High-efficiency diffraction gratings in fused silica at the wavelength of 632.8 nm

We describe high-efficiency diffraction gratings fabricated in fused silica at the wavelength of 632.8 nm by rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA). High-density holographic gratings, if the groove density falls within the range of 1575-1630 lines/mm and the groove depth within the range of 1.1-1.3 microns, can realize high diffraction efficiencies at the wavelength of 632.8 nm, e.g., the first Bragg diffraction efficiency can theoretically achieve more than 93% both in TE- and TM-polarized incidences, which greatly reduces the polarization-dependent losses. Note that with different groove profiles further optimized, the maximum efficiency of more than 99.69% can be achieved for TM-polarized incidence, or 97.81% for TE-polarized incidence.

I. Anisotropy and crystal structure of ferromagnetic thin films. II. Investigations into magnetic microstructure by Lorentz microscopy

The induced magnetic uniaxial anisotropy of Ni-Fe alloy films has been shown to be related to the crystal structure of the film. By use of electron diffraction, the crystal structure or vacuum-deposited films was determined over the composition range 5% to 85% Ni, with substrate temperature during deposition at various temperatures in the range 25° to 500° C. The phase diagram determined in this way has boundaries which are in fair agreement with the equilibrium boundaries for bulk material above 400°C. The (α+ ɤ) mixture phase disappears below 100°C.

The measurement of uniaxial anisotropy field for 25% Ni-Fe alloy films deposited at temperatures in the range -80°C to 375°C has been carried out. Comparison of the crystal structure phase diagram with the present data and those published by Wilts indicates that the anisotropy is strongly sensitive to crystal structure. Others have proposed pair ordering as an important source of anisotropy because of an apparent peak in the anisotropy energy at about 50% Ni composition. The present work shows no such peak, and leads to the conclusion that pair ordering cannot be a dominant contributor.

Width of the 180° domain wall in 76% Ni-Fe alloy films as a function of film thickness up to 1800 Å was measured using the defocused mode of Lorentz microscopy. For the thinner films, the measured wall widths are in good agreement with earlier data obtained by Fuchs. For films thicker than 800 Å, the wall width increases with film thickness to about 9000 Å at 1800 Å film thickness. Similar measurements for polycrystalline Co films with thickness from 200 to 1500 Å have been made. The wall width increases from 3000 Å at 400 Å film thickness to about 6000 Å at 1500 Å film thickness. The wall widths for Ni-Fe and Co films are much greater than predicted by present theories. The validity of the classical determination of wall width is discussed, and the comparison of the present data with theoretical results is given.

Finally, an experimental study of ripple by Lorentz microscopy in Ni-Fe alloy films has been carried out. The following should be noted: (1) the only practical way to determine experimentally a meaningful wavelength is to find a well-defined ripple periodicity by visual inspection of a photomicrograph. (2) The average wavelength is of the order of 1µ. This value is in reasonable agreement with the main wavelength predicted by the theories developed by others. The dependence of wavelength on substrate deposition temperature, alloy composition and the external magnetic field has been also studied and the results are compared with theoretical predictions. (3) The experimental fact that the ripple structure could not be observed in completely epitaxial films gives confirmation that the ripple results from the randomness of crystallite orientation. Furthermore, the experimental observation that the ripple disappeared in the range 71 and 75% Ni supports the theory that the ripple amplitude is directly dependent on the crystalline anisotropy. An attempt to experimentally determine the order of magnitude of the ripple angle was carried out. The measured angle was about 0.02 rad. The discrepancy between the experimental data and the theoretical prediction is serious. The accurate experimental determination of ripple angle is an unsolved problem.

Phase interpretation for polarization-dependent near-field images of high-density gratings

It has been described that the near-field images of a high-density grating at the half self-imaging distance could be different for TE and TM polarization states. We propose that the phases of the diffraction orders play an important role in such polarization dependence. The view is verified through the coincidence of the numerical result of finite-difference time-domain method and the reconstructed results from the rigorous coupled-wave analysis. Field distributions of TE and TM polarizations are given numerically for a grating with period d = 2.3 lambda, which are verified through experiments with the scanning near-field optical microscopy technique. The concept of phase interpretation not only explains the polarization dependence at the half self-imaging distance of gratings with a physical view, but also, it could be widely used to describe the near-field diffraction of a variety of periodic diffractive optical elements whose feature size comparable to the wavelength. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three-port beam splitter of a binary fused-silica grating

A deep-etched polarization-independent binary fused-silica phase grating as a three-port beam splitter is designed and manufactured. The grating profile is optimized by use of the rigorous coupled-wave analysis around the 785 nm wavelength. The physical explanation of the grating is illustrated by the modal method. Simple analytical expressions of the diffraction efficiencies and modal guidelines for the three-port beam splitter grating design are given. Holographic recording technology and inductively coupled plasma etching are used to manufacture the fused-silica grating. Experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical values. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America.

Rigorous transmittance analysis of a sub-wavelength Sb thin film lens

We quantitatively analysed the factors contributing to the optical transmission enhancement of a sub-wavelength Sb thin film lens, using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The results show that the transmission enhancement of the dielectric with a Gaussian distributed refractive index loaded in a sub-wavelength circular hole is not only due to the high refractive index dielectric, but also due to the specific distributions of refractive index. It is the first study about the effects of the refractive index distribution on the transmission of a sub-wavelength aperture. This kind of lens has practical applications in the very small aperture lasers and for near-field optical storage and lithography.

High-density holographic recording parameters under different wavelength of a two dyes-sensitized photopolymer

The high-density holographic recording parameters of a novel two dyes-sensitized photopolymer under different exposure wavelengths are studied. The results show that the maximum diffraction efficiency, exposure sensitivity, maximum refraction index modulation, dynamic range, and the exposure time constant increases with the increase of the exposure wavelength. The analysis indicates that the scattering has an important role in the forming of the holographic grating. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Design and construction of a static tester for blue ray optical storage

Blue ray optical storage is one of the important trends in the area of information storage, and attracts a number of researchers. Static tester for blue ray optical storage plays an important role in storage media research. We designed and constructed a static tester, in which modularization makes it very convenient to expand function. Employment of modulation/demodulation technique weakens test error so as to increase test precision. Focus move mode and the nano-positioners facilitate the relocation of recording marks. Only one laser with wavelength 406.7 nm is used. In this paper, system design and characteristics are represented in detail, and some experimental results are also given to show that the static tester can perform successfully, acting as research platform for blue ray optical storage. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Spectroscopic and thermal properties of short wavelength metal (II) complexes containing alpha-isoxazolylazo-beta-diketones as co-ligands

Two new azo dyes of alpha-isoxazolylazo-beta-dilcetones and their Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with blue-violet light wavelength were synthesized using a coupling component, different diazo components and metal (II) ions (Ni2+ and Cu2+). Based on the elemental analysis, MS spectra and FT-IR spectral analyses, azo dyes were unequivocally shown to exist as hydrazoketo and azoenol forms which were respectively obtained from the solution forms and from the solid forms. The action of sodium methoxide (NaOMe) on azo dyes in solutions converts hydrazoketo form into azoenol form, so azo dyes are coordinated with metal (II) ions as co-ligands in the azoenol forms. The solubility of all the compounds in common organic solvents such as 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol (TFP) or chloroform (CHCl3) and absorption properties of spin-coating thin films were measured. The difference of absorption maxima from the complexes to their ligands was discussed. In addition, the TG analysis of the complexes was also determined, and their thermal stability was evaluated. It is found that these new metal (II) complexes had potential application for high-density digital versatile disc-recordable (HD-DVD-R) system due to their good solubility in organic solvents, reasonable and controllable absorption spectra in blue-violet light region and high thermal stability. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, spectroscopic and thermal properties of nickel (II)-azo complexes with blue-violet light wavelength

A novel azo dye containing isoxazole ring and beta-diketone derivative (TIAD) and its two nickel (II) complexes (Ni (II)-ETIAD and Ni (II)-HTIAD) were synthesized in order to obtain a blue-violet light absorption and better thermal stability as a promising organic storage material for next generation of high density digital versatile disc-recordable (HD-DVD-R) systems that uses a high numerical aperture of 0.85 at 405 nm wavelength. Their structures were confirmed on the basis of elemental analysis, MS, FT-IR, UV-Vis and magnetic data. Their solubility in 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol (TFP) and absorption properties of thin film were measured. The difference of absorption maximum from the complexes to their ligands was discussed. In addition, the TG analysis of the complexes was also determined, and their thermal stability was evaluated. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, spectroscopic properties and thermal stability of metal(II) tetraazaporphyrin complexes with two strong wavelength absorption

Three kinds of metal(II) tetraazaporphyrin complexes with blue-violet and red light wavelength absorption were synthesized by refluxing tetraazaporphyrin ligand and different metal(II) ions, respectively. Their structures were confirmed by elemental analysis, LDI-TOF-MS, FT-IR and UV-Vis. The solubility of metal(II) tetraazaporphyrin complexes in organic solvents and absorption properties of their chloroform solution and films on K9 glass in the region 250-800 nm were measured. The influence on the difference of absorption maximum from metal(II) tetraazaporphyrin complexes to tetraazaporphyrin ligand by different metal(II) ions was studied. In addition, the thermal stability of the complexes was also evaluated. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual-wavelength competitive output in Nd:Y3Sc1.5Al3.5O12 ceramic disk laser

In this paper, we demonstrated a dual-wavelength competitive output in Nd:Y3SC1.5Al3.5O12 ceramic disk laser. Different dual-wavelength output behaviors for Nd:YSAG and Nd:YAG ceramic disk laser were investigated and discussed. By applying the energy transfer model, we suggested the reasonable explanation for this new phenomenon as the disordered replacing of Al3+ ions by Sc3+ ions. The main advantage of the dual-wavelength ceramic laser is the possibility to serve as the seed source to generate Terahertz radiation. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.