Improvement of plasmonic field-matter interaction by subwavelength dielectric gratings

We experimentally and theoretically investigate that detection sensitivity in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors can be significantly enhanced by employing subwavelength dielectric gratings deposited on a gold film. The enhancement originates from an improvement of field-matter interaction: enhanced evanescent field intensity at the binding region and increased surface reaction area. Using a large-area SiO₂ grating array fabricated by nanoimprint lithography, experimental sensor performance measured by parylene film coating shows that the SPR substrates combined with a dielectric grating provide a notable sensitivity improvement compared to a conventional bare gold film. We also demonstrate that plasmon field can be more confined and enhanced at the dielectric gratings with a larger width. The proposed SPR structure could potentially be useful in a variety of plasmonic applications including high-sensitivity biosensors.     

Computer-generated infrared depolarizer using space-variant subwavelength dielectric gratings

We present a novel method for the formation of a complete depolarizer that is based on a polarization-state scrambling procedure over the space domain. Such an element can be achieved by use of cascaded, computer-generated, space-variant subwavelength dielectric gratings. We introduce a theoretical analysis and experimentally demonstrate a depolarizer for infrared radiation at a wavelength of 10.6 microm.     

Optical bistability of subwavelength metallic film coated by Kerr dielectric gratings

We studied the optical bistability of subwavelength metallic film coated by Kerr dielectric gratings numerically. It is found that the effect of optical bistability in the structure is explained by the excitations of the coupled surface plasmon polaritons at the coated metallic films. The effect of thickness of the metallic films on bistability loop is analyzed in detail, and the authors attribute the change of the bistability loop to the lifetime of the coupled surface plasmon polaritons.     

Radially and azimuthally polarized beams generated by space-variant dielectric subwavelength gratings

We present a novel method for forming radially and azimuthally polarized beams by using computer-generated subwavelength dielectric gratings. The elements were deposited upon GaAs substrates and produced beams with a polarization purity of 99.2% at a wavelength of 10.6 microm . We have verified the polarization properties with full space-variant polarization analysis and measurement, and we show that such beams have certain vortexlike properties and that they carry angular momentum.     

亚波长光栅的偏振闪耀特性

 使用琼斯矩阵的方法推导了连续结构亚波长光栅的衍射方程,给出了光栅衍射效率表达式,对偏振特性与衍射特性进行了研究。发现连续结构亚波长光栅仅存在３个衍射级,总衍射效率为100%,且衍射效率可在衍射级间任意分配,0级的偏振态与入射光的偏振态相同,±1级衍射光偏振态与入射光无关,－1级为左旋圆偏振光,＋1级为右旋圆偏振光。通过设置入射光偏振态与光栅相位延迟等参数,可使光栅具有闪耀特性,据此可用于设计高效偏振光分束器和偏振光开关。     

Space-variant polarization manipulation for far-field polarimetry by use of subwavelength dielectric gratings

A method for polarimetric measurement that uses a discrete space-variant subwavelength dielectric grating is presented. One retrieves the polarization state by measuring the far-field intensity of a beam emerging from the grating followed by a polarizer. The analysis for a partially polarized, quasi-monochromatic beam is performed by use of the beam coherence polarization matrix along with an extended van Cittert-Zernike theorem. We experimentally demonstrate polarization measurements of both fully and partially polarized light.     

Beam focusing through a tapered subwavelength aperture surrounded by dielectric surface gratings

A novel plasmonic nanolens formed by a tapered subwavelength metal slit surrounded by surface dielectric gratings is proposed and demonstrated numerically. By patterning surface corrugations on the output surface, the beam can be focused, by regulating the aperture, the focal length can be controlled effectively. Numerical simulations using Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method coupled with anisotropic perfectly matched layer (APML) boundary conditions verify that the proposed metallic lens can focus the radiation on the scale of a wavelength below the substrate and the method is effective for the design of nano-optical devices such as optical microprobes.     

Resonances on metallic compound transmission gratings with subwavelength wires and slits

We investigate the response of gratings formed by subwavelength wires in a dielectric medium. For gratings with a single wire per period, most of the incident power is transmitted through the structure. If the distance between adjacent wires is small enough, the excitation of waveguide modes can lead to reflection resonances. However, only when the period is formed by several wires (compound grating), new degrees of freedom are introduced for the phase distribution of the field inside the slits, allowing a new class of resonances analyzed in this letter. We give numerical examples illustrating the combined effect produced by both types of resonances in the grating response.     

Beam focusing from double subwavelength metallic slits filled with nonlinear material surrounded by dielectric surface gratings

Based on the radiation properties of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) can be controlled by adjusting the refractive indexes of dielectric materials in the metallic slits, a novel plasmonic focusing structure formed by two subwavelength metal apertures filled with Kerr nonlinear material surrounded by surface dielectric gratings is proposed and demonstrated numerically. Directions of radiation fields are determined by the phase difference of the surface waves at the exit interface and resonance property of each surface grating. Numerical simulations using two-dimensional (2D) Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method verify that the deflection angle and focal length can be controlled easily by changing the intensity of incident light, dynamically tunable on-axis and off-axis focusing effects can be achieved.     

Plasmonic critical angle in optical transmission through subwavelength metallic gratings

We observe and theoretically analyze the plasmonic analog of the critical angle phenomenon in optical transmission through subwavelength gratings milled in an optically thick metal film. The total transmission from a denser medium to a less dense one vanishes while the total reflection holds very strong, providing the incidence angle increases past the plasmonic critical angle (PCA). The conditions and physical origins of the total internal reflection above the PCA are clarified.     

Resonantly enhanced transmission of light through subwavelength apertures with dielectric filling

Using both analytical and numerical methods to study transmission of light through dielectric-filled subwavelength apertures in a real metal, we have found that a propagating mode can in principle exist inside a waveguide of arbitrary small size if a particular relationship between the dielectric constants of the cladding and filling materials at the incident frequency is satisfied. Practical transmission through a subwavelength aperture of finite depth can be enhanced when the depth is such that Fabry-Pérot-like resonances are excited. For 810 nm light incident on a silicon-filled 50-nm-diameter aperture in a 200-nm-thick gold film, we found that a normalized near-field intensity ratio of 1.6 at the exit can be achieved. This resonantly enhanced transmission phenomenon may be advantageously applicable to near-field scanning optical microscopy and single-molecule spectroscopy.     

Light scattering on random dielectric layers

Scattering of light by a random stack of dielectric layers represents a one-dimensional scattering problem, where the scattered field is a three-dimensional vector field. We investigate the dependence of the scattering properties (band gaps and Anderson localization) on the wavelength, strength of randomness and relative angle of the incident wave. There is a characteristic angular dependence of Anderson localization for wavelengths close to the thickness of the layers. In particular, the localization length varies non-monotonously with the angle. In contrast to Anderson localization, absorptive layers do not have this characteristic angular dependence.     

Genetic optimization of double subwavelength metal slits surrounded by surface dielectric gratings for directional beaming manipulation

In this work, a model of double subwavelength metal slits surrounded by surface dielectric gratings is proposed for the directional beaming based on surface plasmon polariton (SPP). A genetic algorithm (GA) in conjunction with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is employed to optimize this structure, which leads to the high-efficiency directional beaming at any angle in a broad range (from 0° to 70°). The results show that the furthest propagation distance of the beaming can reach more than 25 μm, the maximum deflection efficiency can reach 97.37%, and the enhancement factor of the beaming can reach 7.58 × 10². The acceptable perturbation range of optimum structures is also obtained, which indicates the feasibility and realization of this model.     

Optical transmission through metal/dielectric multilayer films perforated with periodic subwavelength slits

The transmission of p-polarized plane wave through Ag/SiO₂ multilayer films perforated with periodic subwavelength air slits is investigated by using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The results show that the optical transmission property is mediated by the interference among the propagating coupled-SPP modes along the lateral direction inside the SiO₂ layers and the conditions of Fabry-Pérot-like resonance along the longitudinal direction together. When some geometric parameters are suitably initialized, the high transmission peaks can split into more peaks as the functional layer (metal/dielectric/metal sandwich stack) number increases, and the wavelength of the same-order transmission peak exhibits a red shift as the grating period increases.     

Rotating vectorial vortices produced by space-variant subwavelength gratings

A new class of vectorial vortex based on coherent addition of two orthogonal circularly polarized Bessel beams of identical order but with different propagation constants is presented. The transversely space-variant axially symmetric polarization distributions of these vectorial fields rotate as they propagate, while they maintain a propagation-invariant Bessel intensity distribution. These properties were demonstrated by use of discrete space-variant subwavelength gratings for 10.6 microm CO2 laser radiation. The polarization properties were verified by both full space-variant polarization analysis and measurements. Rotating intensity patterns are also demonstrated by transmitting the vectorial vortices through a linear polarizer.     

Tarnishing of silver subwavelength slit gratings and its effect on extraordinary optical transmission

We study the impact of tarnishing of silver subwavelength gratings on their optical performance. We report that in the course of months under regular laboratory conditions, the gratings undergo tarnishing very differently from plain silver films: instead of thin layer of evenly distributed silver sulfide, a random pattern of rare larger crystals is formed across the grating area. As typical of plasmonic metamaterials, the gratings appear to be very sensitive to the arising structural disorder and show a very specific modification of the optical transmittance spectra – total degradation of the Wood diffraction anomaly and attenuation of the near-infrared transmission peak. The identified ‘optical fingerprints’ of the microscopic grating contamination pave a way for prospective plasmonic sensor applications.     

High dielectric anisotropy compound doped transmission gratings of HPDLC

Effects of high dielectric anisotropy compound (MLC) and oligomer molecular weight on the grating formation and electro-optical properties of transmission holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) have been studied. Addition of MLC reduced the response time and switching voltage with the increased formulation viscosity which introduced a sequence of phenomenon, i.e. slow diffusion, polymerization, phase separation, grating formation, and droplet coalescence giving small droplet size and enhanced diffraction efficiency of the film. Apparently, increase in oligomer molecular weight gave effects similar to those of increasing MLC content since both variables control droplet coalescence through different mechanisms.     

Optical total reflection and transmission with mode control in a dielectric subwavelength nanorod chain

We report a polarization dependent reflection phenomenon beyond the normal incidence with a subwavelength nanorod chain.Light waves of the transverse electric mode will be totally reflected while those of the transverse magnetic mode will transmit through.The total reflection or transmission phenomenon can be seen as a constructive or destructive interference of the incident field with the transverse mode field of the chain.With the low-loss feature and the ultra-compact characteristic,this structure may find applications in photonic circuits.     

Flexible subwavelength gratings fabricated by reversal soft UV nanoimprint

We present a replication process, named reversal soft ultraviolet (UV) nanoimprint, to fabricate a high- aspect-ratio flexible subwavelength grating (SWG) on a polyurethane acrylate (PUA). This nanopatterning technique consists of casting, reversal UV imprint, and dry release. The UV curing process of PUA to avoid pattern collapse is investigated. Revalpha film acts as the supporting and sacrificial layer during the whole process due to its special surface energy property. The free-standing PUA structures with a period of 200 nm and a depth of 350 nm can be automatically released from the Revalpha film by heating. The PUA resist is well suited to replicate fine patterns of the mold with high aspect ratio and large area precisely and uniformly for low surface energy and low viscosity. The measured transmittance is compared with the calculation results based on rigorous coupled-wave analysis in the wavelength region ranging from 500 to 800 nm. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical calculations.     

Transmission resonances of metallic compound gratings with subwavelength slits

Transmission metallic gratings with subwavelength slits are known to produce enhanced transmitted intensity for certain resonant wavelengths. One of the mechanisms that produce these resonances is the excitation of waveguide modes inside the slits. We show that by adding slits to the period, the transmission maxima are widened and, simultaneously, this generates phase resonances that appear as sharp dips in the transmission response. These resonances are characterized by a significant enhancement of the interior field.