Rogers, Edward T.F., Lindberg, Jari, Roy, Tapashree, Savo, Salvatore, Chad, John E., Dennis, Mark R. and Zheludev, Nikolay I. (2012) A super-oscillatory lens optical microscope for subwavelength imaging. Nature Materials, 11 (5), 432-435. (doi:10.1038/nmat3280). (PMID:22447113)
Abstract
The past decade has seen an intensive effort to achieve optical imaging resolution beyond the diffraction limit. Apart from the Pendry-Veselago negative index superlens, implementation of which in optics faces challenges of losses and as yet unattainable fabrication finesse, other super-resolution approaches necessitate the lens either to be in the near proximity of the object or manufactured on it, or work only for a narrow class of samples, such as intensely luminescent or sparse objects. Here we report a new super-resolution microscope for optical imaging that beats the diffraction limit of conventional instruments and the recently demonstrated near-field optical superlens and hyperlens. This non-invasive subwavelength imaging paradigm uses a binary amplitude mask for direct focusing of laser light into a subwavelength spot in the post-evanescent field by precisely tailoring the interference of a large number of beams diffracted from a nanostructured mask. The new technology, which-in principle-has no physical limits on resolution, could be universally used for imaging at any wavelength and does not depend on the luminescence of the object, which can be tens of micrometres away from the mask. It has been implemented as a straightforward modification of a conventional microscope showing resolution better than λ/6.
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- Faculties (pre 2018 reorg) > Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) > Institute for Life Sciences (pre 2018 reorg)
Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences (pre 2018 reorg)
Institute for Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) - Faculties (pre 2018 reorg) > Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) > Biological Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) > Biomedicine (pre 2018 reorg)
Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences > Biological Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) > Biomedicine (pre 2018 reorg)
School of Biological Sciences > Biological Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) > Biomedicine (pre 2018 reorg) - Faculties (pre 2018 reorg) > Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering (pre 2018 reorg) > Optoelectronics Research Centre (pre 2018 reorg)
Current Faculties > Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences > Zepler Institute for Photonics and Nanoelectronics > Optoelectronics Research Centre (pre 2018 reorg)
Zepler Institute for Photonics and Nanoelectronics > Optoelectronics Research Centre (pre 2018 reorg)
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