RESUMEN
We simulate the remarkable changes that occur to the decay rates of a fluorescent molecule as a conical metal tip approaches. A new and simple model is developed to reveal and quantify which decay channels are responsible. Our analysis, which is independent of the method of molecular excitation, shows some universal characteristics. As the tip-apex enters the molecule's near-field, the creation of surface plasmon polaritons can become extraordinarily efficient, leading to an increase in the nonradiative rate and, by proportional radiative-damping, in the radiative rate. Ehancements reaching 3 orders of magnitude have been found, which can improve the apparent brightness of a molecule. At distances less than ~5nm, short-ranged energy transfer to the nano-scale apex quickly becomes dominant and is entirely nonradiative.
RESUMEN
Microstructured or "air-clad" fibers, with air holes surrounding a large core, have recently demonstrated much wider light-acceptance angles than conventional fibers. An original and accurate method is presented for determining the numerical aperture of such fibers using leaky modes. The dependence on length, wavelength, and various microstructure dimensions are evaluated for the first time for a class of fibers that exhibit exceptionally high numerical apertures. These results show excellent agreement with published measurements on similar fibers and verify that bridge thicknesses much smaller than the wavelength are required for high numerical apertures.
RESUMEN
We report the fabrication of what are believed to be the first microstructured optical fibers with uniformly oriented elliptical holes. A high degree of hole ellipticity is achieved with a simple technique that relies on hole deformation during fiber draw. Both form and stress-optic birefringence are characterized over a broad wavelength range. These measurements are in excellent agreement with numerical modeling and demonstrate a birefringence as high as 1.0 x 10(-4) at a wavelength of 850 nm.
RESUMEN
A preform sleeving technique is demonstrated that allows the fabrication of single-mode polymer microstructured fiber with the smallest core and hole dimensions yet reported to our knowledge. For a fixed triangular hole pattern a range of fibers is produced by adjustment to the operating conditions of the draw tower. Numerical modeling is carried out for one of the fibers produced with a 570-microm external diameter, a core diameter of 2.23 microm, an average hole diameter of 0.53 microm, and an average hole spacing of 1.38 microm. This fiber was shown to be endlessly single mode.