Title: Two-dimensional diffraction gratings for use with far-field superlenses

Authors: Ciaran P. Moore; William L. Beard

Addresses: School of Engineering and Computer Science, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand ' School of Engineering and Computer Science, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

Abstract: Far-field superlenses (FSLs) allow a new type of optical microscopy that can resolve features below the diffraction limit. Such remarkable resolution is achieved by encoding sub-wavelength features in Moiré patterns, which are produced by diffraction gratings embedded in the FSLs. Typically these diffraction gratings are quasi-one-dimensional structures; this means that the shape and orientation of objects that can be successfully resolved is limited. We investigate two-dimensional grating designs and show that engineering an appropriate grating can lift restrictions on the orientation of the object relative to the diffraction grating. We also describe the impact that grating structure has on the range of spatial frequencies that can be resolved.

Keywords: optical microscopy; Moiré patterns; sub-wavelength imaging; 2D diffraction gratings; far-field superlenses; FSLs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2017.082479

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2017 Vol.14 No.1/2/3/4/5/6, pp.297 - 303

Published online: 24 Feb 2017 *

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