Patrick Ferrand

Direct imaging of photonic nanojets

We report the direct experimental observation of photonic nanojets created by single latex microspheres illuminated by a plane wave at a wavelength of 520 nm. Measurements are performed with a fast scanning confocal microscope in detection mode, where the detection pinhole defines a diffraction-limited observation volume that is scanned in three dimensions over the microsphere vicinity. From the collected stack of images, we reconstruct the full 3 dimensional photonic nanojet beam. Observations are conducted for polystyrene spheres of 1, 3 and 5 microm diameter deposited on a glass substrate, the upper medium being air or water. Experimental results are compared to calculations performed using the Mie theory. We measure nanojet sizes as small as 270 nm FWHM for a 3 microm sphere at a wavelength lambda of 520 nm. The beam keeps a subwavelength FWHM over a propagation distance of more than 3 lambda, displaying all the specificities of a photonic nanojet.

Optical properties of multilayered porous silicon

We present a short review of some optical devices based on multilayered porous silicon, which can be easily obtained by varying the formation current during the etching process. These include Bragg reflectors and Fabry–Perot microcavities, which can be adjusted from the visible to the near infrared. The interface roughness, tragic in the case of multilayers, is studied. It can be drastically reduced when changing the electrolyte viscosity. The high reflectivities obtained in this way are measured by Cavity Ring–Down Spectroscopy. Problems occurring when realising thin layers and an efficient way to adjust precisely the optical thicknesses of the thin layers constituting the multilayered structure are also presented. Finally we present a method of calculation of the emission which takes absorption into account and is able to explain the angular dependence of the luminescence.

Optical losses in porous silicon waveguides in the near-infrared: Effects of scattering

Benefitting from the long path inside planar waveguides, we have investigated the optical losses of porous silicon, in the continuous 0.8–1.6 μm (0.77–1.55 eV) range. The obtained values, typically a few cm−1, are 1 order of magnitude larger than “pure” absorption losses measured previously. The other main sources of loss, including scattering on both interface roughness and nanocrystallites, are invoked. Calculations give the same order of magnitude as measurements. We also detected scattered light close to the direct beam.

Structuring of self-assembled three-dimensional photonic crystals by direct electron-beam lithography

An electron-beam lithography technique is described capable of structuring three-dimensional self-assembled photonic crystals. It is shown that the control of the writing depth can be achieved by varying the electron acceleration voltage. Microscopic structures with a depth from 0.4 up to 2 μm are fabricated with a typical lateral resolution of 0.4 μm. The relevance of this technique for the fabrication of deterministic defects sites in opal photonic crystals is discussed and its extension towards buried structures is suggested.

Optical-fiber-microsphere for remote fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is a versatile method that would greatly benefit to remote optical-fiber fluorescence sensors. However, the current state-of-the-art struggles with high background and low detection sensitivities that prevent the extension of fiber-based FCS down to the single-molecule level. Here we report the use of an optical fiber combined with a latex microsphere to perform FCS analysis. The sensitivity of the technique is demonstrated at the single molecule level thanks to a photonic nanojet effect. This offers new opportunities for reducing the bulky microscope setup and extending FCS to remote or in vivo applications.

Optical parametric oscillator-based light source for coherent Raman scattering microscopy: practical overview

We present the assets and constraints of using optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) to perform point scanning nonlinear microscopy and spectroscopy with special emphasis on coherent Raman spectroscopy. The different possible configurations starting with one OPO and two OPOs are described in detail and with comments that are intended to be practically useful for the user. Explicit examples on test samples such as nonlinear organic crystal, polystyrene beads, and fresh mouse tissues are given. Special emphasis is given to background-free coherent Raman anti-Stokes scattering (CARS) imaging, including CARS hyperspectral imaging in a fully automated mode with commercial OPOs.

Mapping the Local Organization of Cell Membranes Using Excitation-Polarization-Resolved Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

Fluorescence anisotropy and linear dichroism imaging have been widely used for imaging biomolecular orientational distributions in protein aggregates, fibrillar structures of cells, and cell membranes. However, these techniques do not give access to complete orientational order information in a whole image, because their use is limited to parts of the sample where the average orientation of molecules is known a priori. Fluorescence anisotropy is also highly sensitive to depolarization mechanisms such as those induced by fluorescence energy transfer. A fully excitation-polarization-resolved fluorescence microscopy imaging that relies on the use of a tunable incident polarization and a nonpolarized detection is able to circumvent these limitations. We have developed such a technique in confocal epifluorescence microscopy, giving access to new regions of study in the complex and heterogeneous molecular organization of cell membranes. Using this technique, we demonstrate morphological changes at the subdiffraction scale in labeled COS-7 cell membranes whose cytoskeleton is perturbed. Molecular orientational order is also seen to be affected by cholesterol depletion, reflecting the strong interplay between lipid-packing regions and their nearby cytoskeleton. This noninvasive optical technique can reveal local organization in cell membranes when used as a complement to existing methods such as generalized polarization.

Probing Orientational Behavior of MHC Class I Protein and Lipid Probes in Cell Membranes by Fluorescence Polarization-Resolved Imaging

Steady-state polarization-resolved fluorescence imaging is used to analyze the molecular orientational order behavior of rigidly labeled major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) proteins and lipid probes in cell membranes of living cells. These fluorescent probes report the orientational properties of proteins and their surrounding lipid environment. We present a statistical study of the molecular orientational order, modeled as the width of the angular distribution of the molecules, for the proteins in the cell endomembrane and plasma membrane, as well as for the lipid probes in the plasma membrane. We apply this methodology on cells after treatments affecting the actin and microtubule networks. We find in particular opposite orientational order changes of proteins and lipid probes in the plasma membrane as a response to the cytoskeleton disruption. This suggests that MHC I orientational order is governed by its interaction with the cytoskeleton, whereas the plasma membrane lipid order is governed by the local cell membrane morphology.

Micromoulding of three-dimensional photonic crystals on silicon substrates

The growth of three-dimensional photonic crystals (PhCs) on patterned silicon substrates is reported. It is shown that deep trenches can be uniformly filled by a self-assembly of polymer microspheres, in a close-packed face-centred cubic lattice. The crystalline quality is compared for different channel widths. These observations are confirmed by optical reflectance measurements in the visible range, showing a bandwidth of enhanced reflection. The possibility to detach the PhC, i.e. to use the substrate as a mould, is also demonstrated. The potential of this approach for building PhC-based complex architectures is discussed.

Microscopic structural study of collagen aging in isolated fibrils using polarized second harmonic generation

Polarization resolved second harmonic generation (PSHG) is developed to study, at the microscopic scale, the impact of aging on the structure of type I collagen fibrils in two-dimensional coatings. A ribose-glycated collagen is also used to mimic tissue glycation usually described as an indicator of aging. PSHG images are analyzed using a generic approach of the molecular disorder information in collagen fibrils, revealing significant changes upon aging, with a direct correlation between molecular disorder and fibril diameters.