Abstract
Highly confined vectorial electromagnetic field distributions are an excellent tool for detailed studies in nano-optics, such as nonlinear microscopy1, advanced fluorescence imaging2,3 or nanoplasmonics4,5. Such field distributions can be generated, for instance, by tight focusing of polarized light beams6,7,8,9. To guarantee high resolution in the investigation of objects with subwavelength dimensions, precise knowledge of the spatial distribution of the exciting vectorial field is of utmost importance. The full-field reconstruction methods presented to date involve, for example, complex near-field techniques10,11,12,13. Here, we demonstrate a simple and straightforward-to-implement measurement scheme and reconstruction algorithm based on the scattering signal of a single spherical nanoparticle as a field probe. We are able to reconstruct the amplitudes and relative phases of the individual focal field components with subwavelength resolution from a single scan measurement without the need for polarization analysis of the scattered light. This scheme has the potential to improve microscopy and nanoscopy techniques.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank M. Neugebauer and S. Batz for discussions and M. Schmelzeisen from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz for the fabrication of the scattering particle.
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G.L., P.B., S.O. and U.P. conceived the idea. P.B. and T.B. designed the experiment. S.O. and P.B. developed the theoretical algorithm and procedure. T.B. performed the experiment. S.O. and T.B. analysed the data. G.L. and P.B. supervised all aspects of the project. All authors contributed to the text of the manuscript.
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Bauer, T., Orlov, S., Peschel, U. et al. Nanointerferometric amplitude and phase reconstruction of tightly focused vector beams. Nature Photon 8, 23–27 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2013.289
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2013.289
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