13 research outputs found
Optics in Self-Assembled Metamaterials
How does an object scatter or absorb electromagnetic radiation? A very elegant analytic solution can be found for a single sphere with the Mie coefficients. In this thesis, an approach is used that is very similar. The amplitudes of the incident and scattered fields are connected by the T-matrix. We present a method to obtain the T-matrix of arbitrary objects. Furthermore, an extension is shown, where the scattering from several of such objects forming a cluster can be calculated
Objects of maximum electromagnetic chirality
We introduce a definition of the electromagnetic chirality of an object and
show that it has an upper bound. Reciprocal objects attain the upper bound if
and only if they are transparent for all the fields of one polarization
handedness (helicity). Additionally, electromagnetic duality symmetry, i.e.,
helicity preservation upon interaction, turns out to be a necessary condition
for reciprocal objects to attain the upper bound. We use these results to
provide requirements for the design of such extremal objects. The requirements
can be formulated as constraints on the polarizability tensors for dipolar
objects or on the material constitutive relations for continuous media. We also
outline two applications for objects of maximum electromagnetic chirality: a
twofold resonantly enhanced and background-free circular dichroism measurement
setup, and angle-independent helicity filtering glasses. Finally, we use the
theoretically obtained requirements to guide the design of a specific
structure, which we then analyze numerically and discuss its performance with
respect to maximal electromagnetic chirality.Comment: This version contains an example of how to use the theoretically
derived constraints for designing realistic structures. It also contains a
discussion related to the optical chirality densit
Dual and chiral objects for optical activity in general scattering directions
Optically active artificial structures have attracted tremendous research
attention. Such structures must meet two requirements: Lack of spatial
inversion symmetries and, a condition usually not explicitly considered, the
structure shall preserve the helicity of light, which implies that there must
be a vanishing coupling between the states of opposite polarization handedness
among incident and scattered plane waves. Here, we put forward and demonstrate
that a unit cell made from chiraly arranged electromagnetically dual scatterers
serves exactly this purpose. We prove this by demonstrating optical activity of
such unit cell in general scattering directions.Comment: This document is the unedited Authors version of a Submitted Work
that was subsequently accepted for publication in ACS Photonics, copyright
American Chemical Society after peer review. To access the final edited and
published work see
http://pubs.acs.org/articlesonrequest/AOR-3yvzAibCIU6wdTuzx9c
Optical Force and Torque on Dipolar Dual Chiral Particles
On the one hand, electromagnetic dual particles preserve the helicity of
light upon interaction. On the other hand, chiral particles respond differently
to light of opposite helicity. These two properties on their own constitute a
source of fascination. Their combined action, however, is less explored. Here,
we study on analytical grounds the force and torque as well as the optical
cross sections of dual chiral particles in the dipolar approximation exerted by
a particular wave of well-defined helicity: A circularly polarized plane wave.
We put emphasis on particles that possess a maximally electromagnetic chiral
and hence dual response. Besides the analytical insights, we also investigate
the exerted optical force and torque on a real particle at the example of a
metallic helix that is designed to approach the maximal electromagnetic
chirality condition. Various applications in the context of optical sorting but
also nanorobotics can be foreseen considering the particles studied in this
contribution.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
Computing the T-matrix of a scattering object with multiple plane wave illuminations
Given an arbitrarily complicated object, it is often difficult to say immediately how it interacts with a specific illumination. Optically small objects, e.g., spheres, can often be modeled as electric dipoles, but which multipole moments are excited for larger particles possessing a much more complicated shape? The T-matrix answers this question, as it contains the entire information about how an object interacts with any electromagnetic illumination. Moreover, a multitude of interesting properties can be derived from the T-matrix such as the scattering cross section for a specific illumination and information about symmetries of the object. Here, we present a method to calculate the T-matrix of an arbitrary object numerically, solely by illuminating it with multiple plane waves and analyzing the scattered fields. Calculating these fields is readily done by widely available tools. The finite element method is particularly advantageous, because it is fast and efficient. We demonstrate the T-matrix calculation at four examples of relevant optical nanostructures currently at the focus of research interest. We show the advantages of the method to obtain useful information, which is hard to access when relying solely on full wave solvers
Refraction limit of miniaturized optical systems: a ball-lens example
We study experimentally and theoretically the electromagnetic field in amplitude and phase behind ball-lenses across a wide range of diameters, ranging from a millimeter scale down to a micrometer. Based on the observation, we study the transition between the refraction and diffraction regime. The former regime is dominated by observables for which it is sufficient to use a ray-optical picture for an explanation, e.g., a cusp catastrophe and caustics. A wave-optical picture, i.e. Mie theory, is required to explain the features, e.g., photonic nanojets, in the latter regime. The vanishing of the cusp catastrophe and the emergence of the photonic nanojet is here understood as the refraction limit. Three different criteria are used to identify the limit: focal length, spot size, and amount of cross-polarization generated in the scattering process. We identify at a wavelength of 642 nm and while considering ordinary glass as the ball-lens material, a diameter of approximately 10 µm as the refraction limit. With our study, we shed new light on the means necessary to describe micro-optical system. This is useful when designing optical devices for imaging or illumination
Tunable scattering cancellation cloak with plasmonic ellipsoids in the visible
The scattering cancellation technique is a powerful tool to reduce the scattered field from electrically small objects in a specific frequency window. The technique relies on covering the object of interest with a shell that scatters light into a far field of equal strength as the object but with a phase shift of π. The resulting destructive interference prohibits its detection in measurements that probe the scattered light. Whereas at radio or microwave frequencies feasible designs have been proposed that allow us to tune the operational frequency upon request, similar capabilities have not yet been explored in the visible. However, such an ability is necessary to capitalize on the technique in many envisioned applications. Here, we solve the problem and study the use of small metallic nanoparticles with an ellipsoidal shape as the material from which the shell is made to build an isotropic geometry. Changing the aspect ratio of the ellipsoids allows us to change the operational frequency. The basic functionality is explored with two complementary analytical approaches. Additionally, we present a powerful multiscattering algorithm that can be used to perform full-wave simulations of clusters of arbitrary particles. We utilize this method to analyze the scattering of the presented designs numerically. Herein we provide useful guidelines for the fabrication of this cloak with self-assembly methods by investigating the effects of disorder
Tunable scattering cancellation cloak with plasmonic ellipsoids in the visible
The scattering cancellation technique is a powerful tool to reduce the scattered field from electrically small objects in a specific frequency window. The technique relies on covering the object of interest with a shell that scatters light into a far field of equal strength as the object but with a phase shift of π. The resulting destructive interference prohibits its detection in measurements that probe the scattered light. Whereas at radio or microwave frequencies feasible designs have been proposed that allow us to tune the operational frequency upon request, similar capabilities have not yet been explored in the visible. However, such an ability is necessary to capitalize on the technique in many envisioned applications. Here, we solve the problem and study the use of small metallic nanoparticles with an ellipsoidal shape as the material from which the shell is made to build an isotropic geometry. Changing the aspect ratio of the ellipsoids allows us to change the operational frequency. The basic functionality is explored with two complementary analytical approaches. Additionally, we present a powerful multiscattering algorithm that can be used to perform full-wave simulations of clusters of arbitrary particles. We utilize this method to analyze the scattering of the presented designs numerically. Herein we provide useful guidelines for the fabrication of this cloak with self-assembly methods by investigating the effects of disorder