Array Of Focal Spots Research Articles

Three-dimensional energy-controllable focal spot array with extended depth of focus created by pure phase modulation

Three-dimensional energy-controllable focal spot array with extended depth of focus created by pure phase modulation

Flexible focal array engineering with a binary array vector optical field

In recent years, the vector optical field (VOF) with space-variant polarization distribution has attracted great attention due to its unexpected effects and applications in a wide range of areas. The focal engineering plays the most important role, as the focused VOF provides various interesting properties. Here, we propose a kind of binary array VOF (BA-VOF), which can be applied in focal array engineering. The BA-VOF comprises an array of the first base field of radially polarized VOF and an array of the second base field of superposed subfields with phase modulations. We theoretically design and experimentally generate the BA-VOF. Based on the BA-VOF, we present a flexible method to manipulate the amount of the focal spots in the focal array. Moreover, the polarization state and spin angular momentum of each focal spot in the focal spot array can also be flexibly manipulated. The BA-VOF and the flexibly manipulated focal array are inspirable in the area of structured light, which can be applied in regions needing focal engineering, such as optical tweezers, optical fabrication, optical imaging, and so on.

Multifocal meta-fiber based on the fractional Talbot effect.

Multi-focusing of light is a crucial capability for photonic devices that can be effectively achieved by precisely modulating the phase delay on the incident wavefront. However, integrating functional structures into optical fibers for remote light focusing remains challenging due to the complex device design and limited fabrication approaches. Here, we present the design and fabrication of metalens array on the end-face of a tailored single-mode step-index fiber for focusing light field into closely packed focal spot array. The metalenses are configured based on the fractional Talbot effect and benefit a modular design capability. Light passing through the optical fiber can be focused into different focal planes. With a synergistic 3D laser nanoprinting technique based on two-photon polymerization, high-quality meta-fibers are demonstrated for focusing light parallelly with a uniform numerical aperture (NA) as high as approximately 0.77. This may facilitate various applications such as optical trapping, generation of sophisticated beam profiles, and boosting light coupling efficiencies.

Generation of a linear array of focal spots with prescribed characteristic using the radiation pattern from a tapered line source antenna

We report an approach for generating a linear array of focal spots with prescribed characteristics through the use of the antenna radiation theory and time reversal technology. A virtual line source antenna with a cosine-squared tapered distribution, placed at the vicinity of the common foci of a 4π-system, is employed to obtain the required illumination in the pupil plane. The polarization direction of the generated focal spots and the alignment direction of the linear array are determined by the spatial orientation of the line source antenna. The amount of focal spots depends on the period of the amplitude distribution. The position and spacing of the focal spots are related to the length and the period of the amplitude distribution. The generated linear arrays of focal spots have potential applications in laser micromachining, optical imaging and optical micromanipulation that require multiple focal points or synchronous optical operations.

Multi-value phase grating fabrication using direct laser writing for generating a two-dimensional focal spot array

As a beam splitter, multi-value phase grating (MVPG) has a higher diffraction efficiency than the traditional Damman grating (DG) due to its increased number of phase values within one period of the grating. In this paper, two MVPGs are numerically designed within a 120 μm × 120 μm area, which generate 4 * 4 and 5 * 5 focal spot arrays in the far field. Both gratings are fabricated by direct laser writing (DLW) technology. Their diffraction efficiencies reach 68.58% and 63.4%, respectively. To compare, DGs with the same size and focal spot arrays are designed and fabricated, whose diffraction efficiencies are tested to be 29.55% and 35.04%, respectively. The results demonstrate the better optical properties of multi-value phase gratings and the capability of DLW in three-dimensional nano-scale diffractive optical element fabrication.

A 3D controllable diffraction‐limited spot array generated by means of a spaced‐dipole array

The creation of an array of three-dimensional (3D) multifocal spots in the focal region has attracted interest due to potential applications in parallel or simultaneous process areas. Based on the theory of pattern synthesis of antenna array and the electromagnetic time reversal technique, an optimisation-free approach is reported to construct a 3D controllable diffraction-limited spot array in the focal volume of a 4pi focussing system formed by two high-numerical-aperture (NA) objectives. The proposed method can be implemented readily by inversely focussing the field radiated from a virtual spaced-dipole antenna array mounted at the focus of the 4pi configuration. By solving the inverse problem, the required illumination in the pupil plane for producing the 3D spot array can be found. It is demonstrated that the 3D diffraction-limited focal spot array owns the properties of controllable polarisation, scheduled number, tunable location, and adjustable interval. This array may find applications in 3D simultaneous optical manipulation and trapping, 3D parallel fabrication, 3D optical data storage, and so on.

Multifocal multi-value phase zone plate for 3D focusing.

We demonstrate a method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) array of focal spots by combination of a multi-focal diffractive lens and a two-dimensional multi-value phase grating. The multi-focal Fresnel-based lens is created by means of encoding special nonlinearities into the phase structure of a Fresnel zone plate and is represented as a mathematical superposition of this phase function with a refractive lens. The imposed nonlinearity type enables the creation of multiple focal spots with uniform intensity along the optical axis. We demonstrate the example of a 3D multi-value phase grating, which creates five focal planes with a $5 \times 5$5×5 transverse array of focal spots with equal energy distribution in each plane. Experimental results are included to verify the theoretical outcomes, where the phase pattern of a 3D multi-value phase grating is encoded onto a spatial light modulator.

Scattering lens for structured illumination microscopy

In this article, we describe a way to obtain beyond diffraction limited imaging capability behind a scattering medium using structured illumination microscopy (SIM). A scattering medium such as a ground glass diffuser or a biological material poses obstacles to image formation, let alone high resolution imaging. However, building on the work of Vellekoop et al. [Opt. Lett.35, 1245 (2010).10.1364/OL.35.001245] that transforms a scattering medium into a lens, we have previously demonstrated a technique to generate an array of focal spots behind a scattering medium [Opt. Express24, 23018 (2016).10.1364/OE.24.023018]. Using such focal spot arrays, we illuminate fluorescent beads hidden behind a scattering medium. We process the recorded fluorescence images using an SIM reconstruction algorithm to reveal images beyond the limit of resolution of the scattering lens.

Optimization-free two-dimensional focal spot array generated by the use of radiation pattern from a planar antenna array

We propose an optimization-free method for creating a two-dimensional (2-D) identical focal spot array with a prescribed number, tunable interval, and controllable position. This can be realized easily by backward focusing of the field radiated from a planar antenna array situated at the foci of two high-numerical-aperture objective lenses. It is demonstrated here that the number of spots in the focal field array is equal to the number of elements in the planar antenna array; the intervals between the two adjacent spots along the x and y directions depend solely on the gaps between the two corresponding elements, and the position for each spot is determined totally by the location of the corresponding element. Furthermore, the intensity distribution of each spot in the 2-D focal array is identical. These kinds of 2-D focal spot arrays with controllable characteristics may find applications in parallel optical micromanipulation, multifocal multiphoton microscopy, and multiparticle parallel acceleration.

Zonal wavefront sensing with enhanced spatial resolution.

In this Letter, we introduce a scheme to enhance the spatial resolution of a zonal wavefront sensor. The zonal wavefront sensor comprises an array of binary gratings implemented by a ferroelectric spatial light modulator (FLCSLM) followed by a lens, in lieu of the array of lenses in the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. We show that the fast response of the FLCSLM device facilitates quick display of several laterally shifted binary grating patterns, and the programmability of the device enables simultaneous capturing of each focal spot array. This eventually leads to a wavefront estimation with an enhanced spatial resolution without much sacrifice on the sensor frame rate, thus making the scheme suitable for high spatial resolution measurement of transient wavefronts. We present experimental and numerical simulation results to demonstrate the importance of the proposed wavefront sensing scheme.

Method for dose-reduced 3D catheter tracking on a scanning-beam digital x-ray system using dynamic electronic collimation.

Scanning-beam digital x-ray (SBDX) is an inverse geometry x-ray fluoroscopy system capable of tomosynthesis-based 3D catheter tracking. This work proposes a method of dose-reduced 3D tracking using dynamic electronic collimation (DEC) of the SBDX scanning x-ray tube. Positions in the 2D focal spot array are selectively activated to create a region-of-interest (ROI) x-ray field around the tracked catheter. The ROI position is updated for each frame based on a motion vector calculated from the two most recent 3D tracking results. The technique was evaluated with SBDX data acquired as a catheter tip inside a chest phantom was pulled along a 3D trajectory. DEC scans were retrospectively generated from the detector images stored for each focal spot position. DEC imaging of a catheter tip in a volume measuring 11.4 cm across at isocenter required 340 active focal spots per frame, versus 4473 spots in full-FOV mode. The dose-area-product (DAP) and peak skin dose (PSD) for DEC versus full field-of-view (FOV) scanning were calculated using an SBDX Monte Carlo simulation code. DAP was reduced to 7.4% to 8.4% of the full-FOV value, consistent with the relative number of active focal spots (7.6%). For image sequences with a moving catheter, PSD was 33.6% to 34.8% of the full-FOV value. The root-mean-squared-deviation between DEC-based 3D tracking coordinates and full-FOV 3D tracking coordinates was less than 0.1 mm. The 3D distance between the tracked tip and the sheath centerline averaged 0.75 mm. Dynamic electronic collimation can reduce dose with minimal change in tracking performance.

Multi-perspective scanning microscope based on Talbot effect

We report a multi-perspective scanning microscope based on the Talbot effect of a periodic focal spot array. Talbot illumination decouples the lateral scanning and the focal spots tuning. Large field of view fluorescence Talbot Microscope has been demonstrated by globally changing the incident wavefront gradient. Here, we explore the design freedom of adjusting the wavefront locally within each period and thus engineer the point spread function of the focal spots. We demonstrate an imaging system capable of reconstructing multi-perspective microscopic images in both bright field and fluorescence mode. With the multi-perspective imaging capability, we envision a more robust microscopic imaging system for large field of view fluorescence microscopy applications. This method is also suitable for compact imaging systems for multi-layer microfluidic systems.

Iterative phase-retrieval method for generating stereo array of polarization-controlled focal spots.

This Letter introduces an iterative phase-retrieval method based on the Gerchberg-Saxton (G-S) algorithm for generating any arbitrary 3D pattern in image space, while simultaneously controlling the polarization orientation at each pixel. For proof-of-principle, we generate a stereo focal spot array with distinct polarization orientation for each spot. This method is universal for controlling the output polarization; the only requirement is that the input polarization should be spatially inhomogeneous. This work has the potential to impact coherent imaging techniques and spectroscopy.

Local foci of a parabolic binary diffraction lens.

The intensity distribution on the optical axis of a parabolic binary diffraction lens is theoretically and experimentally studied. The binary diffraction lens is shown to form an array of focal spots of near-equal intensity on the optical axis. In each local focus, the focal-spot size decreases as the square of the focus number until the paraxiality condition is broken. Theory and experiment are shown to be in good agreement.

Three-dimensional shape-controllable focal spot array created by focusing vortex beams modulated by multi-value pure-phase grating.

We propose a method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) shape-controllable focal spot array by combination of a two-dimensional (2D) pure-phase modulation grating and an additional axial shifting pure-phase modulation composed of four-quadrant phase distribution unit at the back aperture of a high numerical aperture (NA) objective. It is demonstrated that the one-dimensional (1D) grating designed by optimized algorithm of selected number of equally spaced arbitrary phase value in a single period could produce desired number of equally spaced diffraction spot with identical intensity. It is also shown that the 2D pure-phase grating designed with this method could generate 2D diffraction spot array. The number of the spots in the array along each of two dimensions depends solely on the number of divided area with different phase values of the dimension. We also show that, by combining the axial translation phase modulation at the back aperture, we can create 3D focal spot array at the focal volume of the high NA objective. Furthermore, the shape or intensity distribution of each focal spot in the 3D focal array can be manipulated by introducing spatially shifted multi vortex beams as the incident beam. These kinds of 3D shape-controllable focal spot array could be utilized in the fabrication of artificial metamaterials, in parallel optical micromanipulation and multifocal multiphoton microscopic imaging.

Zonal wavefront sensor with reduced number of rows in the detector array

In this paper, we describe a zonal wavefront sensor in which the photodetector array can have a smaller number of rows. The test wavefront is incident on a two-dimensional array of diffraction gratings followed by a single focusing lens. The periodicity and the orientation of the grating rulings of each grating can be chosen such that the +1 order beam from the gratings forms an array of focal spots in the detector plane. We show that by using a square array of zones, it is possible to generate an array of +1 order focal spots having a smaller number of rows, thus reducing the height of the required detector array. The phase profile of the test wavefront can be estimated by measuring the displacements of the +1 order focal spots for the test wavefront relative to the +1 order focal spots for a plane reference wavefront. The narrower width of the photodetector array can offer several advantages, such as a faster frame rate of the wavefront sensor, a reduced amount of cross talk between the nearby detector zones, and a decrease in the maximum thermal noise. We also present experimental results of a proof-of-concept experimental arrangement using the proposed wavefront sensing scheme.

From Two-Dimensional Colloidal Self-Assembly to Three-Dimensional Nanolithography

A number of "top-down" lithographic and "bottom-up" self-assembly methods have been developed to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures to support the recent advances in nanotechnology. But they are limited by a number of factors such as fabrication cost, pattern resolution, and/or flexibility of geometry. Here we present a 3D nanolithography process that utilizes self-assembled nanospheres to create a periodic array of focal spots, which are then replicated across multiple depth in a transparent medium according to the Talbot effect. The Talbot field then exposes a pattern onto the underlying photoresist, recording the 3D intensity distribution. We have demonstrated designable complex 3D periodic structures with 80 nm minimum feature size, roughly one-fourth of the operating wavelength. This approach combines 2D colloidal self-assembly and 3D phase lithography, is robust, cost-effective, and widely applicable to nanoscale research and manufacturing.

Zonal wavefront sensing using an array of gratings

We describe a zonal-wavefront-sensing technique using an array of plane diffraction gratings. A spatially coherent beam, whose wavefront is to be measured, is incident on the array of gratings. The direction of a diffracted beam of a certain diffraction order is a function of the orientation and periodicity of the corresponding grating. Thus, by choosing the orientation and periodicity of each grating appropriately and by having a lens immediately behind the grating array, it is possible to get an array of focal spots. The profile of the incident wavefront can be estimated from the displacements of these focal spots relative to those due to an unaberrated beam. The arrangement makes it possible to increase the separation between two adjacent focal spots corresponding to two nearby gratings without effecting the areas of the gratings. Consequently, a relatively large dynamic range in wavefront measurement can be achieved without compromising the accuracy. With the arrangement it is also possible to use a photodetector array whose outline is independent of the grating array outline. The proposed wavefront-sensing technique is implemented experimentally using a liquid-crystal spatial-light modulator in conjunction with a CCD camera, and the obtained results are presented.

Modified Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor using an array of superresolution pupil filters

A conventional Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor works with an array of lenslets which produces an array of focal spots in the back focal plane of the lenses. The displacements of the focal spots from a reference position give a measure of the mean local wavefront slopes. To determine the positions of the focal spots, centroiding algorithms have to be used. In this work, the use of superresolution pupil filters to reduce the size of the focal spots is analyzed, as well as its effect on the variance of the centroid estimate, seeking for an enhancing of the sensor accuracy.