Search

Frequency-domain probe beam deflection (FD-PBD) is an experimental technique for measuring thermal properties that combines heating by a modulated pump laser and measurement of the temperature field via thermoelastic displacement of the sample surface. In the conventional implementation of FD-PBD, the data are mostly sensitive to the in-plane thermal diffusivity. We describe an extension of FD-PBD that introduces sensitivity to through-plane thermal conductance by immersing the sample in a dielectric liquid and measuring the beam deflection created by the temperature field of the liquid. We demonstrate the accuracy of the method by measuring (1) the thermal conductivity of a 310 nm thick thermally grown oxide on Si, (2) the thermal boundary conductance of bonded interface between a 3C-SiC film and a single crystal diamond substrate, and (3) the thermal conductivities of several bulk materials. We map the thermal boundary conductance of a 3C-SiC/diamond interface with a precision of 1% using a lock-in time constant of 3 ms and dwell time of 15 ms. The spatial resolution and maximum probing depth are proportional to the radius of the focused laser beams and can be varied over the range of 1–20 μm and 4–80 μm, respectively, by varying the 1/e2 intensity radius of the focused laser beams from 2 to 40 μm. FD-PBD with liquid immersion thus enables fast mapping of spatial variations in thermal boundary conductance of deeply buried interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In fiber spinning of photopolymers, surface tension limits the diameter of the fiber that can be produced due to the Rayleigh–Plateau instability. Submerging a pre-fiber jet in a miscible environment liberates the system from capillary effects, thus allowing the jet to be stretched into thin threads without instability. In this work, we systematically investigated a spinning method using miscible liquids, called jet-assisted wet spinning (JAWS), where stretching is achieved by a nearby submerged liquid jet. The diameter of the pre-fiber jet is a function of its flow rate and position relative to the assisting submerged liquid jet. A particular case where the main jet is modeled as the Landau–Squire jet is used to demonstrate the tracer-like thinning behavior of the pre-fiber jet. Experiments show that buoyancy has a significant impact on the pre-fiber jet diameter because of its influence on the entrainment trajectory. Overall, our results demonstrate the potential for the parallelization of JAWS for high-throughput fiber production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has brought widespread attention as a host material of various quantum emitters due to its two-dimensional nature and wide bandgap. Among the versatile quantum emitters in hBN, the negatively charged boron vacancy ( V B − ) stands out for its high contrast of optically detected magnetic resonance signal and the ability of spin control. Here, we report a method to implement 8.6-fold photoluminescence enhancement of V B − by using a solid immersion lens (SIL). We further combined an Au waveguide, Ag nanoparticles, and SIL to achieve an 18.6-fold photoluminescence overall enhancement of V B − . Our work provides a portable method to enhance the collection and emission efficiency of V B − , which is helpful for its practical applications in quantum technologies such as quantum sensing and quantum information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on ten-stage interband cascade light-emitting diodes (ICLEDs) using an InAs/GaAsSb superlattices active region with a peak emission wavelength of 4.9 μm at the temperature of 80 K. The ICLED devices integrated with an immersion lens achieve a wall-plug quantum efficiency of 6.6% and an emittance of 1.9 W/cm2 under 80 K and 7.7 A/cm2, which is seven times larger than the basic device without the immersion lens. We present a detailed analysis of the recombination rates and their relationship with the quantum efficiency. The Shockley–Read–Hall and Auger recombination rates were measured using carrier-density dependent time-resolved photoluminescence spectra. The band structure of InAs/GaAsSb superlattices is calculated to study their relationship with the Auger recombination rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grayscale lithography allows the creation of micrometer-scale features with spatially controlled height in a process that is fully compatible with standard lithography. Here, solid immersion lenses are demonstrated in silicon carbide using a fabrication protocol combining grayscale lithography and hard-mask techniques to allow nearly hemispherical lenses of 5 μ m radius to be etched into the substrate. Lens performance was benchmarked by studying the enhancement obtained in the optical collection efficiency for single quantum emitters hosted in silicon carbide. Enhancement by a factor of 4.4 ± 1.0 was measured for emitters not registered to the center of the lens, consistent with devices fabricated through other methods. The grayscale hard-mask technique is highly reproducible, scalable, and compatible with CMOS technology, and device aspect ratios can be tuned after resist patterning by controlling the chemistry of the subsequent dry etch. These results provide a reproducible, low-cost, high-throughput and industrially relevant alternative to focused ion beam milling for the creation of high-aspect-ratio, rounded microstructures for quantum technology, and microphotonic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical components based on metasurfaces (metalenses) offer an alternative methodology for microlens arrays. In particular, metalens arrays have the potential of being monolithically integrated with infrared focal plane arrays (IR FPAs) to increase the operating temperature and sensitivity of the latter. In this work, we demonstrate a type of transmissive metalens that focuses the incident light (λ = 3–5 μm) on the detector plane after propagating through the substrate, i.e., solid-immersion type of focusing. The metalens is fabricated by etching the backside of the detector substrate material (GaSb here), making this approach compatible with the architecture of back-illuminated FPAs. In addition, our designs work for all incident polarizations. We fabricate a 10 × 10 metalens array that proves the scalability of this approach for FPAs. In the future, these solid-immersion metalenses arrays will be monolithically integrated with IR FPAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic waves have been widely applied in communications, medical treatment, military, and other aspects. In this Letter, we explore acoustic imaging properties of three-dimensional Maxwell's fish-eye lens (3D-MFEL) with elevated refractive index profile, the analytical and numerical results show that a 3D-MFEL based on solid immersion mechanism can achieve super-resolution imaging without chromatic aberration. In addition, introducing vortex waves into the 3D-MFEL, we further explore the super-resolution imaging properties in reconstructing vortex waves. The valid combination of 3D-MFEL and solid immersion mechanism provides a meaningful way for super-resolution imaging, which also paves a way forward for future designing and manufacturing in acoustic super-imaging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among wide-bandgap compound semiconductors, gallium nitride is the most widely available material due to its prevalence in the solid state lighting and high-speed/high-power electronics industries. It is now known that GaN is one of only a handful of materials to host color centers that emit quantum light at room temperature. In this paper, we report on a bright color center in a semi-polar gallium nitride substrate emitting at room temperature in the near-infrared. We show that a hemispherical solid immersion lens, near index matched to the semiconductor, can be used to enhance the photon collection efficiency by a factor of 4.3 ± 0.1 while improving the lateral resolution by a factor equal to the refractive index of the lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unique effects of terahertz (THz)-wave–matter interaction push rapid progress in THz optoelectronics aimed at bridging the problematic THz gap. However, majority of modern methods of THz spectroscopy and imaging are still hampered by low spatial resolution. Common lens/mirror-based THz optics fails to overcome the Abbe barrier and usually provides resolution larger than a free-space wavelength λ (i.e., hundreds of micrometers or even few millimeters). To mitigate this difficulty, supperresolution THz imaging modalities were introduced recently, among which we particularly underline different methods of THz scanning-probe near-field microscopy. They not only rely on strong light confinement on sub-wavelength probes and provide resolution down to ∼ 10 − 1 – 10 − 3 λ but also suffer from small energy efficiency or presume an interplay among imaging resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and performance. In this paper, we consider reflection-mode THz solid immersion (SI) microscopy that offers some compromise between the high imaging resolution of 0.15 λ and high energy efficiency, which is due to the absence of any subwavelength probe in an optical scheme. Recent achievements, challenging problems, and prospects of SI microscopy are overviewed with an emphasis on resolving the inverse problem and applications in THz biophotonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a method of terahertz (THz) solid immersion (SI) microscopy for continuous-wave reflection-mode imaging of soft biological tissues with a sub-wavelength spatial resolution. In order to achieve strong reduction in the dimensions of the THz beam caustic, an electromagnetic wave is focused into the evanescent field volume behind a medium with a high refractive index. We have experimentally demonstrated a 0.15λ-resolution of the proposed imaging modality at λ = 500 μm, which is beyond the Abbe diffraction limit and represents a considerable improvement over the previously-reported arrangements of SI imaging setups. The proposed technique does not involve any sub-wavelength near-field probes and diaphragms, thus, avoiding the THz beam attenuation due to such elements. We have applied the developed method for THz imaging of various soft tissues: a plant leaf blade, cell spheroids, and tissues of the breast ex vivo. Our THz images clearly reveal sub-wavelength features in tissues, therefore, promising applications of THz SI microscopy in biology and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modulating the thermal emission of a material in the infrared (IR) range can be essential for various practical applications such as smart textiles, camouflage, and anti-counterfeiting. Although many different materials or structures have been proposed, the complex manufacturing processes are still hindering their widespread use. Herein, a facile femtosecond laser processing technology and a drop-coating method are introduced to form a patternable low emissivity film. Laser-treated polyimide films resulted in superhydrophilic structured surfaces that are uniformly coated with silver-nanowires (AgNWs) in aqueous solutions for low emissivity surfaces. Furthermore, the emissivity of the samples is as low as ∼0.2 without deterioration over 800 bending-releasing cycles. The as-prepared films also display good thermal camouflage properties, namely, the films reduced the thermal radiation temperature of an object by 35.8 °C when the object temperature was ∼69.1 °C. Additionally, this IR camouflage effect of the AgNWs coated samples shows excellent stability even in harsh environments such as immersion in water, acid, alkali, and salt solution and applied voltage. We also show that information encryption was possible by adjusting the amount of AgNWs. The design of this programmable patterned low emissivity film indicates an idea for the thermal camouflage and anti-counterfeiting technology, which can carry more abundant application scenario and disguise them more complex and sophisticated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the design of a single element planar solid immersion lens which is theoretically capable of confining light to a focal spot with full width half maximum of 0.29 λ (154 nm at λ = 532 nm) and achieving an effective numerical aperture of 1.732. Devices are fabricated and initial optical characterization is performed using a far-field imaging technique providing a lower bound on the numerical aperture of 0.7. Experimental results compare well with two dimensional finite element method simulations. Devices can be mass produced using ultraviolet lithography and produce focal volumes lower than expensive microscope objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4H–silicon carbide (SiC) shows the capability of hosting a large number of promising emitters for quantum technology. However, due to its high refractive index, the collection of photoluminescence emission is compromised for further applications. Here, we demonstrate a scalable approach of manufacturing solid-immersion lenses (SILs) on 4H–SiC. The procedure results in SILs with high effective NA. The fluorescence collection efficiency of single quantum emitters under the SILs shows 3.4 times enhancement confirmed by confocal microscopy of individual V 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an experimental and theoretical study of the immersing properties of a micron-sized solid immersion lens (μ-SIL) and evaluate its capabilities of functioning as a near-field probe. It was found that the μ-SIL reduces an impinging focused spot by a factor of approximately its refractive index, similarly to a macroscopic solid immersion lens. This reduced immersed spot is used to investigate the visibility of a periodic grating structure. Results show an improvement in the visibility by approximately 30% when compared to confocal microscopy, demonstrating the potential application of these tiny micro-lenses as a near-field probe in scanning microscopy and other high-resolution optical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The refractive index of homogenous particle population can be determined by the so-called immersion liquid method. The idea is to find a known liquid whose refractive index matches the index of the particles. We report on a method that simultaneously obtains the refractive index of particles and that of the immersion liquid. It is based on a system using internal light reflection and Fresnel’s theory. The method includes a series of straightforward reflection measurements and a fitting procedure. The validity of the method was tested with CaF2 particles. The method has applications within scientific studies of microparticles and nanoparticles or micro-organism in suspensions. It can be also be utilized in industry for the detection of the refractive index of products involving particles for the purpose of improvement of product quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-state single-photon emitters are key components for integrated quantum photonic devices. However, they can suffer from poor extraction efficiencies, caused by the large refractive index contrast between the bulk material they are embedded in and air: this results in a small fraction (that can be as low as ∼0.1%) of the emitted photons reaching free-space collection optics. To overcome this issue, we present a device that combines a metallic nano-ring, positioned on the sample surface and centered around the emitter, and an epoxy-based super-solid immersion lens, deposited above the ring devices. We show that the combined broadband lensing effect of the nano-ring and the super-solid immersion lens significantly increases the extraction of light emitted by single InAs/GaAs quantum dots into free space: we observe cumulative enhancements that allow us to estimate photon fluxes on the first collecting lens approaching 1 × 106 counts per second, from a single quantum dot in bulk. The combined broad-band enhancement in the extraction of light can be implemented with any kind of classical and quantum solid-state emitter and opens the path to the realisation of scalable bright devices. The same approach can also be implemented to improve the absorption of light, for instance, for small-area broadband photo-detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnMgO thin films deposited on (100) Si substrates by RF sputtering were annealed at 800, 900, and 1000°C after phosphorus plasma immersion ion implantation. X-ray diffraction spectra confirmed the presence of (1010) and (1013) peaks for all the samples. However, in case of the annealed samples, the (0002) peak was also observed. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed the variation in surface morphology caused by phosphorus implantation. Implanted and non-implanted samples were compared to examine the effects of phosphorus implantation on the optical properties of ZnMgO. Optical characteristics were investigated by low-temperature (15 K) photoluminescence experiments. Inelastic exciton-exciton scattering and localized, and delocalized excitonic peaks appeared at 3.377, 3.42, and 3.45 eV, respectively, revealing the excitonic effect resulting from phosphorus implantation. This result is important because inelastic exciton-exciton scattering leads to nonlinear emission, which can improve the performance of many optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a technique for reflection mode immersion 2D laser-ultrasound tomography of solid objects with piecewise linear 2D surface profiles is presented. Pulsed laser radiation was used for generation of short ultrasonic probe pulses, providing high spatial resolution. A piezofilm sensor array was used for detection of the waves reflected by the surface and internal inhomogeneities of the object. The original ultrasonic image reconstruction algorithm accounting for refraction of acoustic waves at the liquid-solid interface provided longitudinal resolution better than 100 μm in the polymethyl methacrylate sample object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the enhancement of immersion nonlinear ultrasonic testing (NLUT) by exploiting superlattices (SLs). NLUT can detect sub-wavelength micro-structural changes in solids by measuring the fundamental and second harmonic frequencies. The amplitude of second harmonic frequency increases with the presence of defects or other heterogeneities. The immersion NLUT is beneficial as water provides a consistent coupling condition; however, water generates high nonlinearity that can mask the weak non-linearity originated from the micro-structural features in solids. In this research, SLs are proposed to remove the non-linearity arisen from water and experimental instruments. The SLs made of a periodic arrangement of composite layers can provide a band gap to restrict the propagation of a specific range of frequencies between transmitter and receiver. The periodic arrangement of solid-fluid layers is numerically designed and experimentally adapted to the immersion NLUT. Our results imply that the periodic array of 100 μm thick glass and 100 μm thick water layers provides a band gap that blocks 4.5MHz (the second harmonic frequency), while this periodic structure passes 2.25MHz (the first harmonic frequency). The improvement in the sensitivity of the NLUT is demonstrated through detecting the micro-structural changes associated with plastic deformation in aluminum 1100 specimens. It is revealed that the proposed methodology enhances the damage detection sensitivity of immersion NLUT by an order of magnitude as compared to the current practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the trapping of beads in water with a microfabricated Fresnel zone plate. Beads are loaded onto the microfabricated optical traps using conventional optical tweezers and fluorescence microscopy is used to track bead position. Analysis of the bead position as a function of time is used to determine trapping stiffness. We present experiments showing the three-dimensional trapping of 2 μm diameter beads with trapping stiffnesses that are comparable to conventional optical tweezers when the zone plate efficiency is taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1700-nm window has been demonstrated to be a promising excitation window for deep-tissue multiphoton microscopy (MPM). Long working-distance water immersion objective lenses are typically used for deep-tissue imaging. However, absorption due to immersion water at 1700 nm is still high and leads to dramatic decrease in signals. In this paper, we demonstrate measurement of absorption spectrum of deuterium oxide (D2O) from 1200 nm to 2600 nm, covering the three low water-absorption windows potentially applicable for deep-tissue imaging (1300 nm, 1700 nm, and 2200 nm). We apply this measured result to signal enhancement in MPM at the 1700-nm window. Compared with water immersion, D2O immersion enhances signal levels in second-harmonic generation imaging, 3-photon fluorescence imaging, and third-harmonic generation imaging by 8.1, 24.8, and 24.7 times with 1662-nm excitation, in good agreement with theoretical calculation based on our absorption measurement. This suggests D2O a promising immersion medium for deep-tissue imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmonic lithography has been used in nanofabrication because of its utility beyond the diffraction limit. The resolution of plasmonic lithography depends on the nano-gap between the nanoaperture and the photoresist surface--changing the gap distance can modulate the line-width of the pattern. In this letter, we demonstrate solid-immersion lens based active non-contact plasmonic lithography, applying a range of gap conditions to modulate the line-width of the pattern. Using a solid-immersion lens-based near-field control system, the nano-gap between the exit surface of the nanoaperture and the media can be actively modulated and maintained to within a few nanometers. The line-widths of the recorded patterns using 15- and 5-nm gaps were 47 and 19.5 nm, respectively, which matched closely the calculated full-width at half-maximum. From these results, we conclude that changing the nano-gap within a solid-immersion lens-based plasmonic head results in varying line-width patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]