Microsphere-chain waveguides: Focusing and transport properties

Abstract

It is shown that the focusing properties of polystyrene microsphere-chain waveguides (MCWs) formed by sufficiently large spheres (D ≥ 20λ, where D is the sphere diameter and λ is the wavelength of light) scale with the sphere diameter as predicted by geometrical optics. However, this scaling behavior does not hold for mesoscale MCWs with D ≤ 10λ resulting in a periodical focusing with gradually reducing beam waists and in extremely small propagation losses. The observed effects are related to properties of nanojet-induced and periodically focused modes in such structures. The results can be used for developing focusing microprobes, laser scalpels, and polarization filters.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Jul 14, 2014
Source ID
10.1063/1.4890595

Entities

People

  • Anatole Lupu
  • Arash Darafsheh
  • Farzaneh Abolmaali
  • Kenneth W. Allen
  • Neda Mojaverian
  • Nicholaos I. Limberopoulos
  • Vasily N. Astratov

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory
  • Army Research Office
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  • University of Paris-Sud

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Industrial Economics
  • Microwave Engineering.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy