Article
Optics
Guoqiang Gu, Pengcheng Zhang, Sihui Chen, Yi Zhang, Hui Yang
Summary: When light propagates through a microparticle, it converges and diverges rapidly or slowly at the output port, depending on the region of rapid change (RRC) or region of slow change (RSC). The boundary point between these two regions, known as the inflection point, is crucial in understanding this phenomenon. Using numerical simulations and theoretical analysis, studies have been conducted on the position of the photonic nanojet (PNJ) and near-field focusing, as well as the field distribution of light focusing under different refractive index contrasts.
PHOTONICS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
Zhuang-zhuang Zhou, Hassan Ali, Zhi-shan Hou, Wei Xue, Yu Cao
Summary: This article introduces the application of photonic nanojets (PNJs) in nanopatterning and the method of fabricating vector graphics nano-grooves by controlling the motion state of microspheres. The critical groove dimension can be customized by modulation in diameter and kinetics of the microspheres. Furthermore, the proposed method reduces the cost and complexity of photonic nanojets applied in nanopatterning.
JOURNAL OF CENTRAL SOUTH UNIVERSITY
(2022)
Article
Optics
Cheng-Yang Liu, Yu-Bin Chen, Chuan Li, Wei-Yu Chen, Shuo-Chih Chien
Summary: In this work, a high-intensity, curved focusing beam called photonic hook (PH) is generated by illuminating a Janus microcylinder with a point-source. By adjusting the location of the illumination, the shape and curvature of the PH can be efficiently controlled. The asymmetric vortices of Poynting vectors play a crucial role in producing a large bending angle in the PH.
JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Salvatore Surdo, Marti Duocastella, Alberto Diaspro
Summary: This review discusses the physics and engineering strategies of photonic nanojets and their recent implementations for generating arbitrary nanopatterns. The potential impact of nanopatterning technologies based on photonic nanojets in various biomedical areas is also highlighted.
Review
Optics
Heng Li, Wanying Song, Yanan Zhao, Qin Cao, Ahao Wen
Summary: This review summarizes the current types of microsphere lenses and their principles and applications in nano-optical trapping, signal enhancement, and super-resolution imaging, with particular attention paid to the research progress in photonic nanojets for the trapping, sensing, and imaging of biological cells and tissues.
Article
Optics
Song Zhou, Kaiwei Li, Yimin Wang
Summary: This study investigates tunable photonic nanojets (PNJs) using a dielectric nano-layer to control PNJ shape, showing that symmetric and asymmetric illumination can generate different shapes of PNJs. Additionally, an optical switch based on these results is presented for light-route selection.
Article
Optics
Hao Luo, Haibo Yu, Yangdong Wen, Jianchen Zheng, Xiaoduo Wang, Lianqing Liu
Summary: This study proposes a highly efficient, one-step method for preparing silicon oxide nanopatterns on silicon, combining femtosecond laser-induced silicon amorphization with subwavelength-scale beam waist of photonic nanojets to achieve challenging nanoscale resolution. The method shows potential for the fabrication of multifunctional surfaces, silicon-based chips, and silicon photonics.
Article
Physics, Applied
Kunpisit Kosumsupamala, Keito Tobe, Akihiro Tsuji, Daiya Seya, Hironori Seki, Nitipon Puttaraksa, Tatsunosuke Matsui, Hiroyuki Nishikawa
Summary: This study reports on the direct generation of photonic nanojets (PNJs) on PMMA micro-cylinders fabricated by proton beam writing. Results show that larger micro-cylinder diameters result in wider and longer PNJs, in agreement with simulation results. This fabrication method of micro-cylinders could provide specific PNJ properties for advancing sub-wavelength applications.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Optics
Wasem Aljuaid, Joseph Arnold Riley, Noel Healy, Victor Pacheco-Pena
Summary: In this manuscript, a method for high spatial resolution focusing of electromagnetic waves at telecommunication wavelengths using high-refractive index mesoscale dielectrics is presented. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and potential application value of this method.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Hsien-Chi Lai, Yu-Jui Wang, Chi-An Dai, Chun-Hway Hsueh, Shu-Jen Wang, Jia-Han Li
Summary: The SERS technique combined with photonic nanojets has successfully enhanced the sensitivity of Raman signals, particularly in the detection of plant growth regulator kinetin. It has also shown the capability of measuring ultra-low concentrations of kinetin. Numerical simulations suggest that this technique has considerable potential for various analytes in sensing applications.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Yajie Chen, Ying Wang, Xintao Zeng, Shifa Pan, Musheng Chen, Yongxi Zeng, Baoyu Fu, Pinghui Wu, Miao Pan
Summary: In this study, a photonic nanojet (PNJ) with ultrahigh quality factor formed by dielectric truncated microtoroid is proposed. The key properties of the PNJ, such as maximum intensity, length, and full-width at half maximum (FWHM), are analyzed in depth using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) analysis. The PNJ with an enhanced intensity, superlong length, and subwavelength FWHM is formed by a semi-microtoroid, achieving an ultrahigh quality factor that is tunable by changing the truncated proportions of the microtoroid. The compact structure and simple experimental operation make it promising for applications in various research fields.
IEEE PHOTONICS JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amartya Mandal, Pragya Tiwari, Paul K. Upputuri, Venkata R. Dantham
Summary: This article reports the theoretical investigation on the photonic nanojets (PNJs) of single dielectric microspheres illuminated by focused broadband radiation from various sources. The study explores the effects of incident beam waist, refractive index of the surrounding medium, and radius of the microsphere on the characteristic parameters of PNJs. Interestingly, the characteristic parameters of PNJs obtained from solid microspheres under broadband and monochromatic radiation are found to be close. Additionally, the study examines the characteristic parameters of PNJs from core-shell microspheres of different thicknesses illuminated by polychromatic radiation from commonly used sources. For each thickness, an appropriate wavelength of monochromatic radiation is found to generate PNJs with similar characteristic parameters to those obtained from polychromatic radiation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Samer Alabed, Ibrahim Mahariq, Mohammad Salman, Mustafa Kuzuoglu
Summary: This article utilizes a low-cost electromagnetic structure to emulate photonic nanojets and improve the efficiency of wireless relay networks. The application of the optimal single-relay selection method achieves full diversity gain with low complexity, and combining smart relays enhances network performance by achieving the highest coding and diversity gain. The proposed technique outperforms the best known single relay selection technique and the BER expressions from theoretical analysis match those obtained from simulations.
CMC-COMPUTERS MATERIALS & CONTINUA
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yahya Elkarkri, Xiaolai Li, Binglin Zeng, Zhaoxin Lian, Ji Zhou, Yuliang Wang
Summary: A method for micro/nanofabrication of polymer materials using a low-power continuous-wave laser based on laser photonic nanojets was proposed in this study. The use of photonic nanojets triggered thermoplasmonics allowed for the fabrication of sub-micrometer surface structures with a laser power threshold value down to 10 mW. The effects of microsphere diameters, gold layer thicknesses, and polymer film thicknesses on the fabricated microstructures were systematically investigated and aligned with simulation results.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jacopo Niccolo Cerasoni
Summary: The STIVA method presents a systematic approach for creating clear and competent lithic illustrations using vectorial graphics software. This method includes steps such as photography, software configuration, outline drawing, symbol creation, and is applicable for various purposes.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Salvatore Surdo, Marti Duocastella, Alberto Diaspro
Summary: This review discusses the physics and engineering strategies of photonic nanojets and their recent implementations for generating arbitrary nanopatterns. The potential impact of nanopatterning technologies based on photonic nanojets in various biomedical areas is also highlighted.
Review
Anatomy & Morphology
Samira Jadavi, Paolo Bianchini, Ornella Cavalleri, Silvia Dante, Claudio Canale, Alberto Diaspro
Summary: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a nano-mechanical tool used for biological studies at the molecular scale, measuring surface topography, mechanical, and electrical properties. Integrating AFM with super-resolved fluorescence microscopy addresses the resolution mismatch issue, while also utilizing the label-free imaging capabilities of AFM to complement fluorescence images. Recent research highlights the importance of combining these techniques in biological research for better specificity and resolution.
MICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Isotta Cainero, Elena Cerutti, Mario Faretta, Gaetano Ivan Dellino, Pier Giuseppe Pelicci, Alberto Diaspro, Luca Lanzano
Summary: There is a growing interest in quantifying the nanoscale spatial distributions of fluorescent probes using super-resolution microscopy, with an emphasis on colocalization analysis for understanding cellular processes and interactions. Image cross-correlation spectroscopy (ICCS) is a method used to study and quantify colocalization between multicolor images, offering the advantage of not requiring pre-segmentation of the sample into single objects. The combination of structured illumination microscopy (SIM) with ICCS (SIM-ICCS) provides a simple approach to quantify colocalization and measure nanoscale distances from multi-color SIM images.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Purnima N. Manghnani, Valentina Di Francesco, Carlo Panella La Capria, Michele Schlich, Marco Elvino Miali, Thomas Lee Moore, Alessandro Zunino, Marti Duocastella, Paolo Decuzzi
Summary: By utilizing two-photon polymerization in microfluidic channels, anisotropic PEGDA micro-hydrogels in the 1-10 μm size-range can be fabricated, carrying payloads of various nature. This approach could support the fabrication of micro-hydrogels with well-defined morphology, stiffness, and surface properties for sustained release of therapeutic agents.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Optics
Colin J. R. Sheppard, Artemi Bendandi, Aymeric Le Gratiet, Alberto Diaspro
Summary: This article reexamines the measures of purity for 3D partially polarized fields, focusing on the separation of circularly and linearly polarized contributions and introducing a new degree of total linear polarization. Explicit expressions for the characteristic decomposition based on coherency matrix elements are presented, including the special case of an intrinsic coherency matrix. The parameterization of the coherency matrix in terms of ellipticity, and the directions of the ellipse normal and major axis are investigated. The discussion also includes phase consistency and provides a comprehensive collection of results regarding intrinsic polarization properties.
JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA A-OPTICS IMAGE SCIENCE AND VISION
(2022)
Article
Optics
Colin J. R. Sheppard, Artemi Bendandi, Aymeric Le Gratiet, Alberto Diaspro
Summary: Depolarization is an important contrast mechanism in biological and medical imaging. This paper presents a historical review on polarization algebra, measures of depolarization, and purity spaces, and discusses their connections with the eigenvalues of the coherency matrix. The advantages of a barycentric eigenvalue space are outlined, and a new parameter called diattenuation-corrected purity is introduced. The use of a combination of eigenvalues of coherency matrices to specify the depolarization condition is proposed. The relationships between optical and polarimetric radar formalisms are also reviewed.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Barbara Storti, Benedetta Carlotti, Grazia Chiellini, Martina Ruglioni, Tiziano Salvadori, Marco Scotto, Fausto Elisei, Alberto Diaspro, Paolo Bianchini, Ranieri Bizzarri
Summary: By combining steady-state and ultrafast spectroscopy with gated STED imaging, this study demonstrates that F99S/M153T/V163A GFP is an efficient genetic reporter for STED imaging, with no excited state absorption at depletion wavelengths <600 nm and a long emission lifetime. This makes c3GFP a valuable alternative to more common, but less photostable, EGFP and YFP/Citrine mutants for STED imaging studies targeting the green-yellow region of the optical spectrum.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Narcis Vilar, Roger Artigas, Carlos Bermudez, Adam Thompson, Lewis Newton, Richard Leach, Marti Duocastella, Guillem Carles
Summary: Additive manufacturing (AM) is widely used for fabrication of complex-shaped parts, but the complex features on the surfaces pose challenges to optical measurement technologies. This study presents an optical system with a large numerical aperture and a wide field of view, capable of measuring AM parts in a single measurement without the need for lateral stitching to increase the field of view.
MEASUREMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Optics
Christos Alexandropoulos, Marti Duocastella
Summary: Various quantitative phase imaging techniques are capable of characterizing transparent and low-contrast samples without the need for dyes or probes. However, current implementations can be limited by the lack of suitable optical systems for fast and customizable focal plane selection. In this study, we combine acousto-optics with pulsed illumination to enable accurate and on-demand electronic defocus control for phase imaging, achieving diffraction-limited spatial resolution and high reconstruction fidelity. The system demonstrates feasibility by measuring dynamic events at rates as high as 100 phase maps per second, paving the way for quantitative phase imaging in various fields.
OPTICS AND LASERS IN ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Blanca Mestre-Tora, Marti Duocastella
Summary: Researchers demonstrate a method that uses ultrasound waves to locally modulate the optical properties of a turbid medium, significantly enhancing light focusing and potentially enabling real-time control of light inside living tissue.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ernest Marti Jerez, J. Marcos Fernandez Pradas, Pere Serra, Marti Duocastella
Summary: There are various strategies for fabricating microlenses, such as printing curable liquid prepolymers and laser-induced forward-transfer (LIFT) techniques, which have advantages in terms of integration, cost, and flexibility. However, the optical properties of the microlenses depend on the wettability of the liquid prepolymer, limiting their implementation in printing technologies. This study reports a strategy called print-n-release, which overcomes this limitation by depositing microdroplets on stretched elastomeric substrates, resulting in microlenses with enhanced contact angles and reduced focal lengths.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Mateu Colom, Pietro Ricci, Marti Duocastella
Summary: By combining wavefront sensing and Schlieren tomography, the rapid and direct quantification of 3D pressure fields can be achieved without the need for extensive calibration steps. By simultaneously capturing optical phase and intensity information using a Wavefront Sensor and Schlieren projections, 3D pressure fields can be reconstructed within a few seconds. The feasibility and accuracy of this approach have been demonstrated by comparing the results with calibrated hydrophone measurements and simulations.
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Alessandro Zunino, Francesco Garzella, Alberta Trianni, Peter Saggau, Paolo Bianchini, Alberto Diaspro, Marti Duocastella
Summary: The novel light-sheet microscope proposed is capable of high-speed volumetric imaging with high contrast and signal-to-noise ratio by extending the depth-of-field and encoding illumination with multiple light-sheets.
2021 CONFERENCE ON LASERS AND ELECTRO-OPTICS (CLEO)
(2021)
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Giorgio Tortarolo, Simonluca Piazza, Andrea Bucci, Paolo Bianchini, Colin J. R. Sheppard, Alberto Diaspro, Eli Slenders, Sami Koho, Marco Castello, Giuseppe Vicidomini
2021 CONFERENCE ON LASERS AND ELECTRO-OPTICS EUROPE & EUROPEAN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS CONFERENCE (CLEO/EUROPE-EQEC)
(2021)
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Andrea Mussini, Eleonora Uriati, Pietro Delcanale, Paolo Bianchini, Alberto Diaspro, Stefania Abbruzzetti, Cristiano Viappiani, Cormac Hally, Montserrat Agut, Santi Nonell
EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL WITH BIOPHYSICS LETTERS
(2021)
