using three-dimensional frequency-domain electromagnetic field calculation software based on the finite element method. The simulation results indicate that the resonance wavelength and local field enhancement are greatly affected by the shape and size of the bowtie nanoantenna, as well as the relative permittivity and conductivity of the dielectric layer. The output current of the rectified nano-rectenna is substantially at nanoampere magnitude with an electric field intensity of 1 V/m. Moreover, the power conversion efficiency for devices with three different substrates illustrates that a substrate with a larger refractive index yields a higher efficiency and longer infrared response wavelength. Consequently, the optimized structure can provide theoretical support for the design of novel optical rectennas and fabrication of optoelectronic devices.     

Electrostatic potential penetration into a circular enclosure with circular apertures

Electrostatic potential penetration into a circular enclosure with circular apertures is investigated. An electrostatic boundary-value problem of the circular enclosure with circular apertures is solved based on the Hankel transform, mode matching technique, and superposition. The polarizability of the circular apertures is represented in a series and calculated in terms of the aperture geometry to understand the behaviors of potential penetration.     

多横模垂直腔面发射激光器及其波长特性

基于氧化限制型内腔接触垂直腔面发射激光器(VCSEL) 结构设计, 研究了VCSEL的多横模分布及其模式波长分裂特性与氧化孔径尺寸、形状的关系. 在实验基础上, 通过建立有效折射率模型, 并利用标量亥姆霍兹方程的迭代算法理论, 分别对椭圆形氧化孔径和圆形氧化孔径VCSEL的横向模式特性进行模拟研究, 计算得到不同形状孔径的多横模光场分布情况, 同时测量得到高阶横模多频输出光谱. 研究发现, 椭圆氧化孔形状不仅影响横模分布特性, 还会导致每个模式的波长产生分裂, 分裂值可达0.037 nm. 同时, 随着氧化孔径的增大, 波长分裂影响会逐渐减小, 直至趋近于圆形氧化孔径的分布特性. 研究结果为进一步实现氧化限制型VCSEL的多横模锁定提供了有益参考和借鉴.     

Resonance tuning and broadening of bowtie nanoantennas on graphene

Metallic bowtie antennas are used in nanophotonics applications in order to confine the electromagnetic field into volumes much smaller than that of the incident wavelength. Electrically controllable carrier concentration of graphene opens the door to the use of plasmonic nanoantenna structures with graphene so that the resonant nature of nanoantennas can be tuned. In this study, we demonstrated with the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method that the intensity and resonance peak of bowtie nanoantennas on monolayer graphene can be tuned at mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength regime by applying a gate voltage, since the optical properties of graphene change by changing the carrier concentration.     

Numerical analysis of the spectral response of an NSOM measurement

Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) is a powerful tool for investigating optical field with resolution greater than the diffraction limit. In this work, we study the spectral response that would be obtained from an aperture NSOM system using numerical calculations. The sample used in this study is a bowtie nanoaperture that has been shown to produce concentrated and enhanced field. The near- and far-field distributions from a bowtie aperture are also calculated and compared with what would be obtainable from a NSOM system. The results demonstrate that it will be very difficult to resolve the true spectral content of the near-field using aperture NSOM. On the other hand, the far-field response may be used as a guide to the near-field spectrum.     

微小孔径激光器的光谱特性综述

微小孔径激光器(Very-small-aperture laser,VSAL)是近年发展起来的新型有源纳米激光光源。出射光端面的孔径形状是决定其性能的重要因素之一。多种异形孔径被先后提出并证明能极大地提高VSAL的出射效率。相关研究结果表明,常规孔径形状的通光效率随入射波长的增大急剧下降,但异形孔径的通光效率会出现一个谐振峰,在谐振峰位置通光效率得到了显著的提高。通过改变孔径形状参数或增加表面纳米形貌结构,可以调整纳米孔径本身的谐振波长峰值,改善VSAL的性能。综述了纳米孔径的光谱特性以及利用这种特性优化VSAL的性能,并对未来的研究前景做了适当的展望。     

开孔对封闭空间共振特性的影响

研究了开孔对封闭空间声场的影响。通过将孔内振动空气等效为点源,用模态展开法建立了开孔封闭空间的声场模型,计算了开孔封闭空间高阶共振频率和在共振频率激励下的声压分布。结果显示:开孔等效于孔处声质量减小,一般使得开孔封闭空间的共振频率增加;但当孔位于某模态节点时,由于该阶模态与任一模态在开孔处未发生耦合,该模态共振频率不变;由于在开孔区域对应于激励频率的模态声压和其余各阶模态声压之和的相位相反,高阶共振频率激励下靠近小孔位置的声压减小。因此,开孔对封闭空间声场有影响,其影响程度与开孔位置和开孔尺寸有关。      

Optical transmission properties and enhanced loss for randomly positioned apertures in a metal film

The transmission of light through randomly distributed rectangular apertures in a gold film on glass substrate is calculated for the first time. The results for randomly distributed apertures, when compared with the transmission resonance through a single aperture, show the new features of a peak reduction, a blue-shift and the appearance of ripples. Only the latter of these features has been reported previously. The loss from the isolated aperture is compared with the loss from the randomly distributed apertures to show how coupling between apertures enhances the loss in the presence of a lossy metal film. PACS 81.07.-b; 71.36.+c; 78.66.Bz; 42.25.Dd     

Double nanohole apex-enhanced transmission in metal films

We first present experimental results of enhanced transmission through nanofabricated double-hole arrays in a gold film. An increase in the transmission is observed when the holes are overlapping to produce two apexes, with the transmission more than doubling when the apexes are nearly touching. When the holes are non-overlapping, the transmission maximum drops. The measured spectra through these arrays showed a red-shift in the peak transmission wavelength around 770 nm of nearly 30 nm. These experimental results agree well with our finite-difference time-domain simulations of the double-hole arrays. PACS 78.66.Bz; 42.79.Ag; 42.79.Dj