1
|
He J, Liu H, Zhao D, Mehta JS, Qiu CW, Sun F, Teng J, Huang K. High-order diffraction for optical superfocusing. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7819. [PMID: 39242615 PMCID: PMC11379695 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52256-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 09/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024] Open
Abstract
High-order diffraction (HOD) from optical microstructures is undesirable in many applications because of the accompanying ghosting patterns and loss of efficiency. In contrast to suppressing HOD with subwavelength structures that challenge the fabrication of large-scale devices, managing HOD is less developed due to the lack of an efficient method for independently manipulating HOD. Here, we report independent manipulation of HODs, which are unexploited for subdiffraction-limit focusing in diffractive lenses, through an analytical formula that correlates the diffraction order and the width of each zone. The large spatial frequencies offered by the HODs enable our lenses to reduce the lateral focal size down to 0.44 λ even without any subwavelength feature (indispensable in most high-NA diffractive lenses), facilitating large-scale manufacture. Experimentally, we demonstrate high-order lens-based confocal imaging with a center-to-center dry resolution of 190 nm, the highest among visible-light confocal microscopies, and laser-ablation lithography with achieved direct-writing resolution of 400 nm (0.385 λ).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun He
- Department of Optics and Optical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, #08-03, Innovis, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Dong Zhao
- Department of Optics and Optical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jodhbir S Mehta
- Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Cheng-Wei Qiu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fangwen Sun
- Department of Optics and Optical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jinghua Teng
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, #08-03, Innovis, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Kun Huang
- Department of Optics and Optical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bormashenko E. Landauer Bound in the Context of Minimal Physical Principles: Meaning, Experimental Verification, Controversies and Perspectives. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 26:423. [PMID: 38785672 PMCID: PMC11119825 DOI: 10.3390/e26050423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The physical roots, interpretation, controversies, and precise meaning of the Landauer principle are surveyed. The Landauer principle is a physical principle defining the lower theoretical limit of energy consumption necessary for computation. It states that an irreversible change in information stored in a computer, such as merging two computational paths, dissipates a minimum amount of heat kBTln2 per a bit of information to its surroundings. The Landauer principle is discussed in the context of fundamental physical limiting principles, such as the Abbe diffraction limit, the Margolus-Levitin limit, and the Bekenstein limit. Synthesis of the Landauer bound with the Abbe, Margolus-Levitin, and Bekenstein limits yields the minimal time of computation, which scales as τmin~hkBT. Decreasing the temperature of a thermal bath will decrease the energy consumption of a single computation, but in parallel, it will slow the computation. The Landauer principle bridges John Archibald Wheeler's "it from bit" paradigm and thermodynamics. Experimental verifications of the Landauer principle are surveyed. The interrelation between thermodynamic and logical irreversibility is addressed. Generalization of the Landauer principle to quantum and non-equilibrium systems is addressed. The Landauer principle represents the powerful heuristic principle bridging physics, information theory, and computer engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edward Bormashenko
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Materials, Engineering Sciences Faculty, Ariel University, Ariel 407000, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang W, Yan B, Wang H, Chen Y, Nie X, Yi C, Wang Z, Xu Z, Zeng J, Fan W. Wide-Field and Real-Time Super-Resolution Optical Imaging By Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle-Assembled Solid Immersion Lens. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2207596. [PMID: 36897007 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202207596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Super-resolution optical imaging techniques can break the optical diffraction limit, thus providing unique opportunities to visualize the microscopic world at the nanoscale. Although near-field optical microscopy techniques have been proven to achieve significantly improved imaging resolution, most near-field approaches still suffer from a narrow field of view (FOV) or difficulty in obtaining wide-field images in real time, which may limit their widespread and diverse applications. Here, the authors experimentally demonstrate an optical microscope magnification and image enhancement approach by using a submillimeter-sized solid immersion lens (SIL) assembled by densely-packed 15 nm TiO2 nanoparticles through a silicone oil two-step dehydration method. This TiO2 nanoparticle-assembled SIL can achieve both high transparency and high refractive index, as well as sufficient mechanical strength and easy-to-handle size, thus providing a fast, wide-field, real-time, non-destructive, and low-cost solution for improving the quality of optical microscopic observation of a variety of samples, including nanomaterials, cancer cells, and living cells or bacteria under conventional optical microscopes. This study provides an attractive alternative to simplify the fabrication and applications of high-performance SILs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weicheng Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Bing Yan
- School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 1UT, UK
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Yue Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Xiuyu Nie
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Changfeng Yi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Zengbo Wang
- School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 1UT, UK
| | - Zushun Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Jing Zeng
- Department of Materials Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Wen Fan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|