Mapping the nanoscale optical topological textures with a fiber-integrated plasmonic probe

TL;DR

This paper introduces a fiber-integrated plasmonic probe capable of super-resolution, three-dimensional mapping of nanoscale optical topological textures, enabling detailed visualization of complex light-matter interactions without postprocessing.

Contribution

A novel fiber-based probe design that directly reconstructs 3D electric fields of optical topological textures at the nanoscale, improving visualization and analysis capabilities.

Findings

Successfully visualized 3D topological textures in free space and evanescent waves

Demonstrated broadband and robust performance of the probe

Achieved super-resolution mapping without postprocessing algorithms

Abstract

Topologically protected quasiparticles in optics have received increasing research attention recently, as they provide novel degree of freedom to manipulate light-matter interactions and exhibiting excellent potential in nanometrology and ultrafast vector imaging. However, the characterization of the full three-dimensional vectorial structures of the topological texures at the nanoscale has remained a challenge. Here, we propose a novel probe based on the fiber taper-silver nanowire waveguide structure to achieve super-resolution mapping of the topological textures. Based on the mode selection rules, the three-dimensional decomposed electric fields in both the far-field and near-field are directly collected and reconstructed without postprocessing algorithms, clearly visualizing the topological texures formed in free space and evanescent waves respectively. The fiber-integrated probe is further demonstrated to be robust and broadband. This approach holds promise for the characterization of more sophisticated topology in optical field, which may allow for advance applications in optical information processing and data storage.