Miniature optical components at the wavelength scale remain today a theoretically opened challenging problem of great technological interest. Appart from refractive micro-optics, plasmonics have been proposed to realize micro lenses with properly designed planar metallic nano-patterns. We show in this paper that efficient light focusing at the diffraction limit with higher transmission can be obtained with micro-structures much easier to fabricate than nano ones, such as a simple micro-slit studied here as an example. Optical properties are attributed to diffraction and a quantitative excellent agreement between experiment and theory is obtained.

© 2012 OSA

1. V. M. Shalaev, “Optical negative-index Metamaterials,” Nat. Photonics1(1), 41–48 (2007). [CrossRef]
2. T. W. Ebbesen, H. J. Lezec, H. F. Ghaemi, T. Thio, and P. A. Wolff, “Extraordinary optical transmission through sub-wavelength hole arrays,” Nature391(6668), 667–669 (1998). [CrossRef]
3. H. Liu and P. Lalanne, “Microscopic theory of the extraordinary optical transmission,” Nature452(7188), 728–731 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. P. Nagpal, N. C. Lindquist, S.-H. Oh, and D. J. Norris, “Ultrasmooth Patterned Metals for Plasmonics and Metamaterials,” Science325(5940), 594–597 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. A. Devilez, B. Stout, N. Bonod, and E. Popov, “Spectral analysis of three-dimensional photonic jets,” Opt. Express16(18), 14200–14212 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. Y. Fu and X. Zhou, “Plasmonic lenses: a review,” Plasmonics5(3), 287–310 (2010). [CrossRef]
7. Z. Sun and H. K. Kim, “Refractive transmission of light and beam shaping with metallic nano-optic lenses,” Appl. Phys. Lett.85(4), 642–644 (2004). [CrossRef]
8. L. Verslegers, B. Catrysse, Z. Yu, J. S. White, E. S. B. Brongersma, and S. M. L. Fan, “Planar lenses based on nanoscale slitsArrays in metallic film,” Nano Lett.9(1), 235–238 (2009).
9. Q. Chen and D. R. Cumming, “Visible light focusing demonstrated by plasmonic lenses based on nano-slits in an aluminum film,” Opt. Express18(14), 14788–14793 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. S. Ishii, A. V. Kildishev, V. M. Shalaev, K.-P. Chen, and V. P. Drachev, “Metal nanoslit Lenses with polarization-selective design,” Opt. Lett.36(4), 451–453 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. M.-K. Chen, Y.-C. Chang, C.-E. Yang, Y. Guo, J. Mazurowski, S. Yin, P. Ruffin, C. Brantley, E. Edwards, and C. Luo, “Tunable terahertz plasmonic lenses based on semiconductor microslits,” Microw. Opt. Technol. Lett.52(4), 979–981 (2010). [CrossRef]
12. H. Gao, J. K. Hyun, M. H. Lee, J.-C. Yang, L. J. Lauhon, and T. W. Odom, “Broadband plasmonic microlenses based on patches of nanoholes,” Nano Lett.10(10), 4111–4116 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. F. M. Huang, T. S. Kao, V. A. Fedotov, Y. Chen, and N. I. Zheludev, “Nanohole array as a Lens,” Nano Lett.8(8), 2469–2472 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
14. L. Lin, X. M. Goh, L. P. McGuinness, and A. Roberts, “Plasmonic lenses formed by two-dimensional nanometric cross-shaped aperture arrays for Fresnel-region focusing,” Nano Lett.10(5), 1936–1940 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. H. F. Talbot, “Facts relating to optical science,” Philos. Mag.9, 401–407 (1836).
16. W. Zhang, C. Zhao, J. Wang, and J. Zhang, “An experimental study of the plasmonic Talbot effect,” Opt. Express17(22), 19757–19762 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. A. E. Çetin, K. Güven, and Ö. E. Müstecaplioğlu, “Active control of focal length and beam deflection in a metallic nanoslit array lens with multiple sources,” Opt. Lett.35(12), 1980–1982 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
18. S. Zaiba, T. Kouriba, O. Ziane, O. Stéphan, J. Bosson, G. Vitrant, and P. L. Baldeck, “Metallic nanowires can lead to wavelength-scale microlenses and microlens arrays,” Opt. Express20(14), 15516–15521 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
19. O.Ziane, S.Zaiba, T.Kouriba, J.Bosson, G. Vitrant, and P. L. Baldeck, “Cylindrical planar microlens based on diffraction of parallel metallic nanowires,” accepted for publication in J. Opt. Soc. Am. B.
20. M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of Optics, 7th ed (Pergamon, 1999), Chap. 8.
21. J. A. C. Veerman, J. J. Rusch, and H. P. Urbach, “Calculation of the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction integral by exact integration of the fast oscillating factor,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A22(4), 636–646 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
22. L. Vurth, P. L. Baldeck, O. Stephan, and I. Grosu, “Fabrication of 3D metallic micro/nanostructures by two-photon absorption,” J. Optoelectron. Adv. Materials10, 2199–2204 (2008). [CrossRef]
23. P. Ginzburg, E. Hirshberg, and M. Orenstein, “Rigorous analysis of vectorial plasmonic diffraction: single- and double-slit experiments,” J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt.11(11), 114024 (2009). [CrossRef]
24. H. J. Lezec, A. Degiron, E. Devaux, R. A. Linke, L. Martin-Moreno, F. J. Garcia-Vidal, and T. W. Ebbesen, “Beaming light from a subwavelength aperture,” Science297(5582), 820–822 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
25. D. R. Jackson, J. Chen, R. Qiang, F. Capolino, and A. A. Oliner, “The role of leaky plasmon waves in the directive beaming of light through a subwavelength aperture,” Opt. Express16(26), 21271–21281 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Baldeck, P. L.
Bonod, N.
Bosson, J.
Brantley, C.
Brongersma, E. S. B.
Capolino, F.
Catrysse, B.
Çetin, A. E.
Chang, Y.-C.
Chen, J.
Chen, K.-P.
Chen, M.-K.
Chen, Q.
Chen, Y.
Cumming, D. R.
Degiron, A.
Devaux, E.
Devilez, A.
Drachev, V. P.
Ebbesen, T. W.
Edwards, E.
Fan, S. M. L.
Fedotov, V. A.
Fu, Y.
Gao, H.
Garcia-Vidal, F. J.
Ghaemi, H. F.
Ginzburg, P.
Goh, X. M.
Grosu, I.
Guo, Y.
Güven, K.
Hirshberg, E.
Huang, F. M.
Hyun, J. K.
Ishii, S.
Jackson, D. R.
Kao, T. S.
Kildishev, A. V.
Kim, H. K.
Kouriba, T.
Lalanne, P.
Lauhon, L. J.
Lee, M. H.
Lezec, H. J.
Lin, L.
Lindquist, N. C.
Linke, R. A.
Liu, H.
Luo, C.
Martin-Moreno, L.
Mazurowski, J.
McGuinness, L. P.
Müstecaplioglu, Ö. E.
Nagpal, P.
Norris, D. J.
Odom, T. W.
Oh, S.-H.
Oliner, A. A.
Orenstein, M.
Popov, E.
Qiang, R.
Roberts, A.
Ruffin, P.
Rusch, J. J.
Shalaev, V. M.
Stephan, O.
Stéphan, O.
Stout, B.
Sun, Z.
Talbot, H. F.
Thio, T.
Urbach, H. P.
Veerman, J. A. C.
Verslegers, L.
Vitrant, G.
Vurth, L.
Wang, J.
White, J. S.
Wolff, P. A.
Yang, C.-E.
Yang, J.-C.
Yin, S.
Yu, Z.
Zaiba, S.
Zhang, J.
Zhang, W.
Zhao, C.
Zheludev, N. I.
Zhou, X.
Ziane, O.

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• Z. Sun and H. K. Kim, “Refractive transmission of light and beam shaping with metallic nano-optic lenses,” Appl. Phys. Lett.85(4), 642–644 (2004). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt.

• P. Ginzburg, E. Hirshberg, and M. Orenstein, “Rigorous analysis of vectorial plasmonic diffraction: single- and double-slit experiments,” J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt.11(11), 114024 (2009). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. A

• J. A. C. Veerman, J. J. Rusch, and H. P. Urbach, “Calculation of the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction integral by exact integration of the fast oscillating factor,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A22(4), 636–646 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Optoelectron. Adv. Materials

• L. Vurth, P. L. Baldeck, O. Stephan, and I. Grosu, “Fabrication of 3D metallic micro/nanostructures by two-photon absorption,” J. Optoelectron. Adv. Materials10, 2199–2204 (2008). [CrossRef]

Microw. Opt. Technol. Lett.

• M.-K. Chen, Y.-C. Chang, C.-E. Yang, Y. Guo, J. Mazurowski, S. Yin, P. Ruffin, C. Brantley, E. Edwards, and C. Luo, “Tunable terahertz plasmonic lenses based on semiconductor microslits,” Microw. Opt. Technol. Lett.52(4), 979–981 (2010). [CrossRef]

Nano Lett.

• H. Gao, J. K. Hyun, M. H. Lee, J.-C. Yang, L. J. Lauhon, and T. W. Odom, “Broadband plasmonic microlenses based on patches of nanoholes,” Nano Lett.10(10), 4111–4116 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• F. M. Huang, T. S. Kao, V. A. Fedotov, Y. Chen, and N. I. Zheludev, “Nanohole array as a Lens,” Nano Lett.8(8), 2469–2472 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• L. Lin, X. M. Goh, L. P. McGuinness, and A. Roberts, “Plasmonic lenses formed by two-dimensional nanometric cross-shaped aperture arrays for Fresnel-region focusing,” Nano Lett.10(5), 1936–1940 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• L. Verslegers, B. Catrysse, Z. Yu, J. S. White, E. S. B. Brongersma, and S. M. L. Fan, “Planar lenses based on nanoscale slitsArrays in metallic film,” Nano Lett.9(1), 235–238 (2009).

Nat. Photonics

• V. M. Shalaev, “Optical negative-index Metamaterials,” Nat. Photonics1(1), 41–48 (2007). [CrossRef]

Nature

• T. W. Ebbesen, H. J. Lezec, H. F. Ghaemi, T. Thio, and P. A. Wolff, “Extraordinary optical transmission through sub-wavelength hole arrays,” Nature391(6668), 667–669 (1998). [CrossRef]
• H. Liu and P. Lalanne, “Microscopic theory of the extraordinary optical transmission,” Nature452(7188), 728–731 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Express

• Q. Chen and D. R. Cumming, “Visible light focusing demonstrated by plasmonic lenses based on nano-slits in an aluminum film,” Opt. Express18(14), 14788–14793 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. Devilez, B. Stout, N. Bonod, and E. Popov, “Spectral analysis of three-dimensional photonic jets,” Opt. Express16(18), 14200–14212 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• W. Zhang, C. Zhao, J. Wang, and J. Zhang, “An experimental study of the plasmonic Talbot effect,” Opt. Express17(22), 19757–19762 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. Zaiba, T. Kouriba, O. Ziane, O. Stéphan, J. Bosson, G. Vitrant, and P. L. Baldeck, “Metallic nanowires can lead to wavelength-scale microlenses and microlens arrays,” Opt. Express20(14), 15516–15521 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• D. R. Jackson, J. Chen, R. Qiang, F. Capolino, and A. A. Oliner, “The role of leaky plasmon waves in the directive beaming of light through a subwavelength aperture,” Opt. Express16(26), 21271–21281 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• A. E. Çetin, K. Güven, and Ö. E. Müstecaplioğlu, “Active control of focal length and beam deflection in a metallic nanoslit array lens with multiple sources,” Opt. Lett.35(12), 1980–1982 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. Ishii, A. V. Kildishev, V. M. Shalaev, K.-P. Chen, and V. P. Drachev, “Metal nanoslit Lenses with polarization-selective design,” Opt. Lett.36(4), 451–453 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Philos. Mag.

• H. F. Talbot, “Facts relating to optical science,” Philos. Mag.9, 401–407 (1836).

Plasmonics

• Y. Fu and X. Zhou, “Plasmonic lenses: a review,” Plasmonics5(3), 287–310 (2010). [CrossRef]

Science

• P. Nagpal, N. C. Lindquist, S.-H. Oh, and D. J. Norris, “Ultrasmooth Patterned Metals for Plasmonics and Metamaterials,” Science325(5940), 594–597 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• H. J. Lezec, A. Degiron, E. Devaux, R. A. Linke, L. Martin-Moreno, F. J. Garcia-Vidal, and T. W. Ebbesen, “Beaming light from a subwavelength aperture,” Science297(5582), 820–822 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• O.Ziane, S.Zaiba, T.Kouriba, J.Bosson, G. Vitrant, and P. L. Baldeck, “Cylindrical planar microlens based on diffraction of parallel metallic nanowires,” accepted for publication in J. Opt. Soc. Am. B.
• M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of Optics, 7th ed (Pergamon, 1999), Chap. 8.

2012, Zaiba, Opt. Express
2011, Ishii, Opt. Lett.
2010, Chen, Microw. Opt. Technol. Lett.
2010, Gao, Nano Lett.
2010, Lin, Nano Lett.
2010, Chen, Opt. Express
2010, Fu, Plasmonics
2010, Çetin, Opt. Lett.
2009, Ginzburg, J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt.
2009, Verslegers, Nano Lett.
2009, Nagpal, Science
2009, Zhang, Opt. Express
2008, Huang, Nano Lett.
2008, Devilez, Opt. Express
2008, Liu, Nature
2008, Jackson, Opt. Express
2008, Vurth, J. Optoelectron. Adv. Materials
2007, Shalaev, Nat. Photonics
2005, Veerman, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A
2004, Sun, Appl. Phys. Lett.
2002, Lezec, Science
1998, Ebbesen, Nature
1836, Talbot, Philos. Mag.

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