Super-Collimation of Light Beats the Diffraction Limit

Kuan-Ren Chen^1*, Jeffrey E. Chen¹, Jian-Shiung Hong¹, Alex E. Chen¹, Ching-Chun Yuan¹

¹Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan

* Presenter:Kuan-Ren Chen, email:chenkr@mail.ncku.edu.tw

The diffraction limit of light is based on the linear superposition principle, so is its twin as the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics. The superposition principle demands a linear consequence. However, our recent study of pulse light transmitting through a plasmonic slit indicates that superposition in time and thus in phase can cause nonlinear consequence. As a nonlinear consequence in space, a super-collimated light beam can be produced to beat the diffraction limit by a metallic film with plasmonic subwavelength structures. Besides analytics and simulations, new experimental results and physics will be illuminated.

Keywords: plasmonics, nanophotonics, diffraction, uncertainty