This paper reports the experimental and theoretical investigation of the Talbot effect beyond the paraxial limit at optical frequencies. Au hole array films with periodicity _{$a_0$} comparable to the wavelength of coherent illumination λ were used to study the non-paraxial Talbot effect. Significant differences from the paraxial (classical) Talbot effect were observed. Depending on the ratio of _{$a_0/\lambda$} , the interference pattern in the direction perpendicular to the hole array was not necessarily periodic, and the self-image distances deviated from the paraxial Talbot distances. Defects within the hole array film or above the film were healed in the self-images as the light propagated from the surface.

© 2012 OSA

1. M. Masud, Classical Optics and its Applications (Cambridge University Press, 2002), Chap. 18.
2. M. S. Chapman, C. R. Ekstrom, T. D. Hammond, J. Schmiedmayer, B. E. Tannian, S. Wehinger, and D. E. Pritchard, “Near-field imaging of atom diffraction gratings—the atomic Talbot effect,” Phys. Rev. A51(1), R14–R17 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. M. R. Dennis, N. I. Zheludev, and F. J. García de Abajo, “The plasmon Talbot effect,” Opt. Express15(15), 9692–9700 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. L. Rayleigh, “On copying diffraction gratings, and on some phenomena connected therewith,” Philos. Mag.11, 196–205 (1881).
5. M. V. Berry and S. Klein, “Integer, fractional and fractal Talbot effects,” J. Mod. Opt.43(10), 2139–2164 (1996). [CrossRef]
6. A. Isoyan, F. Jiang, Y. C. Cheng, F. Cerrina, P. Wachulak, L. Urbanski, J. Rocca, C. Menoni, and M. Marconi, “Talbot lithography: self-imaging of complex structures,” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B27(6), 2931–2937 (2009). [CrossRef]
7. Y. Nakano and K. Murata, “Talbot interferometry for measuring the focal length of a lens,” Appl. Opt.24(19), 3162–3166 (1985). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. Y. Y. Sun, X. C. Yuan, L. S. Ong, J. Bu, S. W. Zhu, and R. Liu, “Large-scale optical traps on a chip for optical sorting,” Appl. Phys. Lett.90(3), 031107 (2007). [CrossRef]
9. A. W. Lohmann and J. A. Thomas, “Making an array illuminator based on the Talbot effect,” Appl. Opt.29(29), 4337–4340 (1990). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. H. Dammann, G. Groh, and M. Kock, “Restoration of faulty images of periodic objects by means of self-imaging,” Appl. Opt.10(6), 1454–1455 (1971). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. W. B. Case, M. Tomandl, S. Deachapunya, and M. Arndt, “Realization of optical carpets in the Talbot and Talbot-Lau configurations,” Opt. Express17(23), 20966–20974 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. W. D. Montgomery, “Self-imaging objects of infinite aperture,” J. Opt. Soc. Am.57(6), 772–775 (1967). [CrossRef]
13. E. Noponen and J. Turunen, “Electromagnetic theory of Talbot imaging,” Opt. Commun.98(1-3), 132–140 (1993). [CrossRef]
14. J. D. Ring, J. Lindberg, C. J. Howls, and M. R. Dennis, “Aberration-like cusped focusing in the post-paraxial Talbot effect,” Opt. Lett.submitted.
15. M. H. Chowdhury, J. M. Catchmark, and J. R. Lakowicz, “Imaging three-dimensional light propagation through periodic nanohole arrays using scanning aperture microscopy,” Appl. Phys. Lett.91(10), 103118 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. W. W. Zhang, C. L. Zhao, J. Y. Wang, and J. S. Zhang, “An experimental study of the plasmonic Talbot effect,” Opt. Express17(22), 19757–19762 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. T. Saastamoinen, J. Tervo, P. Vahimaa, and J. Turunen, “Exact self-imaging of transversely periodic fields,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A21(8), 1424–1429 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
18. P. B. Johnson and R. W. Christy, “Optical-constants of Noble-metals,” Phys. Rev. B6(12), 4370–4379 (1972). [CrossRef]
19. J. Henzie, J. E. Barton, C. L. Stender, and T. W. Odom, “Large-area nanoscale patterning: chemistry meets fabrication,” Acc. Chem. Res.39(4), 249–257 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Arndt, M.
Barton, J. E.
Berry, M. V.
Bu, J.
Case, W. B.
Catchmark, J. M.
Cerrina, F.
Chapman, M. S.
Cheng, Y. C.
Chowdhury, M. H.
Christy, R. W.
Dammann, H.
Deachapunya, S.
Dennis, M. R.
Ekstrom, C. R.
García de Abajo, F. J.
Groh, G.
Hammond, T. D.
Henzie, J.
Howls, C. J.
Isoyan, A.
Jiang, F.
Johnson, P. B.
Klein, S.
Kock, M.
Lakowicz, J. R.
Lindberg, J.
Liu, R.
Lohmann, A. W.
Marconi, M.
Menoni, C.
Montgomery, W. D.
Murata, K.
Nakano, Y.
Noponen, E.
Odom, T. W.
Ong, L. S.
Pritchard, D. E.
Rayleigh, L.
Ring, J. D.
Rocca, J.
Saastamoinen, T.
Schmiedmayer, J.
Stender, C. L.
Sun, Y. Y.
Tannian, B. E.
Tervo, J.
Thomas, J. A.
Tomandl, M.
Turunen, J.
Urbanski, L.
Vahimaa, P.
Wachulak, P.
Wang, J. Y.
Wehinger, S.
Yuan, X. C.
Zhang, J. S.
Zhang, W. W.
Zhao, C. L.
Zheludev, N. I.
Zhu, S. W.

Acc. Chem. Res.

• J. Henzie, J. E. Barton, C. L. Stender, and T. W. Odom, “Large-area nanoscale patterning: chemistry meets fabrication,” Acc. Chem. Res.39(4), 249–257 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Opt.

• Y. Nakano and K. Murata, “Talbot interferometry for measuring the focal length of a lens,” Appl. Opt.24(19), 3162–3166 (1985). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. W. Lohmann and J. A. Thomas, “Making an array illuminator based on the Talbot effect,” Appl. Opt.29(29), 4337–4340 (1990). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• H. Dammann, G. Groh, and M. Kock, “Restoration of faulty images of periodic objects by means of self-imaging,” Appl. Opt.10(6), 1454–1455 (1971). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• M. H. Chowdhury, J. M. Catchmark, and J. R. Lakowicz, “Imaging three-dimensional light propagation through periodic nanohole arrays using scanning aperture microscopy,” Appl. Phys. Lett.91(10), 103118 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Y. Y. Sun, X. C. Yuan, L. S. Ong, J. Bu, S. W. Zhu, and R. Liu, “Large-scale optical traps on a chip for optical sorting,” Appl. Phys. Lett.90(3), 031107 (2007). [CrossRef]

J. Mod. Opt.

• M. V. Berry and S. Klein, “Integer, fractional and fractal Talbot effects,” J. Mod. Opt.43(10), 2139–2164 (1996). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am.

• W. D. Montgomery, “Self-imaging objects of infinite aperture,” J. Opt. Soc. Am.57(6), 772–775 (1967). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. A

• T. Saastamoinen, J. Tervo, P. Vahimaa, and J. Turunen, “Exact self-imaging of transversely periodic fields,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A21(8), 1424–1429 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B

• A. Isoyan, F. Jiang, Y. C. Cheng, F. Cerrina, P. Wachulak, L. Urbanski, J. Rocca, C. Menoni, and M. Marconi, “Talbot lithography: self-imaging of complex structures,” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B27(6), 2931–2937 (2009). [CrossRef]

Opt. Commun.

• E. Noponen and J. Turunen, “Electromagnetic theory of Talbot imaging,” Opt. Commun.98(1-3), 132–140 (1993). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• W. B. Case, M. Tomandl, S. Deachapunya, and M. Arndt, “Realization of optical carpets in the Talbot and Talbot-Lau configurations,” Opt. Express17(23), 20966–20974 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• W. W. Zhang, C. L. Zhao, J. Y. Wang, and J. S. Zhang, “An experimental study of the plasmonic Talbot effect,” Opt. Express17(22), 19757–19762 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. R. Dennis, N. I. Zheludev, and F. J. García de Abajo, “The plasmon Talbot effect,” Opt. Express15(15), 9692–9700 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• J. D. Ring, J. Lindberg, C. J. Howls, and M. R. Dennis, “Aberration-like cusped focusing in the post-paraxial Talbot effect,” Opt. Lett.submitted.

Philos. Mag.

• L. Rayleigh, “On copying diffraction gratings, and on some phenomena connected therewith,” Philos. Mag.11, 196–205 (1881).

Phys. Rev. A

• M. S. Chapman, C. R. Ekstrom, T. D. Hammond, J. Schmiedmayer, B. E. Tannian, S. Wehinger, and D. E. Pritchard, “Near-field imaging of atom diffraction gratings—the atomic Talbot effect,” Phys. Rev. A51(1), R14–R17 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. B

• P. B. Johnson and R. W. Christy, “Optical-constants of Noble-metals,” Phys. Rev. B6(12), 4370–4379 (1972). [CrossRef]

Other

• M. Masud, Classical Optics and its Applications (Cambridge University Press, 2002), Chap. 18.

2009, Isoyan, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B
2009, Case, Opt. Express
2009, Zhang, Opt. Express
2007, Chowdhury, Appl. Phys. Lett.
2007, Sun, Appl. Phys. Lett.
2007, Dennis, Opt. Express
2006, Henzie, Acc. Chem. Res.
2004, Saastamoinen, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A
1996, Berry, J. Mod. Opt.
1995, Chapman, Phys. Rev. A
1993, Noponen, Opt. Commun.
1990, Lohmann, Appl. Opt.
1985, Nakano, Appl. Opt.
1972, Johnson, Phys. Rev. B
1971, Dammann, Appl. Opt.
1967, Montgomery, J. Opt. Soc. Am.
1881, Rayleigh, Philos. Mag.

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