Acoustic Refractive Index Research Articles

Effect of cross-frequency correlation on the auralization of acoustic scintillation in outdoor sounds

Outdoor sound propagation is modified by random fluctuations in the acoustic refractive index due to atmospheric turbulence. This phenomenon, known as acoustic scintillation, results in fluctuations in the amplitude and phase as well as reduced spatial coherence of the sound waves. Recently, a physics-based model was proposed to construct time domain realizations of the amplitude and phase fluctuations for application in the auralization of outdoor sound sources. The approach assumed the frequency-dependent fluctuations, considered in separate 1/n octave frequency bands, are either fully correlated or fully decorrelated. This paper extends the method by including specific model-based cross-frequency correlation in the fluctuations. The approach is first presented, followed by examples of applications and a subjective evaluation of auralized samples with and without cross-frequency correlation.

Phase variation of Laguerre-Gaussian vortex beams in a homogeneous atmospheric medium under finite amplitude acoustic wave perturbation

In this article, we have derived the acoustic pressure and medium refractive index expressions in a homogeneous atmospheric medium perturbed by a planar finite amplitude acoustic wave. In a planar finite amplitude acoustic wave perturbation, we developed a Laguerre–Gaussian vortex beam transmission model in a homogeneous atmospheric medium. We investigated the effects of different acoustic source parameters on the phase of the Laguerre–Gaussian vortex beam transmission, considering the atmospheric medium’s viscous effect. The results show that acoustic waves of finite amplitude distort the refractive index distribution of a homogeneous atmospheric medium. At a given distance, the amplitude of the refractive index gradually increases with increasing acoustic wave transmission distance. At the same time, the phase of the Laguerre–Gaussian vortex beam is rotated by the perturbation of the finite-amplitude acoustic wave, and the phase always returns to its initial position. Unlike linear acoustic waves, changes in the homogeneous atmospheric refractive index distribution and the homogeneous phase of the Laguerre–Gaussian vortex light no longer satisfy the periodic variation when perturbed by finite-amplitude acoustic waves. Under the same conditions, the effect of finite-amplitude acoustic waves on the phase of the Laguerre–Gaussian vortex light is stronger than that of linear acoustic waves. Finally, the effects of different acoustic pressure and frequency of the source on the phase of the Laguerre–Gaussian vortex beam transmission are calculated. The results show that different acoustic parameters at the source can be used to achieve phase modulation at different distances and intensities.

Al2O3/GeO2/P2O5/F-Doped Silica Large-Mode-Area Optical Fibers for High-Power Single-Frequency Radiation Delivery

A new design of a passive optical fiber waveguide with a large mode area (LMA) and strong stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) suppression is proposed. The fiber core consists of two parts: a central one, doped with Al2O3 and GeO2, and a peripheral one, doped with P2O5 and F. The doping profiles form a gradient-increasing profile of the acoustic refractive index, which effectively implements the acoustic multimode SBS suppression method. Measurements of the SBS gain spectrum and SBS threshold power were carried out, showing an increase in the SBS threshold of no less than 11 dB compared to a conventional uniformly doped passive LMA fiber.

Physics-based scintillations for outdoor sound auralization.

The sound propagating in a turbulent atmosphere fluctuates in amplitude and phase. This phenomenon, known as acoustic scintillation, is caused by random fluctuations in the acoustic refractive index of the air induced by atmospheric turbulence. Auralization techniques should consider this phenomenon to increase the realism of the synthetic sound. This paper proposes a physics-based formulation to model sequences of log-amplitude and phase fluctuations of a sound propagating in a turbulent atmosphere. This method applies to slanted and vertical propagation of the sound, which is useful for simulating elevated noise sources such as aircraft, drones, and wind turbines. The theoretical framework is based on the spatial correlation functions for the log-amplitude and phase fluctuations for spherical waves, the von Kármán spectrum, and similarity theories to model atmospheric turbulence. Two applications with audio files are presented to demonstrate the applicability of this method to tonal and broadband noise.

Perfect Acoustic-Vortexes Constructed by the Fourier Transform of Quasi-Bessel Beams Based on the Simplified Ring Array of Sectorial Planar Transducers.

Benefiting from the independence of the vortex radius on the topological charge (TC), the perfect acoustic-vortex (PAV) with an angular phase gradient exhibits important perspectives in acoustic applications. However, the practical implementation is still restricted by the limited accuracy and flexibility of the phase control for large-scaled source arrays. An applicable scheme of constructing PAVs by the spatial Fourier transform of quasi-Bessel AV (QB-AV) beams is developed using the simplified ring array of sectorial transducers. The principle of PAV construction is derived based on the phase modulation of the Fourier and saw-tooth lenses. Numerical simulations and experimental measurements are carried out for the ring array with the continuous and discrete phase spirals. The construction of PAVs is demonstrated by the annuli at an almost identical peak pressure with the vortex radius independent of the TC. The vortex radius is proved to increase linearly with the increase of the rear focal length and the radial wavenumber, which are determined by the curvature radii and the acoustic refractive index of the Fourier lens and the bottom angle of the saw-tooth lens, respectively. The improved PAV with a more continuous high-pressure annulus and lower concentric disturbances can be constructed by the ring array of more sectorial sources and the Fourier lens of a bigger radius. The favorable results demonstrate the feasibility of constructing PAVs by the Fourier transform of QB-AV beams and provide an implementable technology in the fields of acoustic manipulation and communication.

Analysis of Acousto-Optic Phenomenon in SAW Acoustofluidic Chip and Its Application in Light Refocusing.

This paper describes and analyzes a common acousto-optic phenomenon in surface acoustic wave (SAW) microfluidic chips and accomplishes some imaging experiments based on these analyses. This phenomenon in acoustofluidic chips includes the appearance of bright and dark stripes and image distortion. This article analyzes the three-dimensional acoustic pressure field and refractive index field distribution induced by focused acoustic fields and completes an analysis of the light path in an uneven refractive index medium. Based on the analysis of microfluidic devices, a SAW device based on a solid medium is further proposed. This MEMS SAW device can refocus the light beam and adjust the sharpness of the micrograph. The focal length can be controlled by changing the voltage. Moreover, the chip is also proven to be capable of forming a refractive index field in scattering media, such as tissue phantom and pig subcutaneous fat layer. This chip has the potential to be used as a planar microscale optical component that is easy to integrate and further optimize and provides a new concept about tunable imaging devices that can be attached directly to the skin or tissue.

Brillouin gain spectrum characterization in an acoustic anti-guided delivery fiber for high power narrow linewidth laser.

The Brillouin gain spectrum (BGS) provides key information for stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), such as the Brillouin frequency shift (BFS), Brillouin spontaneous linewidth, and Brillouin gain coefficient. In this study, we theoretically investigate the field distributions and BGS characterization of Ge-doped, Al-doped, and Al/Ge co-doped fibers. Additionally, we analyzed and compared the relationship between the BGS and acoustic refractive index. In particular, we demonstrate the crucial role played by acoustic modes in anti-waveguide structures. The simulation results show that the Brillouin gain coefficient decreases with a decreasing acoustic index in the fiber core region. Furthermore, we experimentally measure the SBS threshold and BGS of the Al/Ge co-doped fiber to examine the validity of the numerical model. The simulated and experimental results are consistent.

Sound propagation and scattering in turbulent media

This presentation overviews sound propagation and scattering in turbulent media and pertinent acoustic remote sensing of turbulence. Although sound propagation through a turbulent atmosphere is mainly considered, the presented results apply to other media such as oceanic turbulence. Formulations are provided for various statistical characteristics of acoustic signals such as the scattering cross section, the variances of the phase and log-amplitude fluctuations, the spatial, temporal, and cross-frequency coherences, and the probability density functions. Monte Carlo simulation of sound propagation in a random medium is explained. Specifics of acoustic signals in turbulent media as compared to electromagnetic waves are highlighted. For example, sound waves are scattered by both the sound speed and medium velocity fluctuations, which are scalar and vector random fields, respectively, with different statistical properties. Also, fluctuations in the acoustic refractive index are much stronger than those in electromagnetic propagation, and sound can be scattered by humidity (or salinity) fluctuations. Finally, the Markov approximation, which is widely used for electromagnetic waves, might not be applicable for some statistical characteristics of acoustic signals. It is explained how these specifics of sound propagation are addressed in atmospheric acoustics.

Retrieving effective acoustic impedance and refractive index for size mismatch samples

In this paper, we have presented an analytical solution to extract the effective properties of acoustic metamaterials from the measured complex transmission and reflection coefficients when the metamaterial and impedance tube have different sizes. We first considered the air gap as a separate domain and modeled the problem as a bilayer metamaterial inside a duct. Then, we established theoretically that when the dimensions of an acoustic metamaterial are known, the effective properties may be derived by solving a set of eight linear equations. Finally, we assessed the proposed technique using numerical simulation data. The proposed method is shown to calculate the effective refractive index and impedance with an error of less than 1%. This method provides an efficient approach to analyze the effective properties of acoustic metamaterials of different sizes.

Non-Markov behavior of acoustic phase variance in the atmospheric boundary layer

The Markov approximation is widely used in wave propagation in random media. This approximation is valid if the propagation path length is greater than the scale of the medium inhomogeneities affecting a particular statistical moment of a wave field and the moment changes insignificantly over this scale. These conditions might be violated for the variance of the phase fluctuations and other statistical moments of acoustic signals that have propagated through atmospheric turbulence: the scale of the largest eddies can be hundreds of meters, and fluctuations in the acoustic refractive index are relatively strong. In the current article, the phase variance of a spherical sound wave in statistically inhomogeneous turbulence is formulated without the Markov approximation. For propagation ranges smaller than the scale of the largest eddies, the phase variance without the Markov approximation is significantly smaller than when this approximation is employed. As the range increases, the difference between the two results tends toward a constant value (a ‘memory’ effect), which might be significant in many applications. The phase variance without the Markov approximation agrees better with the experimental data on sound propagation through the atmosphere, while the variance calculated with this approximation significantly overpredicts the data.

Acoustic Refractive Index Measurement using Tone Burst Signal as an Alternative to Broadband Pulse by Through-Transmission Method

본 연구는 분산적인 재료의 음향 굴절률의 정밀한 측정 기법에 관한 것이다. 수침식 측정 장치는 시료와 변환기의 교환이 용이하도록 구성하였다. 시료를 투과한 신호의 피크-주파수 이동을 최소화 하기 위해 협대역의 톤 버스트 신호를 사용하였다. 시료 내부의 반사파 중첩을 피하기 위한 사이클 수, 두께 및 굴절률의 유의점도 함께 기술하였다. 비행 시간에 의한 위상과 FFT를 통해 얻어지는 위상을 반영하게 되어 주파수 의존 ARI가 보다 일관성 있는 경향을 나타내는 결과를 얻을 수 있었다. 투과법에서 간과하기 쉬운 회절 손실, 투과 손실을 감쇠 계수 측정에 반영하는 방법도 함께 고려하였다. 본 연구에서 사용한 재료는 상용 polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)이며, 의료용 초음파 탐촉자의 음향 렌즈로 널리 활용되고 있다.

Frequency-dependent focal length of a plano-spherical convex subsonic index lens

This study aims to investigate the frequency-dependent characteristics of the focal length of an acoustic lens made of a material with a frequency-dependent acoustic refractive index (ARI). For this purpose, an exchangeable plano-spherical convex subsonic index lens (PSCSIL) was fabricated using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) material. The ARI of the lens material was evaluated via the tone-burst through-transmission method over the frequency range of 1–10 MHz. The frequency dependence of the focal length of the fabricated PSCSIL was evaluated through graphical analysis of the acoustic field scanned by a hydrophone as well as of that simulated using the finite element method. The measured ARI and focal length were observed to be dependent on frequency. The simulated and measured focal lengths of the PSCSIL exhibited a great discrepancy with their respective values predicted using the conventional focal length equation. This discrepancy was further studied using the ray-tracing method and is described in the discussion section. In conclusion, the spherical curvature of PSCSIL does not induce the convergence of rays to meet in a point. The ray tracing method does not take into account the phase complexity of the near-field region inside the lens. This causes the actual focal length to be shorter than the predicted one.

Axial Line-Scanning STED-FCS

We present axial line-scanning stimulated emission depletion fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (axial ls-STED-FCS), a super-resolution method to investigate the dynamics and interactions of biomolecules associated with the plasma membrane of live cells. Intrinsic membrane fluctuations are detrimental for FCS, and line scanning of the confocal spot through the membrane is an effective tool to cope with this problem. In contrast to earlier lateral (within the focal area) line scanning approaches, we employ axial (along the optical axis) line scanning at ultra-high speed by using a tunable acoustic gradient index of refraction (TAG) lens. This device allows us to sweep the observation volume through the membrane within a few microseconds and thus about two orders of magnitude faster than with lateral line scanning using galvanometric scanners. A key advantage of axial lsFCS is that its observation area on the membrane is circular whereas the one of lateral lsFCS is elliptical and larger due to the lower axial resolution of the confocal microscope. As a result, the correlation decay is significantly faster with axial lsFCS, allowing shorter overall measurement times to reach a comparable precision, and its simpler model function makes fitting more robust. Moreover, it is easier to find suitable spots in live imaging of cultured cells. With STED excitation, the observation area can be markedly reduced, as was shown with giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) labeled with Atto 647N. Axial ls-STED-FCS enables measurements on smaller spatial scales and with greater biomolecule densities and, therefore, is a valuable extension of standard axial lsFCS, which we have recently introduced for precise measurements of ligand-membrane receptor binding affinities in the (sub)nanomolar range.

Design of highly-efficient acoustic waveguide couplers using impedance-tunable transformation acoustics

In this paper, the theory of impedance-tunable transformation acoustics in the geometric-acoustics limit is proposed to design efficient two-dimensional acoustic waveguide couplers. By choosing suitable impedance functions in the original space, impedance matching between the transformation medium and the background medium becomes possible, and the reflection at the boundary is reduced. The theory can be used to enable efficient acoustic coupling between waveguides of different sizes and different embedded media. By selecting an appropriate impedance function and a tunable acoustic refractive index, the transformed medium in the coupler can become a simplified parameter medium, for which the bulk modulus is a constant. This makes the experiment substantially easier. The problem of a reduced coupling-efficiency at low frequencies (a deviation from the geometric acoustic approximation) can be mitigated by selecting a large acoustic refractive index. Our two-dimensional numerical simulations indicate that this theoretical design works very well. The method can be extended to other transformation acoustic designs including three-dimensional cases.

Optical generation and detection of gigahertz shear acoustic waves in solids assisted by a metallic diffraction grating

Absorption of ultrashort laser pulses in a metallic grating deposited on a transparent sample launches in the material both compression/dilatation (longitudinal) and shear coherent acoustic pulses in directions of different orders of acoustic diffraction. The propagation of the emitted acoustic pulses can be monitored by measuring the variation of the optical reflectivity of the time-delayed ultrashort probe laser pulses. The direction of probe light incidence and its polarization relative to the sample surface as well as the orientation of the metallic grating should be specifically chosen for efficient Brillouin scattering of the probe light from shear phonons propagating in the elastically isotropic materials. As theoretically predicted, the obtained experimental data contain multiple frequency components which are due to a variety of possible Brillouin scattering angles for both shear and compression/dilatation coherent acoustic waves. All these different frequency components are explained through multiplexing the propagation directions of probe light and coherent sound by the metallic diffraction grating. Our experimental scheme of time-domain Brillouin scattering with metallic gratings operating in reflection mode provides access to monitoring the shear acoustic waves launched in the direction of the first diffraction order by backward Brillouin scattering process. Applications include simultaneous determination of several different acoustic mode velocities and optical refractive index and, potentially, measurements of the acoustic dispersion of samples with a single direction of possible optical access.

Gradient-index phononic crystals for omnidirectional acoustic wave focusing and energy harvesting

The design, fabrication, and analysis of omnidirectional gradient-index (GRIN) phononic crystals (PnCs) for acoustic wave focusing and energy harvesting have been demonstrated both numerically and experimentally. Despite that omnidirectional functionality is a key factor to alleviate the directivity dependence issues, the concept has not yet been incorporated into acoustic energy harvesting. In this work, a symmetrical GRIN PnC structure consisting of cylinders with variation in filling fractions has been presented to tailor the spatial acoustic refractive index, thus enforcing the acoustic waves in any direction toward the targeted center area for focusing purposes. Both a numerical simulation and experimental validation confirm substantial sound energy amplification of the designed GRIN PnC over a broad frequency range from 250 Hz to 1 kHz. Notably, the maximum sound amplification occurs at the hybrid resonant frequency of the GRIN PnC structure and the acoustic duct system used to generate incident plane waves. Numerical simulation reveals that the cavity resonance and the refraction of the GRIN PnC mainly contribute to enhanced sound amplification in addition to the reflection from the acoustic duct. The GRIN PnC structure coupled with the acoustic duct system leads to enhanced harvesting output performance when integrated with a piezoelectric energy harvesting device.

Sensitivity Characteristics of Microfiber Fabry-Perot Interferometric Photoacoustic Sensors

A microfiber Fabry-Perot (FP) interferometer is proposed for photoacoustic sensing. It is fabricated by utilizing the 193 nm UV exposure and the phase mask technique. Two fiber Bragg gratings which are formed in a microscaled optical fiber as a FP cavity serves as a sensor. In contrast to the conventional, new characteristics are attributed to the microfiber segment of the refractive index change. The microfiber FP interferometric photoacoustic sensor dependencies on acoustic pressure, temperature, and refractive index are investigated. This compact photoacoustic sensor, with the diameter of microns, is suitable for photoacoustic imaging, especially in photo acoustic microtomography.

Acoustic Absorption Characteristics of New Underwater Omnidirectional Absorber**Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos 51575201 and 11204098.

We investigate a new underwater omnidirectional absorber with acoustic black hole effect to realize a broadband omnidirectional acoustic wave absorption. Based on multiple scattering theory, a two-dimensional axisymmetric model of underwater omnidirectional absorber comprised of an acoustic gradient refractive index structure and a hollow core is developed, and the mechanisms of omnidirectional absorption and dissipation of acoustic waves are studied. The numerical results indicate that the omnidirectional absorber developed here can achieve the omnidirectional absorption of incident acoustic waves in a broadband frequency and can effectively reduce the backscattering of acoustic waves. It potentially provides a new notion for underwater acoustic coating design.

Observation of acoustic Dirac-like cone and double zero refractive index

Zero index materials where sound propagates without phase variation, holds a great potential for wavefront and dispersion engineering. Recently explored electromagnetic double zero index metamaterials consist of periodic scatterers whose refractive index is significantly larger than that of the surrounding medium. This requirement is fundamentally challenging for airborne acoustics because the sound speed (inversely proportional to the refractive index) in air is among the slowest. Here, we report the first experimental realization of an impedance matched acoustic double zero refractive index metamaterial induced by a Dirac-like cone at the Brillouin zone centre. This is achieved in a two-dimensional waveguide with periodically varying air channel that modulates the effective phase velocity of a high-order waveguide mode. Using such a zero-index medium, we demonstrated acoustic wave collimation emitted from a point source. For the first time, we experimentally confirm the existence of the Dirac-like cone at the Brillouin zone centre.

A comparative study on the effect of temperature on density, sound velocity and refractive index of nanoemulsions formed by castor, olive and linseed oils in aqueous cellulose acetate propionate and butyrate and Tween80

Density, sound velocity as acoustic property and refractive index of oil-in-water nanoemulsions (NEs) formed by castor oil (CO), olive oil (OO) and linseed oil (LO), respectively, with cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and Tween 80 (Tw80) are reported at temperature varying between 293.15K–313.15K. Ionic internal pressure generated with hydrophilic-hydrophobic interactions (HI-HbI) is also expressed as isentropic compressibility (IC) with relative change. The parameters density, refractive index and light velocity are regressed for their limiting values. Variation of sound velocity and light velocity with temperature, show opposite trends.