276 research outputs found
Polarization state of the optical near-field
The polarization state of the optical electromagnetic field lying several
nanometers above complex dielectric structures reveals the intricate
light-matter interaction that occurs in this near-field zone. This information
can only be extracted from an analysis of the polarization state of the
detected light in the near-field. These polarization states can be calculated
by different numerical methods well-suited to near--field optics. In this
paper, we apply two different techniques (Localized Green Function Method and
Differential Theory of Gratings) to separate each polarisation component
associated with both electric and magnetic optical near-fields produced by
nanometer sized objects. The analysis is carried out in two stages: in the
first stage, we use a simple dipolar model to achieve insight into the physical
origin of the near-field polarization state. In the second stage, we calculate
accurate numerical field maps, simulating experimental near-field light
detection, to supplement the data produced by analytical models. We conclude
this study by demonstrating the role played by the near-field polarization in
the formation of the local density of states.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Altered hippocampus synaptic function in selenoprotein P deficient mice
Selenium is an essential micronutrient that function through selenoproteins. Selenium deficiency results in lower concentrations of selenium and selenoproteins. The brain maintains it's selenium better than other tissues under low-selenium conditions. Recently, the selenium-containing protein selenoprotein P (Sepp) has been identified as a possible transporter of selenium. The targeted disruption of the selenoprotein P gene (Sepp1) results in decreased brain selenium concentration and neurological dysfunction, unless selenium intake is excessive However, the effect of selenoprotein P deficiency on the processes of memory formation and synaptic plasticity is unknown. In the present studies Sepp1(-/-) mice and wild type littermate controls (Sepp1(+/+)) fed a high-selenium diet (1 mg Se/kg) were used to characterize activity, motor coordination, and anxiety as well as hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Normal associative learning, but disrupted spatial learning was observed in Sepp1(-/-) mice. In addition, severe alterations were observed in synaptic transmission, short-term plasticity and long-term potentiation in hippocampus area CA1 synapses of Sepp1(-/-) mice on a 1 mg Se/kg diet and Sepp1(+/+) mice fed a selenium-deficient (0 mg Se/kg) diet. Taken together, these data suggest that selenoprotein P is required for normal synaptic function, either through presence of the protein or delivery of required selenium to the CNS
Efficient unidirectional nanoslit couplers for surface plasmons
Plasmonics is based on surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes which can be
laterally confined below the diffraction limit, thereby enabling ultracompact
optical components. In order to exploit this potential, the fundamental
bottleneck of poor light-SPP coupling must be overcome. In established SPP
sources (using prism, grating} or nanodefect coupling) incident light is a
source of noise for the SPP, unless the illumination occurs away from the
region of interest, increasing the system size and weakening the SPP intensity.
Back-side illumination of subwavelength apertures in optically thick metal
films eliminates this problem but does not ensure a unique propagation
direction for the SPP. We propose a novel back-side slit-illumination method
based on drilling a periodic array of indentations at one side of the slit. We
demonstrate that the SPP running in the array direction can be suppressed, and
the one propagating in the opposite direction enhanced, providing localized
unidirectional SPP launching.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure
Optical magnetic near-field intensities around nanometer-scale surface structures
Recently, local probes used in optical experiments added a new dimension to the study of the optical properties of small particles lying on a surface. Until now, several theoretical frameworks, developed to understand the interaction of optical fields with mesoscopic and nanoscopic objects, emphasized mainly the prediction of the electric near-field distributions generated by these structures. This paper demonstrates how such subwavelength dielectric surface structures also produce a particular confinement of the optical magnetic near field when the sample is illuminated by a surface wave
Phenothiazine-mediated rescue of cognition in tau transgenic mice requires neuroprotection and reduced soluble tau burden
Abstract Background It has traditionally been thought that the pathological accumulation of tau in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies facilitates neurodegeneration, which in turn leads to cognitive impairment. However, recent evidence suggests that tau tangles are not the entity responsible for memory loss, rather it is an intermediate tau species that disrupts neuronal function. Thus, efforts to discover therapeutics for tauopathies emphasize soluble tau reductions as well as neuroprotection. Results Here, we found that neuroprotection alone caused by methylene blue (MB), the parent compound of the anti-tau phenothiaziazine drug, Rember™, was insufficient to rescue cognition in a mouse model of the human tauopathy, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and fronto-temporal dementia with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP17): Only when levels of soluble tau protein were concomitantly reduced by a very high concentration of MB, was cognitive improvement observed. Thus, neurodegeneration can be decoupled from tau accumulation, but phenotypic improvement is only possible when soluble tau levels are also reduced. Conclusions Neuroprotection alone is not sufficient to rescue tau-induced memory loss in a transgenic mouse model. Development of neuroprotective agents is an area of intense investigation in the tauopathy drug discovery field. This may ultimately be an unsuccessful approach if soluble toxic tau intermediates are not also reduced. Thus, MB and related compounds, despite their pleiotropic nature, may be the proverbial "magic bullet" because they not only are neuroprotective, but are also able to facilitate soluble tau clearance. Moreover, this shows that neuroprotection is possible without reducing tau levels. This indicates that there is a definitive molecular link between tau and cell death cascades that can be disrupted.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78314/1/1750-1326-5-45.xmlhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78314/2/1750-1326-5-45.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78314/3/1750-1326-5-45-S1.PDFPeer Reviewe
Atomic diffraction from nanostructured optical potentials
We develop a versatile theoretical approach to the study of cold-atom
diffractive scattering from light-field gratings by combining calculations of
the optical near-field, generated by evanescent waves close to the surface of
periodic nanostructured arrays, together with advanced atom wavepacket
propagation on this optical potential.Comment: 8 figures, 10 pages, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Modulation of surface plasmon coupling-in by one-dimensional surface corrugation
Surface plasmon-polaritons have recently attracted renewed interest in the
scientific community for their potential in sub-wavelength optics, light
generation and non-destructive sensing. Given that they cannot be directly
excited by freely propagating light due to their intrinsical binding to the
metal surface, the light-plasmon coupling efficiency becomes of crucial
importance for the success of any plasmonic device. Here we present a
comprehensive study on the modulation (enhancement or suppression) of such
coupling efficiency by means of one-dimensional surface corrugation. Our
approach is based on simple wave interference and enables us to make
quantitative predictions which have been experimentally confirmed at both the
near infra-red and telecom ranges.Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures, submitted to New Journal of Physics, revised
tex
Plasmonic nanoparticle monomers and dimers: From nano-antennas to chiral metamaterials
We review the basic physics behind light interaction with plasmonic
nanoparticles. The theoretical foundations of light scattering on one metallic
particle (a plasmonic monomer) and two interacting particles (a plasmonic
dimer) are systematically investigated. Expressions for effective particle
susceptibility (polarizability) are derived, and applications of these results
to plasmonic nanoantennas are outlined. In the long-wavelength limit, the
effective macroscopic parameters of an array of plasmonic dimers are
calculated. These parameters are attributable to an effective medium
corresponding to a dilute arrangement of nanoparticles, i.e., a metamaterial
where plasmonic monomers or dimers have the function of "meta-atoms". It is
shown that planar dimers consisting of rod-like particles generally possess
elliptical dichroism and function as atoms for planar chiral metamaterials. The
fabricational simplicity of the proposed rod-dimer geometry can be used in the
design of more cost-effective chiral metamaterials in the optical domain.Comment: submitted to Appl. Phys.
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