A calibration standard for determining an intensity decay related to an evanescent field generated close to the interface between a sample to be tested and a substrate on which the sample is to be deposited, preparation and analysis methods and use thereof.

Microspheres are sorted by resonant light pressure effects. An evanescent optical field is generated when light is confined within the interior of an optical element such as a surface waveguide, a tapered microfiber, or a prism. Microspheres brought within vicinity of the surface are subjected to forces that result from a coupling of the evanescent field to whispering gallery modes (WGM) in the microspheres. Alternatively, a focused laser beam is directed close to the edge of the microspheres to exert resonant optical forces on microspheres. Alternatively, standing optical waves are excited in the optical element. Optical forces are resonantly enhanced when light frequencies match WGM frequencies in the microspheres. Those microspheres for which resonance is obtained are more affected by the evanescent field than microspheres for which resonance does not occur. Greater forces are applied to resonating microspheres, which are separated from a heterogeneous mixture according to size.

Microspheres are sorted by resonant light pressure effects. An evanescent optical field is generated when light is confined within the interior of an optical element such as a surface waveguide, a tapered microfiber, or a prism. Microspheres brought within vicinity of the surface are subjected to forces that result from a coupling of the evanescent field to whispering gallery modes (WGM) in the microspheres. Alternatively, a focused laser beam is directed close to the edge of the microspheres to exert resonant optical forces on microspheres. Alternatively, standing optical waves are excited in the optical element. Optical forces are resonantly enhanced when light frequencies match WGM frequencies in the microspheres. Those microspheres for which resonance is obtained are more affected by the evanescent field than microspheres for which resonance does not occur. Greater forces are applied to resonating microspheres, which are separated from a heterogeneous mixture according to size.

A device configured for radiating a focused electromagnetic beam is proposed. Such device comprises: —a first (101) and a second (102) part having respectively a second n.sub.2 and third n.sub.3 refractive index and a first W.sub.1 and second W.sub.2; —a first contact area (100e1) intended to be between a host medium having a first refractive index n1 and in which the micro or nanoparticles are intended to be trapped or moved by a focused electromagnetic beam radiated by the device; —a second contact area (100e2) between the first part and the second part; and —a third contact area (100e3) intended to be between the second part and the host medium. The focused electromagnetic beam results from a combination of at least two beams among a first (NJ1), a second (NJ2) and a third (NJ3) jet beams radiated respectively by the first, second and third contact areas when an incoming electromagnetic wave (IEM) illuminates the device. The device is configured for having a direction of propagation of the focused electromagnetic beam tilted in respect of a direction of propagation of the incoming electromagnetic wave.

A method for improving the lateral resolution of fluorescence microscopy using inhomogeneous surface wave microscopy is provided. The microscope includes a prism on which laterally-interfaced plasmonic nanofilms are deposited (here called metal 1 and metal 2, though materials other than metals may be used, see Claim 1). A propagating wave which has evanescent character along one spatial dimension, known as a surface plasmon polariton, is excited on the first metal nanofilm by focusing of monochromatic incident light with a particular incident angle through the prism. Propagation of the surface plasmon polariton across the interface between the metal 1 nanofilm and the metal 2 nanofilm creates a propagating wave with evanescent character in two spatial dimensions, known as an inhomogeneous surface plasmon polariton [3]. A key property of inhomogeneous surface plasmon polaritons is the external controllability of the evanescent character of the wave in both the axial and lateral dimensions, which imparts the ability to judiciously enhance lateral resolution of conventional total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy with only minor modifications to the device.

An optical device forming an outgoing electromagnetic wave from an incident electromagnetic wave is disclosed. Such a device comprises at least one unit cell comprising: —at least two optical elements, an optical element being characterized by a type of optical response to said incident electromagnetic wave; —selection means enabling selective excitation of at least one optical element among the at least two optical elements, in response to said incident electromagnetic wave as a function of a wavelength of said incident electromagnetic wave, wherein said selection means comprise at one nanojet-based dielectric deflector compound of at least two dielectric material having different refractive indexes, and wherein said optical elements are placed at a distance from said nanojet-based dielectric deflector.

A planar immersion lens can include any number of features. A planar immersion lens can be configured to control a phase profile of an incident wave by modulating the incident wave with sub-wavelength structures of varying impedances. The planar immersion lens can also be directly excited, with electronics or other subwavelength sources coupled to the planar immersion lens, to generate a wave with the desired phase profile. The planar immersion lens can include a plurality of metallic elements and passive elements disposed over a substrate. The passive elements can be selected, based on both the intrinsic and mutual impedances of the elements, to shape the spatial phase profile of the incident wave within this phase range. The phase gradient can be introduced along the incident material/refractive material interface to focus the incident wave into the refractive material having wave components at or beyond the critical angle. Methods are also provided.

A planar immersion lens can include any number of features. A planar immersion lens can be configured to control a phase profile of an incident wave by modulating the incident wave with sub-wavelength structures of varying impedances. The planar immersion lens can also be directly excited, with electronics or other subwavelength sources coupled to the planar immersion lens, to generate a wave with the desired phase profile. The planar immersion lens can include a plurality of metallic elements and passive elements disposed over a substrate. The passive elements can be selected, based on both the intrinsic and mutual impedances of the elements, to shape the spatial phase profile of the incident wave within this phase range. The phase gradient can be introduced along the incident material/refractive material interface to focus the incident wave into the refractive material having wave components at or beyond the critical angle. Methods are also provided.

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for implementing a fiber-waveguide evanescent coupling. In one aspect, a device having integrated photonic components includes a substrate, a waveguide formed on the substrate to include a terminal waveguide portion that terminates at one side of the substrate, and a fiber including a fiber core and fiber cladding surrounding the fiber core, in which at least a portion of the fiber cladding is removed at or near a fiber terminal end to enable optical evanescent coupling via a side surface of the fiber core at the or near the fiber terminal end, the fiber core at the or near the fiber terminal end is placed over the one side of the substrate to be above and to overlap with the terminal waveguide portion of the waveguide to enable optical evanescent coupling via side surfaces of the fiber core and the waveguide.

A device (200) is proposed comprising a first part (101) of a first material having a first refractive index n1 and a second part (102) of a second material having a second refractive index n2 higher than n1. Such device further comprises at least one contact area (110) in between the first and second parts, radiating an outgoing electromagnetic wave (100o) when the device is illuminated by an incoming electromagnetic wave (100i). A projection of the at least one contact area along a direction of propagation of the incoming electromagnetic wave has a non-vanishing height lower than 1.2 times a critical height equal to a wavelength in vacuum of the incoming electromagnetic wave divided by the difference between the second refractive index n2 and the first refractive index n1.