Gianluigi Zito

Hypergeometric-Gaussian modes

We studied a novel family of paraxial laser beams forming an overcomplete yet nonorthogonal set of modes. These modes have a singular phase profile and are eigenfunctions of the photon orbital angular momentum. The intensity profile is characterized by a single brilliant ring with the singularity at its center, where the field amplitude vanishes. The complex amplitude is proportional to the degenerate (confluent) hypergeometric function, and therefore we term such beams hypergeometric-Gaussian (HyGG) modes. Unlike the recently introduced hypergeometric modes [Opt. Lett. 32, 742 (2007)], the HyGG modes carry a finite power and have been generated in this work with a liquid-crystal spatial light modulator. We briefly consider some subfamilies of the HyGG modes as the modified Bessel Gaussian modes, the modified exponential Gaussian modes, and the modified Laguerre-Gaussian modes.

Whispering gallery mode microsphere resonator integrated inside a microstructured optical fiber

Here we report on a novel in-fiber microresonator coupler, which combines a microstructured optical fiber (MOF) and a polystyrene microsphere (PM), embedded into one of its empty capillaries. The MOF consists of a germanium-doped silica core (~2.5 m), suspended within three hollow channels with a maximum dimension of ~11 m. The microsphere has a diameter of 10.4 m and a refractive index n=1.59 at 589 nm. After selection of a single PM from a glass micropipette and its controllable infiltration inside the fiber capillary with the help of a liquid solvent, the microsphere is placed inside the MOF, in contact with the core, ~3 cm from the fiber endface. The operation of the coupler when radiation is guided along the fiber has been investigated under two different launch/collection schemes, i.e. in the core-input/sphere-output (C/S) and the sphere-input/core-output (C/S) mode.

Two-dimensional photonic quasicrystals by single beam computer-generated holography

Recently important efforts have been dedicated to the realization of a new kind of photonic crystals, known as photonic quasicrystals, in which the lack of the translational symmetry is compensated by rotational symmetries not achievable by the conventional periodic crystals. Here we show a novel approach to their fabrication based on the use of a programmable Spatial Light Modulator encoding Computer-Generated Holograms. Using this single beam technique we fabricated Penrose-tiled structures possessing rotational symmetry up to 23-fold, and a two-dimensional Thue-Morse structure, which is an aperiodic structure not achievable by multiple beam holography.

Photosensitive, all-glass AgPO 3 /silicaphotonic bandgap fiber

Photonic bandgap (PBG) guidance is observed in a solid core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) consisting of silver metaphosphate (AgPO(3)) glass embedded into a silica cladding, realized by vacuum-assisted infiltration of the molten glass into the hollow channels of a commercial silica PCF. Morphologic analysis of the cladding microstructure by optical and scanning electron microscopy reveals the formation of highly homogeneous glass strands along the PCF length. The characteristic transmission spectrum of the fiber shows PBG guidance in the range between 350 and 1650 nm. The exposure of the cladding glass matrix, using 355 nm, 150 ps laser irradiation, allows photo-induced enhancement of the transmission-to-stop-band extinction ratio by ∼60 dB/cm and bandwidth tuning. Numerical calculations of the transmission pattern of the fabricated AgPO(3)/silica bandgap fiber are in good agreement with experiments.

Holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal Bragg grating integrated inside a solid core photonic crystal fiber.

A polymer/liquid crystal-based fiber Bragg grating (PLC-FBG) is fabricated with visible two-beam holography by photo-induced modulation of a prepolymer/liquid crystal solution infiltrated into the hollow channels of a solid core photonic crystal fiber (PCF). The fabrication process and effects related to the photonic bandgap guidance into the infiltrated PCF, and characterization of the PLC-FBG, are discussed. Experimental data presented here demonstrate that the liquid crystal inclusions of the PLC-FBG lead to high thermal and bending sensitivities. The microscopic behavior of the polymer/liquid crystal phase separation inside the PCF capillaries is examined using scanning electron microscopy, and is discussed further.

Flexibility of the Prograamme of Spore Coat Formation in Bacillus subtilis: Bypass of CotE Requirement by Over-Production of CotH

Bacterial spores are surrounded by the coat, a multilayered shell that contributes in protecting the genome during stress conditions. In Bacillus subtilis, the model organism for spore formers, the coat is composed by about seventy different proteins, organized into four layers by the action of several regulatory proteins. A major component of this regulatory network, CotE, is needed to assemble the outer coat and develop spores fully resistant to lysozyme and able to germinate efficiently. Another regulator, CotH, is controlled by CotE and is present in low amounts both during sporulation and in mature spores. In spite of this CotH controls the assembly of at least nine outer coat proteins and cooperates with CotE in producing fully resistant and efficiently germinating spores. In order to improve our understanding of CotH role in spore formation, we over-produced CotH by placing its coding region under the control of a promoter stronger than its own promoter but with a similar timing of activity during sporulation. Over-production of CotH in an otherwise wild type strain did not cause any major effect, whereas in a cotE null background a partial recovery of the phenotypes associated to the cotE null mutation was observed. Western blot, fluorescence microscopy and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering spectroscopy data indicate that, in the absence of CotE, over-production of CotH allowed the formation of spores overall resembling wild type spores and carrying in their coat some CotE−/CotH-dependant proteins. Our results suggest that the B. subtilis spore differentiation programme is flexible, and that an increase in the amount of a regulatory protein can replace a missing partner and partially substitute its function in the assembly of the spore coat.

Silver plasmon resonance effects in AgPO 3 /silica photonic bandgap fiber

We report on the application of an external electric field and its tuning effect in the guiding properties of a composite AgPO3/silica photonic bandgap fiber. The application of an electric field leads to the poling of the soft glass inclusion, resulting in the formation of a silver-induced plasmonic band, predominantly affecting the short wavelength guiding regimes while inducing polarization dependent losses. These spectral effects are attributed to the formation of silver nanoparticles within the AgPO3 glass matrix, driven by thermal poling.

FDTD analysis of photonic quasicrystals with different tiling geometries and fabrication by single-beam computer-generated holography

Multiple-beam holography has been widely used for the realization of photonic quasicrystals with high rotational symmetries not achievable by conventional periodic crystals. Accurate control of the properties of the interfering beams is necessary to provide photonic band-gap structures. Here we show, by finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations of the transmission spectra of 8-fold quasiperiodic structures, how the geometric tiling of the structure affects the presence and properties of the photonic band-gap for low refractive index contrasts. Hence, we show an interesting approach to the fabrication of photonic quasicrystals based on the use of a programmable spatial light modulator encoding computer-generated holograms, that permits an accurate control of the writing pattern with almost no limitations in the pattern design. Using this single-beam technique we fabricated quasiperiodic structures with high rotational symmetries and different geometries of the tiling, demonstrating the great versatility of our technique.

Spectral characterization of two-dimensional Thue–Morse quasicrystals realized with high resolution lithography

One-dimensional Thue–Morse (ThMo) lattices are examples of self-similar structures that exhibit bandgap phenomena. ThMo multilayers may also possess fractal photonic bandgaps that give rise to large omnidirectional reflectance and light-emission enhancement effects. Two-dimensional (2D) ThMo aperiodic quasicrystals possess interesting properties for photonic applications too. Here we demonstrate the experimental fabrication of large area 2D ThMo lattices into polymeric substrates at nanometre scale by electron beam lithography (EBL). Far field diffraction patterns of the experimental ThMo structures have been measured and compared with the calculated theoretical Fourier spectra. Scanning electron microscopy and far field diffraction are used to characterize the experimental structures.

Nanoscale engineering of two-dimensional disordered hyperuniform block-copolymer assemblies.

Disordered hyperuniform (DH) media have been recognized as a new state of disordered matter that broadens our vision of material engineering. Here, long-range correlated disordered two-dimensional patterns are fabricated by self-assembling of spherical diblock-copolymer (BCP) micelles. Control of the self-assembling parameters leads to the formation of DH patterns of micelles that can host nanoscale material inclusions, therefore providing an effective strategy for fabricating multimaterial DH structures at molecular scale. Centroidal patterns are accurately determined by virtue of BCP micelles loaded with metal nanoparticles. Our analysis reveals the signature of nearly ideal DH BCP assemblies in the local density fluctuation and a dominant linear scaling in the local number fluctuation.