Nature engineered metasurfaces: spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in diatom frustules
Evolution provided, through eras, several animal, vegetal, and protist species with sub-micrometric constituent structures able to manipulate light at the nanoscale in non trivial ways. In particular, diatoms are single-celled microalgae enclosed in a porous silica shell, the frustule, perforated by...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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EDP Sciences
2022-01-01
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| Series: | EPJ Web of Conferences |
| Online Access: | https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2022/10/epjconf_eosam2022_09011.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797990528960167936 |
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| author | De Tommasi Edoardo Ferrara Maria Antonietta Coppola Giuseppe Zito Gianluigi |
| author_facet | De Tommasi Edoardo Ferrara Maria Antonietta Coppola Giuseppe Zito Gianluigi |
| author_sort | De Tommasi Edoardo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Evolution provided, through eras, several animal, vegetal, and protist species with sub-micrometric constituent structures able to manipulate light at the nanoscale in non trivial ways. In particular, diatoms are single-celled microalgae enclosed in a porous silica shell, the frustule, perforated by regular patterns of microand nano-pores and whose functionalities comprise mechanical stability, sorting of nutrients from harmful agents and optimization of sunlight harvesting. Photonic properties of frustules include focusing, photoluminescence, and optical activity, among others. In the present work we show preliminary results concerning the ability of single valves of Arachnoidiscus ehrenbergii diatom frustules to manipulate incoming, circularly polarized radiation in such a way to generate light beams provided with orbital angular momentum (optical vortices). The combination of cross-polarization imaging in different spectral ranges, polarization sensitive digital holographic imaging (PSDHI), and interferometry allowed characterizing the valves and detecting the presence of spin-orbit coupling induced by their ultrastructure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:37:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf75ddb5ca7b444ca33222529115746e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2100-014X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:37:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EPJ Web of Conferences |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf75ddb5ca7b444ca33222529115746e2022-12-22T04:34:17ZengEDP SciencesEPJ Web of Conferences2100-014X2022-01-012660901110.1051/epjconf/202226609011epjconf_eosam2022_09011Nature engineered metasurfaces: spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in diatom frustulesDe Tommasi Edoardo0Ferrara Maria Antonietta1Coppola Giuseppe2Zito Gianluigi3National Research Council - Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “Eduardo Caianiello", Unit of NaplesNational Research Council - Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “Eduardo Caianiello", Unit of NaplesNational Research Council - Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “Eduardo Caianiello", Unit of NaplesNational Research Council - Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “Eduardo Caianiello", Unit of NaplesEvolution provided, through eras, several animal, vegetal, and protist species with sub-micrometric constituent structures able to manipulate light at the nanoscale in non trivial ways. In particular, diatoms are single-celled microalgae enclosed in a porous silica shell, the frustule, perforated by regular patterns of microand nano-pores and whose functionalities comprise mechanical stability, sorting of nutrients from harmful agents and optimization of sunlight harvesting. Photonic properties of frustules include focusing, photoluminescence, and optical activity, among others. In the present work we show preliminary results concerning the ability of single valves of Arachnoidiscus ehrenbergii diatom frustules to manipulate incoming, circularly polarized radiation in such a way to generate light beams provided with orbital angular momentum (optical vortices). The combination of cross-polarization imaging in different spectral ranges, polarization sensitive digital holographic imaging (PSDHI), and interferometry allowed characterizing the valves and detecting the presence of spin-orbit coupling induced by their ultrastructure.https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2022/10/epjconf_eosam2022_09011.pdf |
| spellingShingle | De Tommasi Edoardo Ferrara Maria Antonietta Coppola Giuseppe Zito Gianluigi Nature engineered metasurfaces: spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in diatom frustules EPJ Web of Conferences |
| title | Nature engineered metasurfaces: spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in diatom frustules |
| title_full | Nature engineered metasurfaces: spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in diatom frustules |
| title_fullStr | Nature engineered metasurfaces: spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in diatom frustules |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nature engineered metasurfaces: spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in diatom frustules |
| title_short | Nature engineered metasurfaces: spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in diatom frustules |
| title_sort | nature engineered metasurfaces spin to orbital angular momentum conversion in diatom frustules |
| url | https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2022/10/epjconf_eosam2022_09011.pdf |
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