Vicente Ferrando

Twin axial vortices generated by Fibonacci lenses.

Optical vortex beams, generated by Diffractive Optical Elements (DOEs), are capable of creating optical traps and other multi-functional micromanipulators for very specific tasks in the microscopic scale. Using the Fibonacci sequence, we have discovered a new family of DOEs that inherently behave as bifocal vortex lenses, and where the ratio of the two focal distances approaches the golden mean. The disctintive optical properties of these Fibonacci vortex lenses are experimentally demonstrated. We believe that the versatility and potential scalability of these lenses may allow for new applications in micro and nanophotonics.

Cantor Dust Zone Plates

In this paper we use the Cantor Dust to design zone plates based on a two-dimensional fractal for the first time. The pupil function that defines the coined Cantor Dust Zone Plates (CDZPs) can be written as a combination of rectangle functions. Thus CDZPs can be considered as photon sieves with rectangular holes. The axial irradiances produced by CDZPs of different fractal orders are obtained analitically and experimentally, analyzing the influence of the fractality. The transverse irradiance patterns generated by this kind of zone plates has been also investigated.

Diffractive m-bonacci lenses

Fibonacci zone plates are proving to be promising candidates in image forming devices. In this letter we show that the set of Fibonacci zone plates are a particular member of a new family of diffractive lenses which can be designed on the basis of a given m-bonacci sequence. These lenses produce twin axial foci whose separation depends on the m-golden mean. Therefore, with this generalization, bifocal systems can be freely designed under the requirement at particular focal planes. Experimental results support our proposal.

A label-free diffraction-based sensing displacement immunosensor to quantify low molecular weight organic compounds

Herein we present a diffractometric immunosensor to quantify low molecular weight organic compounds in a label-free, simple, and sensitive fashion. The approach is based on patterning analyte analogues (haptens) on solid surfaces according to a diffractive structure, and then loading specific antibodies on them to be subsequently displaced by free analytes in solution. This displacement generates a measurable change in the diffractive response that enables to quantify the analyte concentration. In this study we address the fabrication, optimization, and assessment of these diffractive structures of biological probes and their application to the analysis of atrazine, an organic compound extensively used as pesticide. This immunosensor displays well-correlated dose-response curves that reach a detection limit of 1.1 ng mL-1 of atrazine in label-free conditions. From a general viewpoint, this study also aims to provide insights into exploiting this approach towards prospective in-field analysis and screening strategies to sense multiple low molecular weight compounds in label-free conditions.

Diffractive corneal inlay for presbyopia

A conceptually new type of corneal inlays for a customized treatment of presbyopia is presented. The diffractive inlay consists on a small aperture disc having an array of micro-holes distributed inside the open zones of a Fresnel zone plate. In this way, the central hole of the disc lets pass the zero order diffraction and produces an extension of the depth of far focus of the eye, while the diffracted light through the holes in the periphery produce the near focus. Additionally, the micro-holes in the inlay surface fulfill the essential requirement of allowing the flow of nutrients through it to the cells of the corneal stroma. Theoretical and optical-bench experimental results for the polychromatic axial Point Spread Function (PSF) were obtained, showing an improved performance compared to the small aperture corneal inlay currently in the market (Kamra). Images of a test object, obtained at several vergences in the surroundings of the far and near foci, are also shown. Picture: Simulation of the appearance of the Diffractive corneal inlay on a real eye.

Focusing properties of diffractive lenses constructed with the aperiodic m-bonacci sequence

In this contribution we present a new family of diffractive lenses which are designed using the m-bonacci sequence. These lenses are a generalization of the Fibonacci Zone Plates previously reported. Diffractive elements of this type are called aperiodic zone plates because they are characterized by a radial profile that follows a given deterministic aperiodic sequence (Cantor set, Thue-Morse, Fibonacci...). Aperiodic lenses have demonstrated new interesting focusing and imaging properties that have found applications in different fields such as soft X-ray microscopy and spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Here, we show that m-bonacci zone plates are inherently bifocal lenses. We demonstrate that the relative separation of their foci depends on the m-value of the sequence and also can be correlated with the generalized golden ratio. As a particular case, the properties of the m-bonacci sequence with m=2 and m=3, called Fibonacci and Tribonacci Zone Plates respectively are discussed.

Guiding Properties of a Photonic Quasi-Crystal Fiber Based on the Thue–Morse Sequence

We present a novel microstructured optical fiber having a quasi-periodic distribution of air holes based on the Thue-Morse sequence. The transverse section of these fibers is basically a two-dimensional photonic quasi-crystal that can also provide complete photonic bandgaps without being a perfect periodic structure. Like in the conventional photonic crystal fibers, if the quasi-periodicity is broken by decreasing the size of some air holes or by introducing an extra air hole, the modified holes become defects that localize and guide light along the fiber. The guidance is attributed to the inhibition of transverse radiation produced by the photonic quasi-crystal cladding. Dispersion curves of guided modes for different structural parameters are calculated, along with the transverse intensity distribution of the fundamental mode. In particular, several specially designed Thue-Morse quasi-crystal fibers with nearly zero ultraflattened group-velocity dispersion are presented.

Unconventional imaging with radial Walsh filters

In this work, we report the achievement of images obtained with radial Walsh filters. Derived from Walsh functions, radial Walsh filters are phase binary diffractive optical elements characterized by a set of equal-area concentric rings that take the phase values 0 or π, corresponding to +1 or -1 transmittance values of the corresponding Walsh function. Then, a radial Walsh filter can be re-interpreted as an aperiodic zone plate with self-similar multi-focusing properties under monochromatic illumination and, therefore, multi-imaging capabilities. We have implemented these unconventional lenses with a spatial light modulator and the first images obtained with this type of lenses are presented and evaluated.