Ultralong photonic nanojet formed by a two-layer dielectric microsphere

Opt Lett. 2014 Jul 15;39(14):4120-3. doi: 10.1364/OL.39.004120.

Abstract

A photonic nanojet is a highly focused optical beam with a subwavelength waist on the shadow side of the sphere. Successful far-field applications require long nanojets that extend afar. Using the exact Mie theory, we show that ultralong nanojets can be generated using a simple two-layer microsphere structure, using conventional optical materials that are readily available. In particular, we show that for a glass-based two-layer microsphere, the nanojet has an extension of 22 wavelengths. We also show that long nanojets can be formed using semiconductors at infrared frequencies in free space.

MeSH terms

  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Electric Impedance
  • Light
  • Lighting / instrumentation*
  • Microspheres*
  • Nanotechnology / instrumentation
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Photons*
  • Refractometry / instrumentation*
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Semiconductors*
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / instrumentation*