Design and optimization of tapered structure of near‐field fibre probe based on finite‐difference time‐domain simulation
The finite‐difference time‐domain method was employed to simulate light propagation in tapered near‐field fibre probes with small metal aperture. By conducting large‐volume simulations, including tapered metal‐cladding waveguide and connected optical fibre waveguide, we illustrated the coupling between these guiding modes as well as the electric field distribution in the vicinity of the aperture. The high collection efficiency of a double‐tapered probe was reproduced and was ascribed to the shortening of the cut‐off region and the efficient coupling to the guiding mode of the optical fibre. The dependence of the efficiency on the tapered structure parameters was also examined.
Tailoring a high‐transmission fiber probe for photon scanning tunneling microscope
Transmission efficiency of a fiber probe used in photon scanning tunneling microscope is evaluated as a function of aperture diameter. The apertured probe has been fabricated by chemical etching technique and metal coating. By comparing two types of probes with different cone angles, we determine the most influential factor in the transmission property of the metal‐cladding tapered waveguide. A long tip with high efficiency is developed by a multistep etching method so as to be suitable during actual scanning operation. Photoluminescence imaging of lateral p‐n junctions on the GaAs substrate is demonstrated in the illumination‐collection hybrid mode operation of photon scanning tunneling microscope.
rPET detectors design and data processing
Small animal PET systems based on rotating planar detectors posses some interesting advantages for high sensitivity, high resolution imaging. We have designed the rPET detectors based on MLS crystals assembled on a 30times30 matrix optically coupled to a flat-panel PS-PMT. Weighted position readout circuits pre-process the 64 signals from the 8times8 anodes matrix, which are digitized using a charge-integrating converter. The amplification electronics, including the trigger output for coincidence detection, and the high voltage supply are integrated in a three PCBs stack that forms the base attached to the back of the PMT. The whole assembly is enclosed in a light tight, lead (Pb) shielded aluminum box. The detectors are mounted on a rotating gantry with more than 180 degrees rotation span. The digitized events are screened and histogramed, and a modified center of gravity algorithm removes from the position calculation those signals with poor signal to noise ratio. Apparent mean crystal size on the 511 keV field-flood images is 0.6 mm, mean peak-to-valley ratio is better than 8, and intrinsic resolution is 1.5 mm at the central row, with the energy window wide open. Sensitivity (CPS) for a pair of these detectors set in coincidence at 160 mm distance is 1%