Attempts to understand the changes in the structure and physiology of human skin abnormalities by non-invasive optical imaging are aided by spectroscopic methods that quantify, at the molecular level, variations in tissue oxygenation and melanin distribution. However, current commercial and research systems to map hemoglobin and melanin do not correlate well with pathology for pigmented lesions or darker skin. We developed a multimode dermoscope that combines polarization and hyperspectral imaging with an efficient analytical model to map the distribution of specific skin bio-molecules. This corrects for the melanin-hemoglobin misestimation common to other systems, without resorting to complex and computationally intensive tissue optical models. For this system's proof of concept, human skin measurements on melanocytic nevus, vitiligo, and venous occlusion conditions were performed in volunteers. The resulting molecular distribution maps matched physiological and anatomical expectations, confirming a technologic approach that can be applied to next generation dermoscopes and having biological plausibility that is likely to appeal to dermatologists.

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We present a two-dimensional (2D) snapshot multispectral imager that utilizes the optical transmission characteristics of nanohole arrays (NHAs) in a gold film to resolve a mixture of input colors into multiple spectral bands. The multispectral device consists of blocks of NHAs, wherein each NHA has a unique periodicity that results in transmission resonances and minima in the visible and near-infrared regions. The multispectral device was illuminated over a wide spectral range, and the transmission was spectrally unmixed using a least-squares estimation algorithm. A NHA-based multispectral imaging system was built and tested in both reflection and transmission modes. The NHA-based multispectral imager was capable of extracting 2D multispectral images representative of four independent bands within the spectral range of 662 nm to 832 nm for a variety of targets. The multispectral device can potentially be integrated into a variety of imaging sensor systems.

In this paper, we present a systematic study on the influence of composition of the adhesion layer between gold and a Pyrex substrate on the optical resonance transmission properties of nano-hole arrays in an optically thick gold film. Large nano-hole arrays with different hole periodicities in a square lattice arrangement were fabricated using Electron Beam Lithography using different adhesion layers (chromium, titanium, or etched adhesion layer). The fabricated nano-hole arrays were optically characterized using transmission spectroscopy. The optical performance of each nano-hole array was numerically simulated using a Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. The experiments and simulations revealed that the optical resonance transmission properties (i.e. the resonance wavelength, the spectral transmission modulation ratio, and the resonance bandwidth) of the nano-hole arrays depended highly on the composition and the thickness of the adhesion layer. The optical resonance bandwidths were larger for the nano-hole arrays with chromium or titanium adhesion layers. Also, a red-shift of the optical resonance peak was observed for nano-hole arrays with a metal adhesion layer compared to the corresponding nano-hole arrays with an etched adhesion layer, but the red-shift was greatest for the nano-hole array with the titanium adhesion layer. For adhesion layers of greater thickness, the optical resonance peaks were reduced in magnitude. Finally, nano-hole arrays with an etched adhesion layer had a significant blue-shift in the optical resonance peak and a narrower optical resonance bandwidth compared to nano-hole arrays with a titanium or a chromium adhesion layer. Consequently, a narrow optical resonance bandwidth characteristic of a nano-hole array with an etched adhesion layer can potentially enhance the spectral selectivity and offer improved optical performance.

The effect of holes in the dispersion relation of propagative surface plasmon modes of nanoperforated semitransparent metallic films Effect of surface plasmon energy matching on the sensing capability of metallic nano-hole arrays Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 063110 (2012); 10.1063/1.3683536 Evidence of localized surface plasmon enhanced magneto-optical effect in nanodisk array Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 081915 (2010);We present a nano-hole array structure in an opaque gold film that contains a cavity beneath each nano-hole. The cavity contributes to surface plasmon energy matching between the top and bottom surfaces of the gold and within the nano-hole structures. Based on bulk surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing experiments, the SP-matched structure had 2.8-fold higher differential transmission, 2-fold higher sensitivity, and a 7-fold higher ratio of extraordinary optical transmission at resonance to the nearby minimum compared to a conventional NHA. The results suggest that the structure with cavities has potential to improve performance of bulk SPR sensing applications. V C

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We report on a nano-hole array structure with a single cavity beneath the perforated gold film. Structures were fabricated with a variety of cavity depths. The optical resonance of each structure as well as the surface plasmon (SP) energy matching between the top and bottom of the gold film were investigated. We also experimentally evaluated the sensitivity of the structures as surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors. We observed a 1.6-fold enhancement in bulk SPR sensitivity and a 3-fold improvement in figure of merit for a structure with a 350-nm cavity depth compared to a structure with a 5-nm cavity depth.

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