71 research outputs found

    Loss of Resolution for the Time Reversal of Waves in Random Underwater Acoustic Channels

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    In this paper we analyze a time-reversal experiment in a random underwater acoustic channel. In this kind of waveguide with semi-infinite cross section a propagating field can be decomposed over three kinds of modes: the propagating modes, the radiating modes and the evanescent modes. Using an asymptotic analysis based on a separation of scales technique we derive the asymptotic form of the the coupled mode power equation for the propagating modes. This approximation is used to compute the transverse profile of the refocused field and show that random inhomogeneities inside the waveguide deteriorate the spatial refocusing. This result, in an underwater acoustic channel context, is in contradiction with the classical results about time-reversal experiment in other configurations, for which randomness in the propagation medium enhances the refocusing.Comment: 31 pages, 11 figure

    Quantum interferometry with three-dimensional geometry

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    Quantum interferometry uses quantum resources to improve phase estimation with respect to classical methods. Here we propose and theoretically investigate a new quantum interferometric scheme based on three-dimensional waveguide devices. These can be implemented by femtosecond laser waveguide writing, recently adopted for quantum applications. In particular, multiarm interferometers include "tritter" and "quarter" as basic elements, corresponding to the generalization of a beam splitter to a 3- and 4-port splitter, respectively. By injecting Fock states in the input ports of such interferometers, fringe patterns characterized by nonclassical visibilities are expected. This enables outperforming the quantum Fisher information obtained with classical fields in phase estimation. We also discuss the possibility of achieving the simultaneous estimation of more than one optical phase. This approach is expected to open new perspectives to quantum enhanced sensing and metrology performed in integrated photonic.Comment: 7 pages (+4 Supplementary Information), 5 figure

    Coupled paraxial wave equations in random media in the white-noise regime

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    In this paper the reflection and transmission of waves by a three-dimensional random medium are studied in a white-noise and paraxial regime. The limit system derives from the acoustic wave equations and is described by a coupled system of random Schr\"{o}dinger equations driven by a Brownian field whose covariance is determined by the two-point statistics of the fluctuations of the random medium. For the reflected and transmitted fields the associated Wigner distributions and the autocorrelation functions are determined by a closed system of transport equations. The Wigner distribution is then used to describe the enhanced backscattering phenomenon for the reflected field.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/08-AAP543 the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

    Local field topology behind light localization and metamaterial topological transitions

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    We revisit the mechanisms governing the sub-wavelength spatial localization of light in surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes by investigating both local and global features in optical powerflow at SPP frequencies. Close inspection of the instantaneous Poynting vector reveals formation of optical vortices - localized areas of cyclic powerflow - at the metal-dielectric interface. As a result, optical energy circulates through a subwavelength-thick 'conveyor belt' between the metal and dielectric where it creates a high density of optical states (DOS), tight optical energy localization, and low group velocity associated with SPP waves. The formation of bonding and anti-bonding SPP modes in metal-dielectric-metal waveguides can also be conveniently explained in terms of different spatial arrangements of localized powerflow vortices between two metal interfaces. Finally, we investigate the underlying mechanisms of global topological transitions in metamaterials composed of multiple metal and dielectric films, i.e., transitions of their iso-frequency surfaces from ellipsoids to hyperboloids, which are not accompanied by the breaking of lattice symmetry. Our analysis reveals that such global topological transitions are governed by the dynamic local re-arrangement of local topological features of the optical interference field, such as vortices and saddle points, which reconfigures global optical powerflow within the metamaterial. These new insights into plasmonic light localization and DOS manipulation not only help to explain the well-known properties of SPP waves but also provide useful guidelines for the design of plasmonic components and materials for a variety of practical applications.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures, Ch. 8 of Singular and Chiral Nanoplasmonics (S.V. Boriskina and N.I. Zheludev Eds.) Pan Stanford, Singapore, 201

    Optical super-resolution and periodical focusing effects by dielectric microspheres

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    Optical microscopy is one of the oldest and most important imaging techniques; however, its far-field resolution is diffraction-limited. In this dissertation, we proposed and developed a novel method of optical microscopy with super-resolution by using high- index dielectric microspheres immersed in liquid and placed on the surface of the structures under study. We used barium titanate glass microspheres with diameters of D~2-220 µm and refractive indices n~1.9-2.1 to discern minimal feature sizes ~?/4 (down to ~?/7) of various photonic and plasmonic nanostructures, where ? is the illumination wavelength. We studied the magnification, field of view, and resolving power, in detail, as a function of sphere sizes. We studied optical coupling, transport, focusing, and polarization properties of linear arrays of dielectric spheres. We showed that in arrays of spheres with refractive index n=v3, a special type of rays with transverse magnetic (TM) polarization incident on the spheres under the Brewster’s angle form periodically focused modes with radial polarization and 2D period, where D is the diameter of the spheres. We showed that the formation of periodically focused modes in arrays of dielectric spheres gives a physical explanation for beam focusing and extraordinarily small attenuation of light in such chains. We showed that the light propagation in such arrays is strongly polarization- dependent, indicating that such arrays can be used as filters of beams with radial polarization. The effect of forming progressively smaller focused beams was experimentally observed in chains of sapphire spheres in agreement with the theory. We expanded the concept of periodically focused modes to design a practical device for ultra-precise contact-mode laser tissue-surgery, with self-limiting ablation depth for potential application in retina surgery. By integrating arrays of dielectric spheres with infrared hollow waveguides and fibers, we fabricated prototypes of the designs and tested them with an Er:YAG laser. Furthermore, we proposed another design based on conical arrays of dielectric spheres to increase the coupling efficiency of the probe

    Enhancing the Resolution of Imaging Systems by Spatial Spectrum Manipulation

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    Much research effort has been spent in the 21st century on superresolution imaging techniques, methods which can beat the diffraction limit. Subwavelength composite structures called ``metamaterials had initially shown great promise in superresolution imaging applications in the early 2000s, owing to their potential for nearly arbitrary capabilities in controlling light. However, for optical frequencies they are often plagued by absorption and scattering losses which can decay or destroy their interesting properties. Similar issues limit the application of other superresolution devices operating as effective media, or metal films that can transfer waves with large momentum by supporting surface plasmon polaritons. In this dissertation, new methods of mitigating the loss of object information in lossy and noisy optical imaging systems are presented. The result is an improvement in the upper bound on lateral spatial resolution. A concentration is placed on metamaterial and plasmonic imaging systems, and the same methods are subsequently adapted to more conventional far-field imaging systems. First, through numerical simulation it is shown that a lossy metamaterial lens has degraded imaging performance which can be partially compensated by deconvolution post-processing of the resultant image. This post-processing procedure is then shown to emulate a physical process called plasmon injection, which has been previously implemented to effectively remove the losses in a plasmonic metamaterial. Next, a more realistic scenario is considered; a thin film of silver acting as a near-field plasmonic ``superlens. In this case, methods are implemented to model incoherent light propagation so that the image can be reconstructed using only intensity data, removing the need for phase measurement. The same procedure from above is followed, and the resolution is enhanced. To push the resolution further, a spatial filtering method called active convolved illumination is developed to overcome the resolution limit set by the noise floor of the system. Finally, the spatial filtering methods are applied to more a more conventional far-field imaging system. Supported by experiment, the lateral resolution of a low numerical aperture imaging system is improved by blocking photons at the Fourier plane. For coherent light, a diffractive superlens is designed which uses the same principles from the above theory, except it encodes the high spatial frequency waves into propagating waves via a diffraction grating. The result is lateral resolution performance that surpasses similar previously published devices by 10 nm at a wavelength more than 80 nm longer
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