First-order optical spatial differentiator based on a guided-mode resonant grating.

We present an experimental demonstration of a subwavelength diffraction grating performing first-order differentiation of the transverse profile of an incident optical beam with respect to a spatial variable. The experimental results are in a good agreement with the presented analytical model suggesting that the differentiation is performed in transmission at oblique incidence and is associated with the guided-mode resonance of the grating. According to this model, the transfer function of the grating in the vicinity of the resonance is close to the transfer function of an exact differentiator. We confirm this by estimating the transfer function of the fabricated structure on the basis of the measured profiles of the incident and transmitted beams. The considered structure may find application in the design of new photonic devices for beam shaping, optical information processing, and analog optical computing.

Multifocal diffractive lens generating several fixed foci at different design wavelengths.

We propose a method for designing multifocal diffractive lenses generating prescribed sets of foci with fixed positions at several different wavelengths. The method is based on minimizing the difference between the complex amplitudes of the beams generated by the lens microrelief at the design wavelengths, and the functions of the complex transmission of multifocal lenses calculated for these wavelengths. As an example, a zone plate generating three fixed foci at three different wavelengths was designed, fabricated, and experimentally investigated. The proof-of-concept experimental results confirm the formation of foci with fixed positions at the design wavelengths. The obtained results may find applications in the design and fabrication of novel multifocal contact and intraocular lenses with reduced chromatic effects.

Structure and Properties of Platinum, Gold and Mercury Nanowires Grown in Superfluid Helium.

Webs consisting of nanowires made of gold, platinum and mercury were produced by the technique based on laser ablation of metals inside superfluid helium. Their morphology and structure as well as their electrical conductivity have been studied. Diameters of gold and platinum nanowires are 4.5 and 3 nm, respectively. Fortunately, they are close to diameters of nanospheres made of these metals, which, as known from the literature, possess anomalous catalytic activity. Web resistivities for all metals up to room temperature are controlled by conductive electron scattering on a wire surface, thus they are almost independent of T. Nanowires in the webs are electrically interconnected, and therefore the web can be used as a catalyst without any support. Possible advantages of this type of nanocatalyst are outlined.