We report a systematic study about the anisotropic third-order optical nonlinearity of a single ZnO micro/nanowire by using the Z-scan method with a femtosecond laser. The two-photon absorption coefficient and nonlinear refraction index, which are measured as a function of polarization angle and sample orientation angle, exhibit oscillation curves with a period of π/2, indicating a highly polar...

The Magnetic Resonance Force Microscope (MRFM) presents the opportunity for a magnetic resonance imaging probe with ultra-high, potentially atomic-scale, resolution. The successful application of this technique in detection of nuclear magnetic, electron-spin and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) highlights its significant potential. We discuss the capabilities of the MRFM with particular emphasis o...

We present, experimentally and theoretically, a polymer material system that supports optical spatial solitons of circular polarization. We demonstrate one-dimensional circularly polarized dark solitons supported by photoisomerization nonlinearity in a bulk polymer.

Using a vibrating opaque metallic tip, which periodically and locally modif ies the electromagnetic f ield distribution of a diffraction spot focused onto a sample surface through a microscope objective lens, we have observed optical resolution better than the diffraction limit both with topographical features and with purely optical ones. This procedure simultaneously generates a ref lection-m...

We have studied the noise in the optical rotation of a linearly polarized laser beam transmitted through a spin-polarized (133)Cs vapor as a function of its frequency detuning from the optical resonance. Our measurements demonstrate the direct conversion of the laser-frequency noise into optical rotation noise by the dispersive response of the atomic vapor. We describe this noise-conversion pro...

A novel optical-trap method for improving the trapping capability using a radially polarized narrow-width annular beam (NWAB) has been proposed. In this paper, we theoretically study the tight focusing properties of a radially polarized NWAB, formed by subtly blocking the central portion of a radially polarized Bessel–Gaussian beam (the original doughnut beam), through a high-numerical aperture...