Experimental imaging properties of immersion microscale spherical lenses.
Using the immersion lensing technique, the resolution of a conventional spherical lens can be improved by a factor of 1/n over its value in air (n, the refractive index of the immersion medium). Depending on the relative position between an object and a lens, either a real or a virtual image is formed. Here we report a new physical phenomenon experimentally observed in the microscale lens imaging. We find that when a microscale spherical lens is semi-immersed in a medium, the resolution of the lens is improved as it can intercept more fine details of the object. However, the microscale lens has two image channels for the fine and coarse details and two images corresponding to the two components can be formed simultaneously. Our findings will advance the understanding of the super-resolution imaging mechanisms in microscale lenses.
Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology, Department of Physics, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097, China.
Ran
R
Ye
Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology, Department of Physics, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097, China.
Yong-Hong
YH
Ye
State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
Hui Feng
HF
Ma
Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology, Department of Physics, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097, China.
Lingling
L
Cao
School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
Jun
J
Ma
Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Frank
F
Wyrowski
Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany.
Rui
R
Shi
Department of Electronic Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
Jia-Yu
JY
Zhang
D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D007909:Lenses; D008863:Microspheres; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000379:methods*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry
D011137:Polystyrenes