---
title: New study uses cathodoluminescence to characterize design of a plasmonic metasurface lens
description: A new study on
image: https://blog.delmic.com/hubfs/Merging%20transformation%20optics%20with%20electron-driven%20photon%20sources.png
---

###### [cathodoluminescence](https://blog.delmic.com/news/topic/cathodoluminescence), [paper review](https://blog.delmic.com/news/topic/paper-review) • 1

# New study uses cathodoluminescence to characterize design of a plasmonic metasurface lens

[Delmic February 19, 2019](https://blog.delmic.com/news/author/delmic)

![Merging transformation optics with electron-driven photon sources](https://blog.delmic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Merging%20transformation%20optics%20with%20electron-driven%20photon%20sources.png?width=1080&name=Merging%20transformation%20optics%20with%20electron-driven%20photon%20sources.png)

A new interesting study on "Merging transformation optics with electron-driven photon sources" was published in Nature Communications.

The research was done by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, AMOLF, and the University of Stuttgart. The study combines optical modelling and design of a plasmonic metasurface lens, with electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and cathodoluminescence (CL) experiments to characterize its properties. The experiments demonstrate that such surfaces can be used in the future for hybrid pump-probe experiments and/or spectral interferometry. 

A mesoscopic structure composed of an array of nanoscale holes in a gold film was designed using transformation optics. When excited by electrons, this structure acts as a very particular electron-driven photon source (EDPHS). The work shows that this metalens can be tuned to give a particular polarization state, illumination angle, and focal length for electron beam illumination. The designed EDPHS was subsequently loaded inside a transmission electron microscope and inside a scanning electron microscope to determine its nanoscale optical properties. In particular, electron energy-loss spectroscopy and [angle-resolved cathodoluminescence](https://request.delmic.com/angle-resolved-cathodoluminescence-imaging-technical-note) were used respectively. The CL measurements were performed on the [SPARC cathodoluminescence detection system](https://www.delmic.com/sparc-cathodoluminescence-sem). Based on the results, the authors expect a wide range of applications in electron-photon microscopy and spectroscopy, as well as electron-based spectral interferometry. 

If you are interested, read the [full article here.](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-08488-4) We are regularly posting news on the most interesting papers in the field, so if you want to stay updated, subscribe to our newsletter.

#### Delmic

[![](https://blog.delmic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2022_Delmic_M%26M%20Meeting%20Promo_Website.png?width=380&name=2022_Delmic_M%26M%20Meeting%20Promo_Website.png) ](https://blog.delmic.com/news/join-delmic-at-microscopy-microanalysis-mm-meeting-2022) [###### cathodoluminescence

## Join Delmic at Microscopy & MicroAnalysis (M&M) Meeting 2022

It’s official, Delmic is going to M&M 2022 in Portland, Oregon! You’ll find us at the biggest microscopy event of the year. We’ll be presenting our METEOR, ...

](https://blog.delmic.com/news/join-delmic-at-microscopy-microanalysis-mm-meeting-2022)

[![](https://blog.delmic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Website/News/2022_CL_OTP%20Funding_Website.png?width=380&name=2022_CL_OTP%20Funding_Website.png) ](https://blog.delmic.com/news/open-technology-programme-funding) [###### cathodoluminescence

## Open Technology Programme (OTP) funding

We are delighted to announce that Delmic - CL Solutions is a part of the Open Technology Programme, granted by NWO. The project will look into a new ...

](https://blog.delmic.com/news/open-technology-programme-funding)

[![](https://blog.delmic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Website/News/2022_CL_NWO%20Funding_Website.png?width=380&name=2022_CL_NWO%20Funding_Website.png) ](https://blog.delmic.com/news/nwo-funding-for-perovskite-solar-foil-consortium) [###### cathodoluminescence

## NWO funding for perovskite solar foil consortium

We are excited to announce that Delmic - CL Solutions will be part of the PerFoRM (Perovskite Foils by Roll-to-roll Manufacturing) consortium, funded by NWO's ...

](https://blog.delmic.com/news/nwo-funding-for-perovskite-solar-foil-consortium)