We have numerically investigated the influence of a nanoscale silicon tip in proximity to an illuminated gold nanoparticle. We describe how the position of the high-permittivity tip and the size of a nanoparticle impact the absorption, peak electric field and surface plasmon resonance wavelength under different illumination conditions. We detail the finite element method (FEM) approach we have used for this, whereby we specify a volume excitation field analytically and calculate the difference between this source field and the total field (i.e., scattered-field formulation). We show that a nanoscale tip can locally enhance the absorption of the particle as well as the peak electric field at length scales far smaller than the wavelength of the incident light.

The testing technique with high dynamic range is required to meet the measurement of refractive wavefront with large distortion from test refractive surface. A general deflectometric method based on reverse Hartmann test is proposed to test refractive surfaces. Ray tracing of the modeled testing system is performed to reconstruct the refractive wavefront from test surface, in which computer-aided optimization of system geometry is performed to calibrate the geometrical error. For the refractive wavefront error with RMS 255 mu m, the testing precision better than 0.5 mu m is achieved.

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Bends and splitters are typically the fundamental limiting waveguide components in reducing the size of planar lightwave circuits (PLCs) based on waveguides that have a low core/clad refractive index contrast, such as silicon-on-insulator (SOI) rib waveguides. This dissertation presents a solution to this problem in the form of trench-based bends (TBBs) and trench-based splitters (TBSs). Emphasis is placed on experimental demonstration of these components and their integration into practical devices exhibiting significant size reduction. First, a compact and low loss silicon-on-insulator rib waveguide 90◦ TBB is demonstrated based on an etched vertical interface and total internal reflection (TIR) realized by a trench filled with SU8. The measured loss for TE polarization is 0.32 dB ± 0.02 dB/bend at a wavelength of 1.55 μm, which is the best reported in literature. Next, 90◦ TBSs are reported in which each splitter occupies an area of only 11 μm x 11 μm. These components require fabrication of trenches with a nearly 10:1 aspect ratio. A variety of single TBSs are fabricated having different trench widths. The relative amount of power directed into the transmission and reflection arms of the splitters is measured. The TBS reflection and transmission ratio agrees with three dimensional (3D) finite difference time domain (FDTD) predictions. An 82 nm wide trench filled with index matching fluid is experimentally shown to have a reflection/transmission splitting ratio of 49/51 at a wavelength of 1550 nm. To increase the fabrication yield of TBSs, the splitter angle is modified from 90◦ to 105◦, which permits the trench width to be increased to 116 nm for a 50/50 splitter using SU8 as the trench fill material. The fabrication and measurement of compact 105◦ TBBs and TBSs are reported followed by their integration into 1 x 4, 1 x 8, and 1 x 32 trench-based splitter networks (TBSNs). The measured total optical loss of the 1 x 32 TBSN is 9.15 dB. Its size is only 700 μm x 1600 μm for an output waveguide spacing of 50 μm. Finally, a compact SOI trench-based ring resonator (TBRR) composed of 90◦ TBBs, TBSs, and rib waveguides is demonstrated. A TBRR with a ring circumference of 50 μm occupies an area of 20 x 20 μm. The free spectral range (FSR) is as large as 14 nm. By changing the trench fill material from SU8 (n = 1.57) to index fluid (n = 1.733), the peak wavelength can be shifted ∼2 nm. Fabricated TBSNs and TBRRs demonstrate that large size reductions are possible for devices based on TBBs and TBSs. The net result is bend and splitter configurations with a size that is essentially independent of core/clad refractive index contrast. The approach developed in this dissertation is applicable to a wide range of waveguide material systems that have small core/clad refractive index contrast.

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All-fiber optical sensors have established themselves in the market for a decade. Among different categories of these sensors is the intensity-based type whose advantages make it suitable for many practical applications. Frustrated Total Internal Reflection (FTIR) is a phenomenon that shows a great potential to be used as a transduction mechanism in this type of sensors. Although physical interpretation of the phenomenon itself is rather complicated, it can be mathematically formulated in a non-extensive manner. The first attempt is to build a physical understanding of the phenomenon as well as a simple mathematical model based on planar waves. Then, it will be expanded it to waves inside a waveguide structure like optical fibers in a concrete way based on computer simulations and actual experiments, a task that has never been done before. This would make it possible to address the practical issues involved afterwards. Again, the obtained experimental results as well as simulations help analyze advantages and disadvantages of our basic structure and move on to design a practically viable all-fiber FTIR sensor. A prototype vacuum pressure sensor has been designed and tested to show the potential in this category of optical sensors. Some other applications are also briefly discussed to give us a good feeling of the restrictive problems and future prospective of the ongoing related research. / Master of Science