Visible light focusing demonstrated by plasmonic lenses based on nano-slits in an aluminum film

Chen, Q. and Cumming, D.R.S. (2010) Visible light focusing demonstrated by plasmonic lenses based on nano-slits in an aluminum film. Optics Express, 18(14), pp. 14788-14793. (doi: 10.1364/OE.18.014788)

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate plasmonic lenses working in the visible range with well controlled focal lengths using nano-slits in an aluminum film. The fabricated lenses were characterized using confocal scanning optical microscopy. Two lenses with a design focal length 3 mu m and 6 mu m at 633 nm were investigated in detail. The full-width half-maximum beam width at the focal point was found to be 470 nm and 490 nm, and the extension of the light spot was 1.3 mu m and 2.3 mu m respectively. Lens performance compared extremely well with the expected behaviour from finite-difference time-domain modeling. The focal length from experiment and simulation agreed to within 3.5%. The lens manufacture was found to be insensitive to deviations from the optimum process parameters indicating that lens components can be reliably designed and produced.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Cumming, Professor David and Chen, Dr Qin
• Authors: Chen, Q., and Cumming, D.R.S.
• Subjects: T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
• Journal Name: Optics Express
• Publisher: Optical Society of America
• ISSN: 1094-4087
• ISSN (Online): 1094-4087