Sub-60 nm periodic grating feature patterning by immersion based 364 nm laser interference.

In this paper, we report a methodology to fabricate high resolution periodic grating features using high index prism based interferometer and i-line laser source. Features with sub-60 nm half pitch size were fabricated on i-line resist in an immersion medium using a prism of high index 1.939.

Characteristics of stand-alone microlenses in fiber-based fluorescence imaging applications.

Microlens-ended fibers, which have found tremendous interest in the recent past, find potential biomedical applications, in particular, in endoscopic imaging. The work presented in this paper focuses on the stand-alone microlenses along with custom-fabricated specialty optical fiber, such as imaging fiber, for probe imaging applications. Stand-alone self-aligned microlenses have been fabricated employing microcompression molding and then attached at the end facet of imaging fiber. A detailed characterization of the fabricated microlens is carried and it demonstrates appropriate focusing ability, high fluorescence collection efficiency and imaging ability for biomedical applications. The surface roughness of the microlens is found to be 25 nm with a minimum spot size of 38 µm. The probe imaging system is found to be able to image the fluorescence microspheres of 10 µm size. The collection efficiency of the fiber probe with lens found to be enhanced by three times approximately.

Nonlinear optical response of chloroaluminiumphthalocyanine encapsulated by silica core-shell particles.

We report for the first time on the synthesis of core-shell particles containing chloroaluminiumphthalocyanine (ClAlPc) prepared using a sol-gel technique. These particles have the dye molecules at the core, encapsulated by silica shell. The mean size of the particle is determined from HRTEM studies and is found to be approximately 0.08 microm. The surface and bulk compositions of the core-shell particles are studied by XPS and EDAX measurements, respectively. Time-resolved fluorescent measurements indicate a decrease in fluorescence lifetime for the core-shell particles as compared to that of bare dye dissolved in ethanol. This is analyzed on the basis of available theoretical models. Third-order nonlinear optical effects are investigated by the Z-scan technique using 8 ns pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm from a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser. The analysis indicates that both singlet and triplet excited-state absorption contribute to nonlinear absorption.

Simple technique for obtaining photoacoustic spectra corrected for the spectral variation of the source in single scan.

A simple technique is presented to obtain normalized photoacoustic (PA) spectra corrected for the spectral variation of the source in a single scan. The input light beam is passed through the center of a dual slot chopper, which splits it into two chopped output beams at two different frequencies at a fixed ratio. The beams fall on the sample and the reference kept side-by-side in the same sample chamber. The PA signals are detected by a microphone and processed by two lock-in amplifiers tuned at two different frequencies. The technique is tested by recording the PA spectra of standard samples.

Two-photon-assisted excited state absorption in nanocomposite films of PbS stabilized in a synthetic glue matrix.

Strong nonlinear absorption is observed in nanocomposite films containing PbS nanocrystals of mean size of 3.3 nm stabilized in a commercial poly(vinyl acetate) glue by a novel and simple chemical route of synthesis. A significant blueshift of the optical absorption edge indicates strong quantum confinement. The mean nanocrystal size was characterized by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The surface structure of nanocrystals is analysed using infrared spectroscopy. The excitonic transitions are probed by photoacoustic spectroscopy and the results are analysed on the basis of theoretical calculations using envelope function formalism. Results of open aperture z-scan experiments suggest a model involving saturable absorption followed by two-photon absorption at a lower concentration while the data for a higher concentration fitted saturable absorption followed by three-photon absorption. Free carrier absorption due to two-photon-assisted excited state absorption appears to be the predominant mechanism of optical nonlinearity.