Small
push–pull molecules attract much attention as prospective
donor materials for organic solar cells (OSCs). By chemical engineering,
it is possible to combine a number of attractive properties such as
broad absorption, efficient charge separation, and vacuum and solution
processabilities in a single molecule. Here we report the synthesis
and early time photophysics of such a molecule, TPA-2T-DCV-Me, based
on the triphenylamine (TPA) donor core and dicyanovinyl (DCV) acceptor
end group connected by a thiophene bridge. Using time-resolved photoinduced
absorption and photoluminescence, we demonstrate that in blends with
[70]PCBM the molecule works both as an electron donor and hole acceptor,
thereby allowing for two independent channels of charge generation.
The charge-generation process is followed by the recombination of
interfacial charge transfer states that takes place on the subnanosecond
time scale as revealed by time-resolved photoluminescence and nongeminate
recombination as follows from the OSC performance. Our findings demonstrate
the potential of TPA-DCV-based molecules as donor materials for both
solution-processed and vacuum-deposited OSCs.
We demonstrate a novel imaging approach and associated reconstruction algorithm for far-field coherent diffractive imaging, based on the measurement of a pair of laterally sheared diffraction patterns. The differential phase profile retrieved from such a measurement leads to improved reconstruction accuracy, increased robustness against noise, and faster convergence compared to traditional coherent diffractive imaging methods. We measure laterally sheared diffraction patterns using Fourier-transform spectroscopy with two phase-locked pulse pairs from a high-harmonic source. Using this approach, we demonstrate spectrally resolved imaging at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths between 28 and 35 nm.
Diffractive optics can be used to accurately control optical wavefronts, even in situations where refractive components such as lenses are not available. For instance, conventional Fresnel zone plates (ZPs) enable focusing of monochromatic radiation. However, they lead to strong chromatic aberrations in multicolor operation. In this work, we propose the concept of spatial entropy minimization as a computational design principle for both mono- and polychromatic focusing optics. We show that spatial entropy minimization yields conventional ZPs for monochromatic radiation. For polychromatic radiation, we observe a previously unexplored class of diffractive optical elements, allowing for balanced spectral efficiency. We apply the proposed approach to the design of a binary ZP, tailored to multispectral focusing of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from a high-harmonic tabletop source. The polychromatic focusing properties of these ZPs are experimentally confirmed using ptychography. This work provides a new route towards polychromatic wavefront engineering at EUV and soft-x-ray wavelengths.
Overlay metrology measures pattern placement between two layers in a semiconductor chip. The continuous shrinking of device dimensions drives the need to explore novel optical overlay metrology concepts that can address many of the existing metrology challenges. We present a compact dark-field digital holographic microscope that uses only a single imaging lens. Our microscope offers several features that are beneficial for overlay metrology, like a large wavelength range. However, imaging with a single lens results in highly aberrated images. In this work, we present an aberration calibration and correction method using nano-sized point scatterers on a silicon substrate. Computational imaging techniques are used to recover the full wavefront error, and we use this to correct for the lens aberrations. We present measured data to verify the calibration method and we discuss potential calibration error sources that must be considered. A comparison with a ZEMAX calculation is also presented to evaluate the performance of the presented method.
We report on a method that allows microscopic image reconstruction from extremeultraviolet diffraction patterns without the need for object support constraints or other prior knowledge about the object structure. This is achieved by introducing additional diversity through rotation of an object in a rotationally asymmetric probe beam, produced by the spatial interference between two phase-coherent high-harmonic beams. With this rotational diffractive shearing interferometry method, we demonstrate robust image reconstruction of microscopic objects at wavelengths around 30 nm, using images recorded at only three to five different object rotations.
Using a pair of phase-locked high-harmonic generation sources, we demonstrate Fourier transform interferometry at extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths between 17 and 55 nm. This is made possible by the adaptation of a birefringence-based ultrastable interferometer for infrared femtosecond pulses. Since we measure the interference with an EUV-sensitive CCD camera, this enables a wide range of spatially and spectrally resolved measurements at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths. We demonstrate the capabilities of this technique by performing wavelength-resolved high-resolution coherent diffractive imaging and by measuring the spatially resolved spectral absorption of a thin structured titanium film.
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