Fast Adaptive Photo-Thermal Lens

In the current trend towards miniaturization, integrated micro-optical elements play a central role in the development of various applications including high-density data storage and imaging. In these operations, fine alignment and focus adjustment are usually performed mechanically; thus limiting the accuracy, size and speed of devices. Here, we propose a novel reconfigurable micro-lens based on the engineering of the temperature distribution induced by a patterned plasmonic surface shined with a resonant near infra-red light. The refractive index change generated in a surrounding thermo-optical material acts as an effective lens whose parameters are remotely adjusted by the control near infra-red light. We demonstrate focal distance tunability of tens of microns with sub-nanometer accuracy along with time-responses down to 200 ms. The applicability of this photo-thermal lens is proved in the framework of optical microscopy and adaptive optics.

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