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Local phase measurements of light in a one‐dimensional photonic crystal
Author(s) -
Flück E.,
Otter A. M.,
Korterik J. P.,
Balistreri M. L. M.,
Kuipers L.,
Van Hulst N. F.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2818.2001.00821.x
Subject(s) - optics , phase (matter) , scattering , photonic crystal , heterodyne (poetry) , rod , physics , interferometry , photon , crystal (programming language) , heterodyne detection , intensity (physics) , quantum tunnelling , materials science , optoelectronics , laser , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics , computer science , acoustics , programming language
For the first time the local optical phase evolution in and around a small, one‐dimensional photonic crystal has been visualized with a heterodyne interferometric photon scanning tunnelling microscope. The measurements show an exponential decay of the optical intensity inside the crystal, which consists of a periodic array of subwavelength air rods fabricated in a conventional ridge waveguide. In addition it is found that the introduction of the air rods has a counterintuitive effect on the phase development inside the structure. The heterodyne detection scheme allows the detection of low‐intensity scattered waves. In the vicinity of the scattering air rods phase singularities are found with a topological charge of plus or minus one.