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Time reversal versus adaptive optimization for spatiotemporal nanolocalization in a random nanoantenna

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Abstract

Spatiotemporal nanolocalization of ultrashort pulses in a random scattering nanostructure via time reversal and adaptive optimization employing a genetic algorithm and a suitably defined fitness function is studied for two embedded nanoparticles that are separated by only a tenth of the free space wavelength. The nanostructure is composed of resonant core–shell nanoparticles (TiO2 core and Ag shell) placed randomly surrounding these two nanoparticles acting as targets. The time reversal scheme achieves selective nanolocalization only by chance if the incident radiation can couple efficiently to dipolar local modes interacting with the target/emitter particle. Even embedding the structure in a reverberation chamber fails improving the nanolocalization. In contrast, the adaptive optimization strategy reliably yields nanolocalization of the radiation and allows a highly selective excitation of either target position. This demonstrates that random scattering structures are interesting multi-purpose optical nanoantennas to realize highly flexible spatiotemporal optical near-field control.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the German Science Foundation (DFG) within the SPP 1391. We thank Javier García de Abajo for helpful discussions and for making the MESME code available for the shown field calculations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fakultät für Physik, Universität Bielefeld, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany

    Dominik Differt, Matthias Hensen & Walter Pfeiffer

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  1. Dominik Differt
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  2. Matthias Hensen
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  3. Walter Pfeiffer
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Correspondence to Dominik Differt.

Additional information

This article is part of the topical collection “Ultrafast Nanooptics” guest edited by Martin Aeschlimann and Walter Pfeiffer.

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Differt, D., Hensen, M. & Pfeiffer, W. Time reversal versus adaptive optimization for spatiotemporal nanolocalization in a random nanoantenna. Appl. Phys. B 122, 141 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-016-6403-2

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