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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
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Fabrication of Zero Mode Waveguides for High Concentration Single Molecule Microscopy
Published on: May 12, 2020
Colloidal ZnO quantum dots in ultraviolet pillar microcavities.
Tim Thomay1, Tobias Hanke, Martin Tomas
1Department of Physics and Center for Applied Photonics, University of Konstanz, D-78464 Konstanz, Germany.
Optics Express
|June 26, 2008
Summary
Three dimensional light confinement was achieved in ultraviolet pillar microcavities containing zinc oxide (ZnO) quantum dots. These findings align with waveguide model predictions for microcavity modes.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
- Quantum Dots
Background:
- Pillar microcavities offer unique optical properties for light confinement.
- Colloidal zinc oxide (ZnO) quantum dots are promising for ultraviolet (UV) optoelectronic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate three-dimensional light confinement and microcavity modes in ZnO quantum dot-embedded pillar resonators.
- To fabricate and characterize UV pillar microcavities using focused ion beam milling.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of pillar resonators with embedded colloidal ZnO quantum dots using focused ion beam (FIB) milling.
- Experimental observation of ultraviolet microcavity modes.
- Application of a waveguide model to analyze mode patterns and spectral positions.
Main Results:
- Successful fabrication of pillar resonators with embedded ZnO quantum dots.
- Observation of distinct three-dimensional light confinement and UV pillar microcavity modes.
- Excellent agreement between experimental data and the waveguide model for mode characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Pillar resonators with embedded ZnO quantum dots enable effective 3D light confinement in the UV spectrum.
- The experimental results validate the theoretical predictions of the waveguide model for these microcavity structures.
