Evolutionary optimization of compact dielectric lens for farfield sub-wavelength imaging

Jingjing Zhang

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    336 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    The resolution of conventional optical lenses is limited by diffraction. For decades researchers have made various attempts to beat the diffraction limit and realize subwavelength imaging. Here we present the approach to design modified solid immersion lenses that deliver the subwavelength information of objects into the far field, yielding magnified images. The lens is composed of an isotropic dielectric core and anisotropic or isotropic dielectric matching layers. It is designed by combining a transformation optics forward design with an inverse design scheme, where an evolutionary optimization procedure is applied to find the material parameters for the matching layers. Notably, the total radius of the lens is only 2.5 wavelengths and the resolution can reach lambda/6. Compared to previous approaches based on the simple discretized approximation of a coordinate transformation design, our method allows for much more precise recovery of the information of objects, especially for those with asymmetric shapes. It allows for the far-field subwavelength imaging at optical frequencies with compact dielectric devices.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalScientific Reports
    Volume5
    ISSN2045-2322
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

    Keywords

    • compact dielectric lens
    • solid immersion lens
    • 10502, Biophysics - General
    • far-field subwavelength imaging laboratory techniques, imaging and microscopy techniques
    • Methods and Techniques
    • Physics
    • MULTIDISCIPLINARY
    • OPTICAL HYPERLENS
    • SUPERLENS
    • RESOLUTION
    • APERTURE
    • CLOAK
    • MICROSCOPY
    • DESIGN
    • LIGHT

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Evolutionary optimization of compact dielectric lens for farfield sub-wavelength imaging'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this