Microoptical research in Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics

This paper summarized the recent research results of Changhe Zhou's group of Information Optics Lab in Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM). The first is about the Talbot self-imaging research. We have found the symmetry rule, the regular-rearranged neighboring phase difference rule and the prime-number decamping rule, which is briefly summarized in a recent educational publication of Optics and Photonics News, pp.46-50, November 2004. The second is about four novel microoptical gratings designed and fabricated in SIOM. The third is about the design and fabrication of novel supperresolution phase plates for beam shaping and possible use in optical storage. The fourth is to develop novel femtosecond laser information processing techniques by incorporating microoptical elements, for example, use of a pair of reflective Dammann gratings for splitting the femtosecond laser pulses. The most attractive feature of this approach is that the conventional beam splitter is avoided. The conventional beam splitter would introduce the unequal dispersion due to the broadband spectrum of ultrashort laser pulses, which will affect the splitting result. We implemented the Dammann splitting apparatus by using two-layered reflective Dammann gratings, which generates the almost same array without angular dispersion. We believe that our device is highly interesting for splitting femtosecond laser pulses.

Novel approach to super-resolution pits readout

We proposed a novel method to realize the readout of super-resolution pits by using a super-resolution reflective film to replace the reflective layer of the conventional ROM. At the same time, by using Sb as the super-resolution reflective layer and SiN as a dielectric layer, the super-resolution pits with diameters of 380 nm were read out by a setup whose laser wavelength is 632.8 nm and numerical aperture is 0.40. In addition, the influence of the Sb thin film thickness on the readout signal was investigated, the results showed that the optimum Sb thin film thickness is 28 to 30 nm, and the maximum CNR is 38 to 40 dB. (C) 2002 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Read-only memory disk with AgOx and AgInSbTe superresolution mask layer

Two novel read-only memory (ROM) disks, one with an AgOx mask layer and the other with an AgInSbTe mask layer, are proposed and studied. The AgOx and the AgInSbTe films sputtered on the premastered substrates with pit depths of 50 nm and pit lengths (space) of 380 nm are studied by atomic force microscopy. Disk readout measurement is carried out using a dynamic setup with a laser wavelength of 632.8 nm and an object lens numerical aperture (NA) of 0.40. Results show that the superresolution effect happens only at a suitable oxygen flow ratio for the AgOx ROM disk. The best superresolution readout effect is achieved at an oxygen flow ratio of 0.5 with the smoothest film surface. Compared with the AgOx ROM disk, the AgInSbTe ROM disk has a much smoother film surface and better superresolution effect. A carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) of above 40 dB can be obtained at an appropriate readout power and readout velocity. The readout CNR of both the AgOx and AgInSbTe ROM disks have a nonlinear dependence on the readout power. The superresolution readout mechanisms for these ROM disks are analyzed and compared as well. (c) 2005 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

模块化蓝光光存储性能静态测试系统

蓝光光存储是信息存储领域发展的一个重要方向。测试系统是研究蓝光光存储材料的必备条件，为建立蓝光光存储研究平台，设计和搭建了一套模块化蓝光光存储性能静态测试系统。激光工作波长为406．7nm。系统采用调制解调技术降低系统噪声，提高测量粘度：采用光点移动模式降低对样品尺寸的要求；采用纳米平台提高记录点的反复定位性能。实验结果证明测试系统性能良好，可以满足蓝光光存储性能静态测试要求。

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.

Investigation on the static recording characteristic of super-resolution near-field structure with antimony mask layer

Static recording characteristic of super-resolution near-field structure with antimony (Sb) is investigated in this paper. The recording marks are observed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM), a high-resolution optical microscopy with a CCD camera and an atomic force microscopy (AFM). The super-resolution mechanism is also analyzed based on these static recording marks. Results show that the light reaching on recording layer is composed of two parts, one is the linear transmissive light (propagating field) and the other is the nonlinear evanescent light in the optical near field. The evanescent light may be greatly enhanced in the center of the spot because Sb will transit from a semiconductor to a metal when it is melted under the high laser power irradiation. This local melted area in the spot center may be like a metal tip in the optical near field that can collect and enhance the information that is far beyond the diffraction limit, which leads to the super-resolution recording and readout. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Read-only memory disk with AgOx and AgInSbTe superresolution mask layer

Two novel read-only memory (ROM) disks, one with an AgOx mask layer and the other with an AgInSbTe mask layer, are proposed and studied. The AgOx and the AgInSbTe films sputtered on the premastered substrates with pit depths of 50 nm and pit lengths (space) of 380 nm are studied by atomic force microscopy. Disk readout measurement is carried out using a dynamic setup with a laser wavelength of 632.8 nm and an object lens numerical aperture (NA) of 0.40. Results show that the superresolution effect happens only at a suitable oxygen flow ratio for the AgOx ROM disk. The best superresolution readout effect is achieved at an oxygen flow ratio of 0.5 with the smoothest film surface. Compared with the AgOx ROM disk, the AgInSbTe ROM disk has a much smoother film surface and better superresolution effect. A carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) of above 40 dB can be obtained at an appropriate readout power and readout velocity. The readout CNR of both the AgOx and AgInSbTe ROM disks have a nonlinear dependence on the readout power. The superresolution readout mechanisms for these ROM disks are analyzed and compared as well. (c) 2005 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

新一代无机相变光存储材料研究进展

光存储技术正在向着大容量、高数据传输率的方向发展。新一代的光存储将从目前广泛使用的红光波段向蓝光波段发展。综述了可用于新一代高密度光存储无机相变材料的研究现状和最新进展，并对今后的发展前景进行了简要的展望。

SbOx thin films used for write-once blue laser recording

SbOx thin films are deposited by reactive dc-magnetron sputtering from all antimony metal target in Ar+O-2 with the relative O-2 content 7%. It is found that the as-deposited films call represent a two-component system comprising amorphous Sb and amorphous Sb2O3. The crystallization of Sb is responsible for the changes of optical properties of the films. The results of the static, test show that the SbOx thin films have good writing sensitivity for blue laser beams and the recording marks are very clear and circular. High reflectivity contrast of about 41% is obtained at a writing power 6 mW and writing pulse width 300 ns. In addition, the films show a good stability after reading 10000 times.

Superresolution by three-zone pure phase plate with 0, pi, 0 phase variation

Superresolution is very important in imaging and optical storage systems, and has attracted much attention. In this article, concentric three-zone phase plate with 0, pi, 0 phase variation has been investigated numerically to show that this kind of phase plate can be used to obtain three-dimensional superresolution. In addition, the number of intensity maximum, focal depth, focal shift, full-width half-maximum, and relative intensity of side lobe are listed for different radii of the phase zones, which paves the way for design of the phase plate. Therefore, one can choose values of radii for desired intensity distribution in focal region, such as for the purpose of radial superresolution with high focal depth in optical storage. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

纳米光存储薄膜结构的光学性质

近场超分辨纳米薄膜结构可以突破衍射极限实现纳米尺寸信息存储,是下一代海量存储技术的重要方案之一,也是纳米光子学研究中的热点。纳米膜层结构基于激光作用下的非线性局域光学效应实现超分辨。分析了超分辨近场薄膜结构突破衍射极限的光学原理,对超分辨纳米薄膜结构的表面等离子体激发特性、非线性光学特性、近场光学特性和超透镜效应等重要光学性质的最新研究进展做了系统介绍。

光学超分辨技术在高密度光存储中的应用

综述了超分辨技术的类别原理及光学超分辨的发展状况,并给出了超分辨光学头的结构和存储机理, 重点论述了光学超分辨技术在光学头中的应用。

氧化物记录介质在光存储中的应用及其研究进展

系统总结了用于光存储记录层的氧化物薄膜的存储机理、存储特性以及最新进展，讨论了氧化物掺杂对提高存储性能的影响，指出了氧化物薄膜存在的不足，并探讨了可能的改善途径。在此基础上对存储材料的发展趋势及氧化物材料的研究前景进行了展望。

热致NiOx薄膜的结构和光学性质变化

利用直流磁控反应溅射技术制备了氧气和氩气的分压比为5:100的NiOx薄膜。利用X射线衍射仪(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)、原子力显微镜(AFM)和光谱仪研究了热处理对薄膜的微观结构和光学性质的影响, 并对沉积态薄膜的粉末进行了热分析。沉积态的NiOx薄膜在262 ℃时开始分解, 导致NiOx薄膜的透过率增加和反射率降低。X射线衍射和示差扫描量热曲线(DSC)分析表明, 在热处理过程中并无物相的变化, 光学性质的变化是由于NiOx薄膜热分解引起薄膜表面形貌发生变化而引起的。通过Kissinger公式计算出

超分辨近场结构中二元共晶合金掩膜的工作机制

超分辨近场结构(super-RENS)技术通过在传统光盘结构中插入掩膜结构而实现近场超分辨,是目前最具实用化前景的超高密度光存储技术之一,其中掩膜层的近场光学特性是决定其光存储性能的关键。利用三维时域有限差分法(3D-FDTD)对合金掩膜的近场光强分布进行了数值仿真和分析,提出二元共晶合金薄膜在激光作用下形成的规则微结构可能是以其作为掩膜层的超分辨近场结构光盘产生较高信噪比(SNR)的原因。