Three-dimensional subwavelength confinement of light with dielectric microspheres

Alexis Devilez (1) , Nicolas Bonod (1) , B. Stout (1) , Davy Gérard (1) , Jérôme Wenger (1) , H. Rigneault (1) , E. Popov (1)

1 FRESNEL - Institut FRESNEL

Dielectric microspheres are shown to be capable of confining light in a three-dimensional region of subwavelength dimensions when they are illuminated by tightly focused Gaussian beams. We show that a simple configuration, not involving resonances, permits one to reach an effective volume as small as 0.6 (l/n)3. It is shown that this three-dimensional confinement arises from interferences between the field scattered by the sphere and the high angular components of the incident Gaussian beam passing aside the sphere.

Mots clés: Micro-optical devices; Mie theory; Electromagnetic optics; Scattering; particles

Domaines: Optique / photonique

Alexis Devilez, Nicolas Bonod, B. Stout, Davy Gérard, Jérôme Wenger, et al.. Three-dimensional subwavelength confinement of light with dielectric microspheres. Optics Express, 2009, 17 (4), pp.2089-2094. ⟨hal-00363621⟩