Oleg V. Minin

Multifrequency focusing and wide angular scanning of terajets

In the past, it has been demonstrated that it is possible to produce terajets with high resolution at its focus using 3D dielectric cuboids under plane-wave illumination. Here, a systematic study of the harmonic and angular response of terajets using cuboids is performed. Mutifrequency focusing is demonstrated at the fundamental frequency and two higher frequency harmonics showing an intensity enhancement of ∼10, ∼18, and ∼14 for each case. This capability to use 3D dielectric cuboids to produce terajets at the fundamental frequency and first harmonic is experimentally evaluated at sub-THz frequencies, with good agreement with numerical results. Moreover, a robust angular response is demonstrated numerically and experimentally showing that the intensity at the focal position is maintained in a wide angular range (from 0° to 45°), demonstrating the capability to work as a wide scanning terajet-focusing lens. The results here presented may be scaled at different frequency bands such as optical frequencies and may be used in microscopy techniques and sensors.

Refractive index less than two: photonic nanojets yesterday, today and tomorrow [Invited]

Materials with relatively small refractive indices (n<2), such as glass, quartz, polymers, some ceramics, etc., are the basic materials in most optical components (lenses, optical fibres, etc.). In this review, we present some of the phenomena and possible applications arising from the interaction of light with particles with a refractive index less than 2. The vast majority of the physics involved can be described with the help of the exact, analytical solution of Maxwell’s equations for spherical particles (so called Mie theory). We also discuss some other particle geometries (spheroidal, cubic, etc.) and different particle configurations (isolated or interacting) and draw an overview of the possible applications of such materials, in connection with field enhancement and super resolution nanoscopy.

A Systematic Study of Varying Reference Phase in the Design of Circular Fresnel Zone Plate Antennas

A circular Fresnel zone plate antenna was simulated using a finite difference time domain software to study the effect of changing the reference phase from the standard 0deg to any value between 0deg and 180deg. Several prototypes were built to validate the simulations using four different focal-length-to-diameter (F/D) ratios. It was found that a significant improvement in the level of the first sidelobe, up to about 9 dB according to the simulations, could be achieved without sacrificing gain or cross-polarization levels

Subwavelength Diffractive Photonic Crystal Lens

We applied the principles of photonic crystal devices to the millimeter wave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. For the lens, we have observed their collimation and imaging ability both shown in the amplitude and phase. The results described in the report shown that the diffractive photon crystal lens is a perspective candidate to subwavelength focus lens in different area of applications, including microscopy, lens array element, etc.

Enhancement of spatial resolution of terahertz imaging systems based on terajet generation by dielectric cube

The terahertz (THz, 0.1–10 THz) region has been attracting tremendous research interest owing to its potential in practical applications such as biomedical, material inspection, and nondestructive imaging. Those applications require enhancing the spatial resolution at a specific frequency of interest. A variety of resolution-enhancement techniques have been proposed, such as near-field scanning probes, surface plasmons, and aspheric lenses. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that a mesoscale dielectric cube can be exploited as a novel resolution enhancer by simply placing it at the focused imaging point of a continuous wave THz imaging system. The operating principle of this enhancer is based on the generation—by the dielectric cuboid—of the so-called terajet, a photonic jet in the THz region. A subwavelength hotspot is obtained by placing a Teflon cube, with a 1.46 refractive index, at the imaging point of the imaging system, regardless of the numerical aperture (NA). The generated terajet at 125 GH...

Three-dimensional direct observation of Gouy phase shift in a terajet produced by a dielectric cuboid

The generation of the terajet at the terahertz (THz) frequency with the capability of subwavelength beam-compression has been attracting increasing research interest, as did the generation of the nanojet at the optical frequency. In particular, a terajet generated from a dielectric cuboid was not previously studied experimentally in the THz region. We here experimentally demonstrate three-dimensional visualizations and characterization of a terajet generated from a dielectric cuboid with a refractive index of n = 1.46 at 125 GHz. The subwavelength compressed beam and the Gouy phase shift phenomena of the terajet are directly observed. It is also found out that a calculation model of Gouy phase shift based on focused Gaussian beam by a lens cannot explain the Gouy phase shift of compressed beam by the terajet. The intensity enhancement of about 7.4 dB and full width at half maximum of 0.6λ are obtained at the distance 0.5λ from the cuboid.

Adaptation of Text Steganographic Algorithms for HTML

Nowadays the Internet is a highly developed communication system. Every day the number of the users of the Internet increases for thousands of people. This system is open for everybody: either a law- abiding and decent person or a quite opposite one. This leads to such problems of the defense of information as copyright and transmission of hidden messages via World Wide Web through open communication channels. This article covers methods, which can help to solve these problems with usage of text steganographic algorithms.

Comments on &#8220;Focusing Characteristics of Curvilinear Half-Open Fresnel Zone Plate Lenses: Plane Wave Illumination&#8221;

For original paper by Hristov et al., see IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol.53, p.1912-19 (2005 June)

Experimental demonstration of square Fresnel zone plate with chiral side lobes

In this study, we introduce what we believe is a novel holographic optical element called a chiral square Fresnel zone plate (CSFZP). The chirality is imposed on a square Fresnel zone plate (SFZP) using a nonclassical technique by rotating the half-period zones relative to one another. The rotation of the half-period zones, in turn, twists the side lobes of the diffraction pattern without altering the focusing properties inherent to a SFZP. As a consequence, the beam profile is hybrid, consisting of a strong central Gaussian focal spot with gradient force similar to that generated by a lens and twisted side lobes with orbital angular momentum. The optical fields at the focal plane were calculated and found to possess a whirlpool-phase profile and a twisted intensity profile. Analysis of the field variation along the direction of propagation revealed a spiraling phase and amplitude distribution. Poynting vector plot of the fields revealed the presence of angular momentum in the regions of chiral side lobes. The phase of the CSFZPs were displayed on a phase-only reflective spatial light modulator and illuminated using a laser. The intensity patterns recorded in the experiment match the calculated ones, with a strong central focal spot and twisted side lobes. The beam pattern was implemented in an optical trapping experiment and was found to possess particle trapping capabilities.

Formation of terahertz beams produced by artificial dielectric periodical structures

This paper presents an investigation of terajets formation by dielectric periodic structure at terahertz frequencies in effective medium regime (photonic metamaterial). The dispersions of effective permittivity for three periodic structures formed by different types of plastics (ABS, PLA, Crystal) were analytically obtained for both regimes. Numerical simulation of this structure was performed by using COMSOL Multiphysics. The terajet formation was numerically shown.