Experimental confirmation at visible light wavelengths of the backscattering enhancement phenomenon of the photonic nanojet

doi:10.1364/OE.19.007084

Experimental confirmation at visible light wavelengths of the backscattering enhancement phenomenon of the photonic nanojet

Seungmoo Yang, Allen Taflove, and Vadim Backman »View Author Affiliations

Optics Express, Vol. 19, Issue 8, pp. 7084-7093 (2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.007084

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Abstract

We report what we believe is the first experimental confirmation at visible light wavelengths of the backscattering enhancement phenomenon of the photonic nanojet. A specially designed sample stage consisting of a multilayered sandwich of glass, solid polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and liquid PDMS, permitted the precise positioning of a gold nanoparticle of diameter between 50 and 100 nm within the nanojet emitted by a 4.4 μm diameter BaTiO₃ microsphere embedded within the PDMS. We determined that, when the gold nanoparticle is optimally positioned within the nanojet, the backscattering of the microsphere can greatly increase: for example, by 3:1 (200%) for the 50 nm gold nanoparticle. The increased backscattering is strongly dependent upon the illumination wavelength and the numerical aperture of the imaging system, and occurs for nonresonant illuminations of the isolated microsphere. Low objective numerical apertures of approximately 0.075 yield the maximum observed increases in backscattering. The measured data agree well with numerical calculations incorporating Mie-based theory and Fourier optics.

OCIS Codes
(170.0170) Medical optics and biotechnology : Medical optics and biotechnology
(290.1350) Scattering : Backscattering
(290.5850) Scattering : Scattering, particles

ToC Category:
Scattering

History
Original Manuscript: January 31, 2011
Revised Manuscript: March 21, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: March 21, 2011
Published: March 29, 2011

Virtual Issues
Vol. 6, Iss. 5 Virtual Journal for Biomedical Optics

Citation
Seungmoo Yang, Allen Taflove, and Vadim Backman, "Experimental confirmation at visible light wavelengths of the backscattering enhancement phenomenon of the photonic nanojet," Opt. Express 19, 7084-7093 (2011)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-19-8-7084

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References

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