Image of the Week - 01 March 2005

Non-Linear Biophotonic Crystal

The images above depict efficient second harmonic generation [SHG (green)} at the focus of a high numerical aperture objective (1.32). Traditional inorganic non-linear crystals are highly dependant on angle of incidence, wavelength and polarization; in this case the crystalline substance is angle independant and has a bandwidth ranging from 700 to 1300 nm wavelength with regard to SHG. The exotic photonic crystal in this case consists of starch granules derived from white rice.

Image Courtesy: Karl Garsha, Imaging Technology Group, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, UIUC

Contact: garsha@itg.uiuc.edu